Florida Banking March 2024

PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

SPRING UPDATE: RECENT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DELEGATION IN WASHINGTON D.C.

BY KATHY KRANINGER, FBA PRESIDENT AND CEO

B y the time you read this message, it will be spring, and the 2024 Florida legislative session will be over! But Federal regulatory actions will be heating up and so will the FBA’s event calendar! Community Engagement Regardless of where things fall out legislatively, we cannot take our friends for granted and we always need more allies. We will be in touch in the coming months about what you can do to support our advocacy and engagement initiatives from your communities with your team, directors, and customers — it won’t be hard, because you are probably already doing it! Let me tell you a story from my recent visit to Washington. As I discussed the critical role bankers play in communities across Florida with Congressman Franklin (R-Lakeland), he shared that in a district visit to a manufacturing company, the company had invited their banker to join. The company lauded their banker and said the business could not have gotten off the ground without the bank’s support. We agreed this is true for entrepreneurs and customers across the state, but we don’t hear it enough. At FBA, we need to hear those stories, get those photos, and gather the data that underscores the impact bankers have. As an industry, we need to invite legislators and policymakers to our institutions, to meet our employees (their constituents), and to understand our business. We will start small this summer and grow the effort over time, based on results, but I am confident with your participation and a strong strategy we can strengthen our network of friends and allies. The beauty of the plan — you

keep doing in your communities exactly what you would otherwise do! Just let FBA know so we can pull it into an industry initiative and amplify the impact. More to come on this… Engagement in Washington, D.C. Gina and I had a whirlwind trip in Washington where we met with 21 Members of the Florida delegation over three days, had other chance Member meetings in the hall, and sat down with relevant committee staffs and Florida delegation staff. The purpose was introductory and an invitation to join our 68th Annual Washington D.C. Fly-In events (March 18-20, 2024), though we discussed issues and priorities for them and for us. Basel III Endgame is a bipartisan concern, even for those who had not heard of it before. That leads me to the Federal regulatory agenda which is moving fast on many fronts. One reason for that is the implications of the Congressional Review Act, the other “CRA”. If you aren’t familiar with this CRA, it is essentially a way for Congress to vacate rules under certain parameters and timelines. Federal agencies will want to finalize regulations as soon as possible this spring, so that if the 2024 election results in a change in power, their rules cannot be reversed by that future Congress through the CRA. I won’t go through the rules and bills we’re tracking here, but please see the new Members Only “Federal Issues and Resources” page on the FBA website. As always, the FBA team wants to hear your feedback, concerns, and accolades great and small. They are necessary to serve you better, so keep it coming! And I look forward to seeing you around the Sunshine State and in D.C. this month!

6 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING