Legislative Update with Chesney

Potluck with Levo CU; a stop-over in Pierre to visit Oahe FCU; news from Washington, DC; and SD Legislative CU Day is just around the corner. 

Celebrating the Holidays- Potluck Style
Last Friday, I had the pleasure of attending the Levo holiday potluck in Sioux Falls, thanks to Jen McKeown's kind invitation and wonderful hospitality. You might be curious about my "potluck" contribution. Well, I usually keep my home cooking and baking as simple as possible, so I opted to bring a crowd-pleaser: Crumbl Cookies for dessert. And while these cookies are delicious, they were not in close competition with Jen’s homemade cherry cheesecake pie! Talk about “chef’s kiss!” The food was exceptional, matched only by the array of festive holiday sweaters. The Levo team was dressed in their holiday best, but BJ’s sweater stole the show for me. It featured various staff members as cartoons, making it a truly unique and fun garment! (Wouldn’t it be fun to see a DakCU sweater like this?)

​From One State Capital City to the Next
This week, Monday morning started off in “Pierre-adise” at the wonderful Oahe Federal Credit Union with Dawn VanAsh and her team. We had an interesting session discussing the current landscape for credit union members in central South Dakota.

It was a great time, sharing coffee with Dawn and her team in Pierre, a place I love. Growing up, my friends, family, and I spent a lot of time in that city, as it was the closest Walmart from my rural town, which was about a 45-minute drive away.

After a productive morning, I left for Bismarck. The journey between these two capital cities was strikingly beautiful, and I highly recommend it to anyone who gets the chance.

​In Bismarck, our team is convening for advocacy meetings, 2024 team planning, and most importantly preparing for the South Dakota Legislative Session which is right around the corner. Then, to cap off the meetings in Bismark, we will be celebrating our 2023 achievements with a festive holiday dinner! 

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South Dakota Legislative Day Right Around the Corner
Speaking of the South Dakota Legislative Day, I hope you have marked your calendars for an exciting and influential day on January 24th, 2024, in Pierre. This event offers a unique platform for you and your credit union colleagues to network with state legislators, immerse in our rich state history, and advocate for your credit union's initiatives.

Limited spots are available, so we encourage you to RSVP. Additionally, we are offering sponsorship opportunities for credit unions eager to elevate their brand presence among our state's lawmakers. If your credit union is interested in joining us as a sponsor, please reach out to me directly.

News from Washington
The House of Representatives is currently in recess and will reconvene the week of January 8, 2024. Meanwhile, the Senate resumed session on Monday, focusing on the nomination of Martin O'Malley as Commissioner for Social Security, and is expected to work on supplemental spending legislation before breaking for the holidays.

As Congress heads back home for the holidays, our team at DakCU is gearing up for the 2024 legislative year, alongside our credit unions, as we look to face more interchange legislation and proposals in the upcoming year. If you would like your credit union’s voice represented in the latest data on interchange, please consider getting involved in the three ways below:

• Check your inbox and fill out CUNA’s most recent survey link
• Voice your concern about debit card interchange cap charges here
• Weigh in by providing an interchange op-ed here

Speaking of Washington – Still Time to Register for GAC
Register for the credit union movement's biggest advocacy event, the 2024 Governmental Affairs Conference (GAC), happening March 3-7 in Washington, D.C. At the GAC, join thousands of credit union leaders, showing legislators the impact of their policies on credit unions and their 130+ million members. This event is crucial, as it helps highlight how credit unions contribute to financial well-being in communities nationwide. If you are interested, check out our one stop shop for all the details!

As always, if you have questions regarding our legislative or advocacy efforts, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. I’ll be enjoying my holidays with my family, cheering at my brother’s high school basketball games, and even attending the Vikings vs. Lions game in Minneapolis on Christmas Eve! Know that I am wishing (or should I say “swishing”) you a very happy holiday season!