Senator for District 55 in the Ohio Senate
Schedule a Speaking Engagement With William P. Coley
State Senator Bill Coley is serving his first term in the Ohio Senate, representing all of Butler County as the Senator for the 4th Ohio Senate District. Prior to his appointment to the Senate, Coley was elected to four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, where his background in financial matters led him to be named Chairman of the House Financial Institutions, Housing and Urban Development Committee.
Senator Coley serves as Chairman of the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee, which deals with legislation and policy that seeks to promote accountability, transparency and reform in all aspects of state government. He is also a member of the Senate Education Committee, the Energy and Public Utilities Committee and the Financial Institutions Committee. In these roles he will work to strengthen the state’s education system, maintain a strong and vibrant banking and finance industry and keep Ohio's energy and utility industries competitive – all with an eye on creating jobs and getting Ohio’s economy back on track.
Senator Coley is best known for creating the Distance Learning Clearing House, which provides a mechanism where students across the State can use technology to connect with the best teachers, as well as providing a mechanism where additional compensation can be paid to those best teachers. The DLCH legislation is being promoted as a model for other states to adopt.
In addition to his legislative duties, Coley works as a commercial litigation attorney with the firm of Strauss and Troy and is licensed to practice in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. An active member of his community, Coley is involved in the Butler County Republican Party, St. John’s Catholic Church, Sons of the American Legion and the Boy Scouts of America.
Coley’s legislative efforts have garnered him a number of awards. He has been named a Watchdog of the Treasury by the United Conservatives of Ohio, and has received the Robert R. Cupp Legislative Award from the eTech Ohio Commission, and the Defender of Liberty Award from American Conservative Union.
Coley received his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Dayton and his law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. A licensed pilot, he and his wife Carolyn live in Liberty Township.
