Florida Banking February/March 2025

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

FLORIDA’S TIME TO SHINE AND OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SEIZE

BY KATHY KRANINGER, FBA PRESIDENT AND CEO

I f the last two years have been about the regulatory tsunami, the next two years bring the winds of change akin to the tornado in the Wizard of Oz! And with Florida front center! President Trump’s adopted home state is playing a key role in the new administration and in the new Congress. As I noted in my last column, that is leading to some musical chairs in our Congressional delegation and at the state level. As I am writing this, Jimmy Patronis and

But we do have to prioritize. I am looking at a list of 247 final and 204 proposed agency actions impacting and seeking response from our members over the past four years. Some of the actions are minor updates and clarification to agency guidance, while others are sweeping final regulations that impose burdensome, unwarranted costs. The concerns of the business community were so great that no fewer than six of those final actions have been challenged in court,

Randy Fine are on track to win their primary races to respectively replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz in Congress — one more election on April 1 will officially send them to DC. Further, Gov. DeSantis appointed Attorney General Ashley Moody to the U.S. Senate, and he will have the opportunity to appoint a State CFO and an Attorney General. The FBA is already engaging with our elected representatives and the new administration to seize this opportunity. Given the groundwork we have laid with the

including CRA, 1071, and 1033. We also know we are facing complex challenges in areas such as countering fraud, supporting affordable/ workforce housing and addressing credit union accountability. As we prioritize the issues, we have to determine the best avenue to achieve the outcome we are seeking. Congress has the other Congressional Review Act (CRA), budget reconciliation (including the tax package), and legislative paths. We will have new agency leadership from day one — some

“THE FBA IS ALREADY ENGAGING WITH OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TO SEIZE THIS OPPORTUNITY. ”

ABA, ICBA other state banking associations, and other business community trade groups, we are well-positioned to reverse the most harmful agency actions and do great things for our communities and our customers.

guidance can be rescinded, regulations not yet effective or implemented will see extensions, enforcement actions under way will be reviewed, and litigation posture will be reassessed. With respect to the courts, it may be most judicious to see pending litigation through to decision.

6 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING