Mar18

Help Build a Credit Union Chapter for the Tri-Cities Area! 

Join your peers as we explore the opportunity to create a Credit Union Chapter in the Tri-Cities area!
Mar25

Commercial Services Council; Session One

This session provides an opportunity to engage with a community of commercial lending, and business service leaders focused on treasury and cash management services, member business lending programs, and strategies for deepening relationships with small business and commercial clients.
Mar26

HR & Trainers Council; Session One

The Council’s open format serves to encourage and recharge staff dealing with similar challenges and developments within the Credit Union Movement. Human resources and training professionals gather to learn, teach, pass on tips, and provide resources, information, networking, and professional development opportunities to best prepare for what’s on the horizon.
Mar27

Marketers Council; Session One

The Council — open to marketing, communications, media relations, public relations, business development, and community outreach professionals — is interactive and belongs to the members. Beneficial presentations are offered, along with the opportunity for credit union professionals to share in roundtable discussions. Councils provide an outlet that furthers the success of credit unions.
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Washington Legislative Session Clears Key Deadline

Posted by on March 3, 2025

The Washington State Legislature cleared a key deadline on Friday which meant that both policy and bills with a financial impact needed to be approved at the committee level or else they are no longer under consideration for the rest of the session. That comes with the significant caveat that bills necessary to implement the budget are not subject to cutoff and there are creative ways to revive certain topics that did not meet the cutoff deadline.

That means that today — which marks the 50th day of session — will see legislators spend nearly all of their time the next few weeks voting on bills collectively on the House and Senate floor instead of in committees.

Below is the latest on a few of the many key issues for credit unions at this point. 

HB 1506 — the bill to tax state-chartered credit unions did receive a public hearing two weeks ago but was not brought up for a committee vote. Following the hearing GoWest and credit union advocates engaged with committee members to share opposition and ensure there were not votes to pass it along. While it did not move out ahead of the fiscal cutoff deadline, given the fact that the Department of Revenue inaccurately indicated it would generate revenue – it could conceivably not be subject to cutoff. While we do not believe there is support for the bill, we will remain actively engaged and managing it through the end of session.

Interchange — While the main bill that would have prohibited interchange on sales tax or tips ultimately died in committee (SB 5070), lawmakers late on Thursday night attached similar language specifically for the tipped portion of the transaction to another bill that sought to prohibit employers from deducting interchange from their employee tips (HB 1623). While we did not have concerns with the original version of the bill we are now opposed to the amended version and are working with House leaders to address our issues.

Financial education — The Senate bill requiring financial education to be a high school graduation requirement did not advance, a version in the House (HB 1285) continues to move forward and could come up for a vote in the House in the next two weeks.

There are many other bills that we are currently engaged in advancing, amending, or explaining why they should not be passed, but the above items are the main focus area as of right now.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Washington Advocacy.