Two major issues of interest to credit unions – possessory liens and prize-linked savings — are still alive as the Oregon Legislature enters its fourth week of a short session.
It’s the first full day of the 2014 Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C., where more than 4,400 credit union advocates – including 225 from the Northwest – have gathered to spread the credit union message and address key issues facing the movement.
For just the second time in the state’s history, the Oregon Legislature will meet for a short session this year. The tight timeline means many bills could fall by the wayside, but the NWCUA is still keeping an eye on legislation that could impact credit unions.
Gun control, marijuana and Cover Oregon were among the key issues on the agenda when Oregon lawmakers gathered in Salem last week for the third and final series of interim committee meetings leading to the Feb. 3 opening of a short legislative session.
Washington’s politically divided Legislature returned to the state Capitol in Olympia on Monday, kicking off a 60-day session that is expected to tackle everything from education funding and transportation to gun control and marijuana.
The Oregon Legislature’s interim legislative committees met in Salem in November to get updates on bills passed in 2013, check up on state agencies, and explore policy proposals – including a fix for unscrupulous mechanic’s liens — for the 2014 session that starts in February.
NCUA board Chairman Debbie Matz will talk about her vision for the future of the regulatory agency and the challenges that lie ahead when the Northwest Credit Union Association kicks off its 2013 Amplify Convention in Portland this afternoon.
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber is expected to sign a package of five bills aimed at providing more money for education, senior programs, and other state services after the state Senate gave its approval Wednesday to the legislation.
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has called legislators back to Salem for a special session beginning Monday, Sept. 30. On the agenda: an agreement between the governor and legislative leaders to increase school funding by $140 million. The special session comes on the heels of the last week’s Interim Legislative Days, when the Oregon Legislative Assembly held three days of “informational hearings” on legislation that passed in 2013.
The Senate panel considering the nomination of former Oregon Senator Rick Metsger to the NCUA Board will meet in closed session as its next step Tuesday.
The Oregon bank lobby’s attempts to tax credit unions died when the state legislature gaveled its session to a close Monday. Three anti credit union bills never made it past their assigned committees, while legislation updating the Oregon Credit Union Act was signed into law.
The Washington Legislature has started its second special session of 2013. A possible state government shutdown looms if there is no budget agreement by June 30.
With a goal of ending its session by early July at the latest, the Oregon Senate is working to finalize a revenue package that will pass both chambers. Meanwhile, a freshman lawmaker shares insight into the complicated process of getting legislation passed.
The Washington Legislature completed its 105-day session without passing a budget. The Governor has scheduled a special session to begin May 13.
The NWCUA bill improving the Washington Credit Union Act has passed and is now headed to Governor Inslee’s desk.
On the docket in the Oregon Legislature are three bills introduced by the Oregon Bankers Association as part of a targeted effort based on the work of an anti-credit union task force created last summer. In addition to opposing these bills, the NWCUA has established a seven-point legislative agenda for the current session.
The 2013 session of the Washington State Legislature began on Jan. 14 with three significant items on the year’s agenda: adopting a budget through 2017, resolving public education requirements and finalizing details related to Medicaid expansion.
More than 1,200 bills were introduced yesterday in the Oregon Legislature, including two at the request of the House Interim Committee on Revenue with potential ramifications for credit unions.