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Archive for category: Advocacy

Advocacy, News

Executive Letter: Banking Wins and Risks in “One Big Beautiful Bill”

From the Desk of Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

The House-passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (H.R. 1) included a few key wins for the banking industry — importantly, a modified version of the ACRE Act that would help to enhance competition with government-backed farm lenders and tax relief for Subchapter S banks.

Now that the bill is in the hands of the Senate, WBA has been advocating publicly and behind the scenes with our U.S. Senators to underscore how vital it is that the Senate version of the bill include at least the same modified version of ACRE as in the House bill. In coalition letters to Senate leadership, we have also requested increases to the tax exemption percentage from that contained in the House version. Finally, we continue to support the inclusion of tax relief for Subchapter S banks.

Additionally, WBA recently learned of a different provision in the House version of the bill that could become burdensome for financial institutions. A provision in the legislation would impose a 3.5% tax on all cross-border remittance transfers made by any non-U.S. citizen — applying not only to individuals remitting money, but also to all bank-to-bank cross border transfers. The language in the House version does not distinguish between remittances sent by non-citizens who are in the U.S. legally or illegally, which means the scope reaches to non-citizen business owners who are in the U.S. legally conducting their business will be subject to the 3.5% excise tax every time they transfer money out of the U.S. Banks will have to verify the citizenship status of the remittance requestor and, if that requestor is not a U.S. citizen, banks will have to collect and remit the tax to the U.S. Treasury.

Finally, the House version creates a new account called the “Trump Account” which would place $1,000 into an investment account for every newborn in the U.S. As written, the funds are placed into stock market index funds, managed by the child’s legal guardians, with the goal of building long-term financial security.

WBA will keep members apprised of these and other relevant developments as the language continues to evolve.

June 12, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Executive-Letter-Thumbnail.png 720 1280 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-06-12 08:06:012025-06-12 08:06:01Executive Letter: Banking Wins and Risks in “One Big Beautiful Bill”
Advocacy, Member News

Executive Letter: More Advocacy in Action

From the Desk of Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

The banking industry has been very active this spring with our legislative advocacy at the state and federal level. I am excited to share that, once again, we had incredibly strong participation from Wisconsin bankers last week when WBA joined with ICBA for their annual Capital Summit in Washington, D.C. This year, 21 Wisconsin bankers, two ICBA staff members, and one person from FHLBank of Chicago joined Daryll and me for Congressional Hill visits on key banking industry legislation. Between our two spring Washington trips, we had 43 bankers (several of whom joined us for the first time) join WBA this year, which is a number we have not seen since pre-COVID years. Thank you all for listening to our requests to increase your personal involvement in these critical advocacy trips!

Like last month, the timing of our Hill visits last week Wednesday was fortuitous as both tax policy and cryptocurrency were hot topics in Washington D.C. As you see in the news, there is a lot of focus on passing the House reconciliation bill, labeled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” and sending it to the Senate. This legislation is certainly not without a lot of controversy; however, when the tax portion was first published by the House Ways and Means Committee, WBA was very excited to see a modified version of the ACRE Act included. This is extremely significant because out of hundreds of requests for new tax law changes, only a handful were included and modified ACRE is one of them. Without significant grassroots involvement from the industry over the last several congressional sessions, I do not think this provision would have been included. I am pleased to share that currently Reps. Steil, Fitzgerald, Van Orden, and Pocan are co-sponsors of the stand-alone ACRE Act legislation.

In addition to discussing tax policy and the ACRE Act, there was a lot of dialogue with each Wisconsin congressional office on cryptocurrency. It is expected that the GENIUS Act in the Senate will be up on the floor for a vote this week, and the STABLE Act is expected to progress further in the House soon. Primarily our message was to mitigate stablecoin risks while protecting against community bank disintermediation. Other topics covered included Section 1071 legislation, Credit Card Competition Act, the Farm Bill, and Trigger Leads.

The Wisconsin bankers who joined Daryll Lund and me on this trip found it to be very educational and productive. Without question, WBA is more impactful when constituent bankers help deliver messages to elected officials. I encourage all of you to consider joining WBA next year for one of our two annual Washington Trips, or later this year when we meet with regulators (not legislators), October 16–17, 2025.

Thank you to the bankers who attended the WBA/ICBA Capital Summit!

  • Justin Adamski, The Pineries Bank, Stevens Point
  • Robin Christian, Premier Community Bank, Marion
  • Brooke Frehse, The Stephenson National Bank & Trust, Marinette
  • Rachael Gadbois, The Pineries Bank, Stevens Point
  • Mike Gargaro, Citizens First Bank, Trempealeau
  • Jeff Gruetzmacher, Royal Bank, Lancaster
  • Dale Hans, Horicon Bank
  • Donna Hoppenjan, Mound City Bank, Platteville
  • Shane Ilstrup, Citizens First Bank, Trempealeau
  • Jimmy Kauffman, Bank of Sun Prairie
  • Sue Loken, Lake Ridge Bank, Middleton
  • Hope Markhardt, Lake Ridge Bank, Madison
  • Josh Marron, Park Bank, Madison
  • Paul Northway, American National Bank Fox Cities, Appleton
  • Mike Olson, The Bank of Brodhead
  • Butch Pomeroy, International Bank of Amherst
  • Lonnie Przybylski, International Bank of Amherst
  • Dan Ravenscroft, Royal Bank, Elroy
  • Julie Redfern, Lake Ridge Bank, Verona
  • Ron Schaaf, The Bank of New Glarus
  • Justin Wroblewski, The Stephenson National Bank and Trust, Marinette

Thanks also to these individuals for joining our group:

  • Dave Feldhaus, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
  • Julie Hanson, ICBA
  • Sean Murphy, ICBA
May 22, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Executive-Letter-Thumbnail.png 720 1280 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-05-22 07:17:362025-05-22 08:49:54Executive Letter: More Advocacy in Action
Advocacy, Member News

Advocacy Update: Advocacy is an Investment in Our Industry’s Future

By Lorenzo Cruz

Minimizing risk, building relationships, investing in communities, and improving lives are the pillars of banking — and the foundation of our approach to advocacy. As bankers, we are entrusted with protecting and growing our customers’ assets. Similarly, through government relations, we work to safeguard and advance the interests of the banking industry in the legislative, regulatory, and judicial arenas.

Advocacy is essential. It helps neutralize threats and seize opportunities that benefit our institutions, customers, and the communities we serve. Just as we manage financial risk, we must also manage political risk — and that requires consistent engagement at all levels of government.

The Wisconsin legislative session is well underway. The WBA government relations team is actively advocating on key issues including credit card fees, trust code updates, ESG regulations, credit union powers, privacy, and artificial intelligence. Budget deliberations are in full swing, with lawmakers weighing tax cuts and funding for K-12 education, higher education, health care, corrections, and transportation. The Joint Finance Committee’s votes are expected in May, with final floor action likely in June. While budgets are usually signed by early July, this year may stretch longer.

Meanwhile, politics remain highstakes. The recent State Supreme Court race was the most expensive nonpartisan judicial contest in U.S. history, with spending exceeding $100 million. These spending levels underscore the ongoing volatility and importance of staying politically engaged.

Bankers play a crucial role in WBA’s advocacy efforts. One of the most impactful ways to contribute is through financial support of Wisbankpac or the Alliance of Bankers Conduit, which fuels our ability to support pro-banking candidates and policies. Our 2025 goal is $300,000, and we need leadership from every corner of the industry to get there.

We urge bank Presidents and CEOs to join the Leadership Circle and ensure their institutions achieve Gold Triangle recognition. Senior management and board members are encouraged to give at the Silver Triangle level. All employees — managers and staff — can make meaningful contributions of $125, $250, $500, or more. Every dollar supports allies who understand and champion our industry in Madison and Washington, D.C.

These investments deliver real results. Thanks to WBA’s advocacy and the support of our legislative partners, Wisconsin enacted the first-ever income tax exemption on commercial loans of $5 million or less — a landmark achievement projected to save banks over $24 million annually. This legislation is now a model for other states, showcasing the power of political engagement.

To maintain this momentum, we must continue building relationships, expanding our influence, and supporting advocacy programs. In addition to giving, consider participating in events like Capitol Day, the Kohler Issue Advocacy Outing, Milford Hills Sporting Clays PAC event, Take Your Legislator to Work Day, or by becoming an Advocacy Officer and working toward BIGG (Bankers Involved in Grassroots Government) recognition.

Your investment in WBA advocacy isn’t just a contribution — it’s a strategic move that protects our future and drives real returns.

Cruz is WBA vice president – government relations.

May 20, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Untitled-3_Yellow.jpg 972 1920 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-05-20 08:00:522025-05-20 08:00:52Advocacy Update: Advocacy is an Investment in Our Industry’s Future
Advocacy, Community, Member News, News

Executive Letter: Record-Breaking Capitol Day Demonstrates Power of Unified Industry Voice

From the Desk of Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

I want to extend my sincere thanks to all of the members who helped make our 2025 Capitol Day a resounding success. With over 320 bankers from more than 70 banks across Wisconsin in attendance, this year marked record-breaking participation and sent a powerful message to lawmakers at the State Capitol.

Bankers met with 32 of 33 State Senators and 80 of 99 State Representatives to discuss the critical role banks play in growing local economies and supporting the needs of individuals, families, and businesses. These direct conversations — on topics like state privacy regulations, credit card interchange fees, tax parity, cryptocurrency, and protecting seniors from financial fraud — emphasized how essential strong partnerships are between lawmakers and our industry. The presence of such a large, unified group made a lasting impression on our state’s elected officials.

We heard from key state leaders including Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and Assembly Assistant Minority Leader Kalan Haywood who participated in a panel moderated by WisPolitics.com President Jeff Mayers. During lunch, remarks were delivered by DFI Secretary-designee Wendy K. Baumann. Their participation reaffirmed the importance of Capitol Day in shaping policies that enable banks to better serve Wisconsin communities.

As we continue our advocacy work in 2025, we are actively working toward our annual fundraising goal of $300,000 through contributions to Wisbankpac and the Alliance for Bankers Conduit. These funds are essential to supporting critical efforts like Capitol Day — which remains free for WBA members — and ensuring the voice of Wisconsin’s banking industry remains strong and effective in the legislative process. If you or others at your bank have not yet participated, I encourage you to consider a personal contribution and help us reach this important goal. If you would like to help spread the word about WBA’s fundraising goal, a sample fundraising letter is in the digital WBA Advocacy Toolkit.

Once again, thank you for your leadership and your commitment to advocacy. Together, we are making a difference in advancing the banking industry and supporting communities across the state.

If you would like to access any of the “leave behind materials” shared at Capitol Day, you can download them from the links below:
•  WBA Issue Papers Summary
•  Issue Summary
•  Impact Brochure

In closing, I’d like to give kudos to WBA’s Government Relations team, Lorenzo Cruz and Tyler Foti, for their hard work in making Capitol Day the success that it was.

May 15, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Executive-Letter-Thumbnail.png 720 1280 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-05-15 07:47:382025-05-15 07:47:38Executive Letter: Record-Breaking Capitol Day Demonstrates Power of Unified Industry Voice
Advocacy, Member News, News

Over 320 Bankers Attend Wisconsin Bankers Association Capitol Day

Over 320 bankers representing more than 70 banks from across Wisconsin attended this year’s Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) Capitol Day. This annual event allows bankers to join together to meet with elected representatives to share how much public policy can impact a bank’s ability to aid the economic growth and vitality of their communities. These critical meetings help illustrate just how integral banks are in keeping their communities thriving.

“I am excited to see how each year brings more and more bankers to this event for the opportunity to both discuss important priorities and develop stronger relationships with legislative representatives,” said Rose Oswald Poels, WBA president and CEO. “These meaningful discussions allow for direct dialog between constituents and their elected officials on changes needed to help banks better serve their customers and communities.”

During the meetings bankers shared how each gives back and supports their communities and discussed key issues such as credit card interchange fees, state privacy regulations, tax parity, and the need for further protections of seniors from financial exploitation or fraud.

In a panel discussion led by WisPolitics.com President Jeff Mayers, participants also heard insights and perspectives from legislative leadership which included Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, and Assembly Assistant Minority Leader Kalan Haywood. Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions Secretary-designate Wendy K. Baumann also addressed the attendees over lunch.

May 6, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Triangle-Backgrounds_Dark-Blue-on-Light-Blue.jpg 972 1921 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-05-06 14:37:562025-05-07 08:14:08Over 320 Bankers Attend Wisconsin Bankers Association Capitol Day
Advocacy, News

Executive Letter: WBA Advocacy in Action — Protecting Mortgage Customers from Unwanted Solicitations

From the Desk of Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

With the 119th Congress well underway, more legislation is getting introduced to help the industry and its customers. While WBA was in Washington D.C. a few weeks ago for the first of two Washington lobby trips, we spoke with our congressional delegation about the need for the “trigger lead” bill to be reintroduced this session. Later that week, the bipartisan Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act was introduced in both the Senate and House (S. 1467 and H.R. 2808) and is currently co-sponsored by Senator Baldwin and Rep. Bryan Steil respectively.

As a reminder, the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to eliminate abusive mortgage “trigger leads” and limit prescreened credit offers to consumers who consent or who have a preexisting relationship with a financial institution. Currently, the only way for a consumer to not receive these prescreened offers is by expressly opting out on each credit bureau’s website.

The Senate bill was introduced and immediately referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. The House bill was introduced and immediately referred to the House Financial Services Committee. Today, H.R. 2808 is being noticed as part of a House Financial Institutions Subcommittee hearing.

Since the beginning of last session, WBA has been lobbying for passage of this bipartisan legislation alongside ABA and ICBA. All bankers attending our Washington lobby trips over the last few years share stories about the incredibly high number of phone calls and text messages their mortgage applicants receive within hours of applying for a mortgage loan. These entities that have no relationship with the consumer are buying these trigger leads from the credit bureaus and immediately contacting your customers to lure them away from your bank. These calls have left customers confused and very upset, often believing that the bank has improperly shared their information.

To help banks warn their customers about the problem, WBA created model forms members may use to communicate this activity at the application stage which reiterates that the bank did not sell the customer’s information. You may obtain the forms from the WBA Best Practices Library located on the compliance resources section of the WBA website. The library is password protected. If you need the password, please contact WBA Legal at wbalegal@wisbank.com

WBA will be back in Washington D.C. with bankers in a few weeks in conjunction with ICBA’s Capital Summit where we will lobby on this legislation, among others, to get more Wisconsin co-sponsors added. Last session, several members of our delegation were co-sponsors. In addition, ICBA has a banker “call to action” on the trigger leads bill on its “Be Heard Grassroots Action Center” which can be accessed here: ICBA urges grassroots action on trigger leads. I encourage you to let your member of Congress know this is a critical issue for your bank’s customers!

May 1, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Executive-Letter-Thumbnail.png 720 1280 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-05-01 08:54:192025-05-01 08:54:19Executive Letter: WBA Advocacy in Action — Protecting Mortgage Customers from Unwanted Solicitations
Advocacy, Member News, News, Uncategorized

Executive Letter: Advocacy in Action

From the Desk of Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

WBA staff and 22 Wisconsin bankers joined more than 1,400 bankers from around the country last week for Congressional Hill visits on banking industry matters as part of ABA’s Washington Summit. WBA Board Chair Al Araque and I are very excited by the increased number of Wisconsin bankers who joined us on this trip, as well as those who already signed up for WBA’s second Washington Trip next month in conjunction with ICBA’s Capital Summit. We are grateful that you have responded to our requests to increase your personal involvement in these critical advocacy initiatives, and we are very pleased with the many bankers who joined us for the first time.

The timing of our Hill visits last Tuesday was fortuitous, as the House was taking a floor vote the next day on a key issue we supported: H.J. Res. 59, a congressional resolution of disapproval that would nullify the CFPB’s overdraft rule. The passage of this resolution means that CFPB is never able to introduce a similar rule again. While the vote in the House ultimately was along party lines, we were able to highlight in meetings with every Wisconsin congressional office the benefits consumers received from overdraft programs, along with the consequences of capping such fees.

Tax policy is top of mind in Washington, D.C., which gave us the opportunity to discuss with some of our delegation the importance of continuing the tax provisions that will expire at the end of 2025 — notably, the Section 199A pass-through deduction. We also focused on the ACRE Act, which would help deliver savings to farmers and ranchers across the country by providing a tax break to banks when making certain ag loans secured by farm real estate and aquaculture facilities, and for certain home mortgage loans. Currently, Reps. Steil, Fitzgerald, and Van Orden are co-sponsors of the ACRE Act, and we asked the other representatives to become co-sponsors as well. Other topics we advocated for included legislation that would repeal or narrow the scope of Section 1071, stablecoin legislation, and trigger leads legislation.

The Wisconsin bankers who joined Daryll Lund and me on this trip found it to be very educational and productive. Without question, WBA is more impactful when constituent bankers help deliver messages to elected officials. I encourage all of you to consider joining WBA next month for our second Washington Trip, May 12–15, 2025; later in the year when we meet with regulators (not legislators), October 16–17, 2025; or make plans now to join us next spring.

Thank you to the bankers who attended the WBA/ABA Washington Summit!
•  Al Araque, Johnson Financial Group, Racine
•  Tom Bloomer, State Bank of Chilton
•  Glen Calnin, State Bank of Chilton
•  Bill Dyson, Ladysmith Federal Savings & Loan Association
•  Morgan Farmer, Park Bank, Holmen
•  Dave Feldhaus, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago
•  Kristen Gagliano, North Shore Bank, Brookfield
•  Laura Hoerth, State Bank of Chilton
•  Damian Hoerth, State Bank of Chilton
•  Paul Hoffmann, Lake Ridge Bank, Middleton
•  Shay Horton, Cumberland Federal Bank, FSB
•  Corey Hoze, Associated Bank, Milwaukee
•  James Meisser, Lake Shore III Corporation, Glenwood City
•  Jeanene Meisser, Lake Shore III Corporation, Glenwood City
•  Morgan Mielke, Premier Community Bank, Green Bay
•  Tisha O’Dell, North Shore Bank, Appleton
•  Greg Ogren, Security Bank Shares, Iron River
•  Christine Ogren, Security Bank Shares, Iron River
•  Mark Oldenberg, Security Financial Bank, Eau Claire
•  Tom Pamperin, Premier Community Bank, Marion
•  Robert Traylor, Horicon Bank
•  Theresa Wiese, First Business Bank, Madison
•  Sarah Ziemba, American National Bank Fox Cities

April 17, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Executive-Letter-Thumbnail.png 720 1280 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-04-17 07:27:362025-04-17 07:27:36Executive Letter: Advocacy in Action
Advocacy, Community, Member News

Executive Letter: Power of Community Week — Celebrating the Impact of Wisconsin Banks

From the Desk of Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

Every year, WBA Power of Community Week shines a spotlight on the many ways bankers give back, reinforcing the vital role our industry plays in strengthening Wisconsin’s communities. As we gear up for the eighth annual Power of Community Week — taking place April 21–26, 2025 — now is the ideal time for WBA-member banks to rally their teams and showcase their commitment to making a difference.

This annual event isn’t just about volunteerism; it’s a powerful testament to our industry’s dedication to community well-being. It’s a chance to demonstrate, celebrate, and amplify the meaningful work banks do year-round—work that defines the essence of community banking. Numerous banker volunteers, WBA Associate Members, and WBA staff will come together for this week of service activities.

While Power of Community Week generates an incredible level of engagement, we know that our member banks don’t limit their community service to just one week. Giving back is what sets community banks apart, going beyond regulatory obligations like the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) to make a real, lasting impact on families, businesses, farmers, and nonprofits.

Power of Community Week is our opportunity to highlight the positive impact banks make every day. By participating, you’re not just showcasing your bank’s values — you’re helping to tell the story of Wisconsin banking at its best.

Complete the participation form so we can highlight your contributions across the state and share your impact with elected officials and the public. (Click here for information about the WBA Community Involvement Survey.)

Don’t forget to capture the moments! Use #BanksPowerWI and tag the Wisconsin Bankers Association on social media to amplify your efforts.

Thank you for being the heart of Wisconsin’s communities.

March 19, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Executive-Letter-Thumbnail.png 720 1280 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-03-19 10:25:342025-03-19 10:25:34Executive Letter: Power of Community Week — Celebrating the Impact of Wisconsin Banks
Advocacy, Member News

Advocacy Update: WBA Pushes Back on Swipe Fees Proposal and Forward with Legislative Priorities in 2025–26

By Lorenzo Cruz

The Wisconsin Legislature is back in session. One legislative issue which has resurfaced is credit card swipe fees. The draft proposal prohibits a financial institution from charging an interchange fee on the sales tax portion of a credit card transaction. The draft also includes the repeal of the Unfair Sales Act and could include data privacy language. A large retailers’ coalition is pushing the draft that WBA opposes. In 2021, the interchange bill died in committee.

What has sparked interest in moving legislation forward here in Wisconsin? Our Illinois neighbor passed a new interchange law last summer, which is being litigated in federal court. The Interchange Prohibition Fee Act prohibits charging or receiving the interchange fee on the portion of the transaction that covers state or local taxes and gratuities. Over a dozen differing interchange bills could be introduced nationwide in 2025.

Moreover, WBA’s Government Relations team continues to monitor and lobby legislators on the Association’s other priorities below for the 2025–26 legislative session.
•  Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) – WBA intends to minimize the impact of legislation that would prevent or limit a bank’s ability to make their own risk-based business decisions over loans and investments.
•  Trust Code – WBA continues to work with the State Bar on Domestic Asset Preservation Trust and other trust related changes.
•  Privacy – WBA continues to protect GLBA exemption for financial institutions and their affiliates in data privacy legislation.
•  Tax Parity – As more tax-exempt competitors leverage their competitive advantage over banks, WBA keeps pursuing legislative parity for the banking industry and its customers.
•  Artificial Intelligence – As artificial intelligence emerges as an issue nationally; WBA will collaborate with legislators to minimize the impact of any AI legislation on the banking industry.
•  Elder Fraud Prevention – While positive progress was made on a trusted list last session, obtaining the opportunity for a pause remains a priority for WBA during the 2025–26 session.
•  Merchant Category Codes – WBA will continue to neutralize any harmful legislation.

Switching gears to political fundraising, the GR team successfully raised over $271,000 in PAC and conduit contributions in 2024 and reached 90% of WBA’s year-end goal of $300,000, which set a record high. The team also delivered increases across the board in members for Leadership Circle, Silver Triangle, Gold Triangle, and Bankers Involved with Grassroots and Government (BIGG). WBA honored the recipients at a dinner during WBA’s Bank Executives Conference last month in Milwaukee.

Without the membership’s political advocacy support, WBA would not have been able to pass laws on an income tax exemption for banks on commercial/ag loans, banking modernization, trust code update, or elder fraud protections in the 2023–24 legislative session. Let us continue to amplify WBA’s advocacy impact by building on past legislative victories and setting new records for 2025 in political giving and attendance levels at Capitol Day on May 6, the Kohler issue advocacy outing on June 16–17, and the Milford Hills sporting clays PAC event on October 23. Thanks to all the members for their continued commitment to the cause that allows the Association’s unified voice to be heard above the rest.

Cruz is WBA vice president – government relations.

March 17, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Untitled-3_Yellow.jpg 972 1920 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-03-17 08:06:072025-03-17 08:06:07Advocacy Update: WBA Pushes Back on Swipe Fees Proposal and Forward with Legislative Priorities in 2025–26
Advocacy, Member News, News

Executive Letter: FDIC Regulatory Updates: Key Changes Affecting Banks + Updates on Nominations

From the Desk of Rose Oswald PoelsBy Rose Oswald Poels

Early last week, the FDIC announced several significant regulatory actions. Below is a summary of the most relevant developments:

Rescission of 2024 Bank Merger Policy Statement

The FDIC has proposed rescinding the 2024 Statement of Policy on Bank Merger Transactions, citing concerns over added uncertainty in the application process. This action reinstates the prior policy while the FDIC conducts a broader review of its merger framework.

Withdrawal of Proposed Rules

The FDIC has withdrawn proposed rules related to:
•  Brokered Deposits – The proposal would have significantly altered the regulatory framework for brokered deposits.
•  Corporate Governance – This proposed rule aimed to impose stricter governance requirements for banks with $10 billion or more in assets.
•  Change in Bank Control Act (CBCA) – The proposal sought to modify filing requirements for acquisitions of voting securities.
•  Additionally, the FDIC has rescinded its authority to publish a proposed rule on incentive-based compensation arrangements, which had not yet been adopted by all required regulatory agencies.

Extension of Compliance Date for Sign and Advertising Rule Changes

The FDIC has postponed the mandatory compliance date for certain provisions of its Sign and Advertising Rule from May 1, 2025, to March 1, 2026. This extension applies to digital display requirements and signage at ATMs, allowing the FDIC to refine the regulation based on industry feedback. Other provisions of the rule remain on track for May 1, 2025, compliance.

What This Means for Your Bank

These regulatory shifts indicate the FDIC’s current willingness to reconsider policies that may impose undue burdens or create uncertainty.

WBA is pleased to see the Trump Administration moving forward with an agenda that rolls back excessive regulation, and we will continue to advocate for that with all federal banking agencies. Moreover, we will advocate for additional relief when we are out in Washington, D.C. with bankers this spring at both the WBA/ABA Washington Summit and the WBA/ICBA Capital Summit.

Agency Nominations Status

In case you’ve been wondering where nominations stand at federal agencies that impact the banking industry, here is an overview:
•  Travis Hill appointed as Acting Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (for an overview of Hill’s statement outlining the current focus of FDIC, refer to my Feb. 18 Executive Letter)
•  Andrew Ferguson confirmed as Chair of Federal Trade Commission
•  Mark Uyeda serving as Acting Chair of Securities and Exchange Commission and Paul Atkins nominated as Chair
•  Jeffrey Hall confirmed as Chair of Farm Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration
•  Scott Bessent confirmed as Secretary of Treasury
•  Brooke Rollins confirmed as Secretary of Agriculture
•  Kelly Loeffler confirmed as Administrator of Small Business Administration
•  Scott Turner confirmed as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
•  Christopher Wright confirmed as Secretary of Energy
•  Russell Vought confirmed as Director of OMB

On March 6, the Senate Banking Committee voted to advance to the Senate the nominations of Jonathan McKernan to be director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Bill Pulte to be director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The committee also voted to advance the nominations of Stephen Miran to be chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors and Jeffery Kessler to be undersecretary of commerce for industry and security.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns as you closely review these updates. WBA will continue its diligence in advocating for regulatory and legislative frameworks that support the strength and stability of our member banks.

March 13, 2025/by Katie Reiser
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Executive-Letter-Thumbnail.png 720 1280 Katie Reiser https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Katie Reiser2025-03-13 07:38:132025-03-13 07:38:13Executive Letter: FDIC Regulatory Updates: Key Changes Affecting Banks + Updates on Nominations
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