Additionally, we advocated for fair/efficient California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) exams.
In 2025, we didn’t just support your credit union—we helped co-pilot your future. California’s Credit Unions is dedicated to real-world solutions across advocacy, compliance, professional growth, strategic solutions, and social impact. We are committed to your leadership and volunteers, making sure they’re equipped to make a positive financial difference in your members’ lives. As we close out 2025, let’s make 2026 another year of powerful impact in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., and your community.
Failed:
AB 1365 (CalAccount Program)
AB 1065 (Interchange Fees on Sales Tax)
Held:
AB 909 (Elder Fraud Liability Shift)
AB 801 (California Community Reinvestment Act or CRA)
Held on suspense, moved, or vetoed:
Precise Geolocation (AB 322)
Surveillance Pricing (AB 446)
Automated Decision Systems (SB 7)
Held or vetoed:
5 artificial intelligence/automated decision system (ADS) bills successfully.
4 price/algorithm bills stopped.
Signed into law:
Mortgage Forbearance (AB 238)
Data Breach Notification (SB 446)
Hazard Insurance Proceeds (AB 493)
Mitigated and negotiated:
Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) Mitigation
Insurance Consumer Privacy (SB 354)
16 burdensome bills defended against.
3,120 hours spent on state advocacy lobbying.
92 direct meetings with state legislators.
For a detailed recap, click here.
Washington, D.C.
FOUR CU PRIORITIES SIGNED INTO LAW
• Only 0.3 percent of all bills introduced in 2025 were signed into law.
• Additionally, five nationwide credit union priorities led by Californians in Congress.Additionally, five nationwide credit union priorities led by Californians in Congress.
98 MEETINGS
• With California members of Congress during the Governmental Affairs Conference and Hike The Hill.
• 2,000-plus hours on federal advocacy lobbying efforts.
PROTECTED TAX EXEMPTION & CERTAINTY
• Senator Alex Padilla introduced the only Senate amendment nationwide to protect the credit union tax exemption.
• Nine members of Congress from California signed an important bipartisan letter to the House Ways and Means Committee.
• Established a federal framework for U.S. payment stablecoins.
• Championed consumers via the Homebuyer Privacy Protection Act.
• Repealed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Overdraft Rule.
• 100 percent of California’s congressional delegation voted for the Credit Union Board Modernization Act.
• More than 360,000 messages sent to Washington, D.C. to preserve the credit union tax status.
• Over 200 in-person engagements with congressional offices.
• One California credit union CEO testified before a congressional committee.
INTRODUCED DECISIVE BILLS
• Credit Union Board Modernization Act.
• Central Liquidity Facility Enhancements Act.
• SUPPLY Act.
• Fought for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) program funding.
SECURED A BRIGHTER FUTURE
• Secured meetings with congressional leadership.
• Heavily engaged with California members of the U.S. House and Senate.
• Provided guidance on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
BUILT PRESERVATION AND LEGACY
• Launched the first “Don’t Tax My Credit Union” Spanish campaign.
• Pledged nearly $1 million for the Cal State University DC Scholars Program Endowment.
• Held key leadership positions on regulatory and legislative advocacy committees.
$1 MILLION PLEDGED
• Toward the Cal State University DC Scholars Endowment.
Major PAC Accomplishments
MORE THAN 400 ENGAGEMENTS
Direct legislative engagements with key policymakers (over 300 with California state legislators and more than 100 with California members of Congress).
460 DEDICATED DONORS
Individual donors in California actively contributing personal dollars to the Federal PAC.
SECURED HISTORIC COMMITMENT
Historic member engagement and Political Action Committee (PAC) commitment.
STEPPED UP ENGAGEMENT
Magnified the depth of participation across the credit union community.
FOSTERED UNPRECEDENTED DEDICATION
A 53.5 participation rate of all credit unions in California contributing to the State PAC.
$187,979 PERSONAL-DOLLAR CONTRIBUTIONS
Collected for the Federal PAC (October 2024 – September 2025) to educate, advocate, and build relationships.
High-Impact Achievements
Additionally, we advocated for fair/efficient California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) exams.
With the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI).
Secured a temporary Compliance Delay on the Small Business Lending 1071 rule.
Maintained existing limits on Regulation E fraud liability.
Initiated accelerated rulemaking to revise Section 1033.
The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) initiated the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act (EGRPRA) review to modernize/remove obsolete regulations.
Championed a full, bipartisan, three-member board and sustainable budgets.
Secured proposed federal credit union bylaw updates.
Promoted the GENIUS Act framework for equal digital asset powers as banks.
Successfully preserved the current debit card interchange structure.
Advocated for equitable treatment in the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) certification process.
Opposed proposed California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) rules on automated decision-making and audits from the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA).
Repealed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Overdraft Fee Rule and vacating of the Credit Card Late Fee Rule (April 2025). Rescinded the NCUA's public publication of overdraft/NSF fee income data for credit unions over $1 billion in assets.
Highlighted the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s (FHLB) role as a low-cost liquidity partner and advocated for tools to increase California housing supply and lower mortgage rates.
Community Mission and Footprint
14,667 LEARNING HOURS
• Viewed by member credit union staff on Power Learner Passport.
6,533 WEBINAR ORDERS
• Placed by member credit union employees on Power Learner Passport.
• 267 Power Learning Passport subscriptions active.
• 168 learning topics made available (past, on-demand, and current).
550 EDUCATION HOURS
• Over 100 hours provided in leadership development for succession planning, impacting 109 managers through the Ignite series.
• Over 450 HOURS provided in commitment to future credit union leadership for 15 young professionals.
62 NEW FINANCIAL ACADEMY COUNSELORS
• 62 graduated, expanding financial wellbeing support (the program has now graduated more than 250).
114 EMPLOYEES TRAINED
• Trained on Account Administration compliance topics.
ACHIEVED RECORD ATTENDANCE
• A blockbuster registration showing for Shapiro Summit and REACH in 2025.
THREE JUNTOS AVANZAMOS CUs
• Celebrated the addition of three new California credit unions to the Juntos Avanzamos family.
ONE POWERFUL SOCIAL IMPACT SURVEY
• Completed, and improved upon, the annual Social Impact Survey.
• Additionally, we launched the We GIVE Program supporting staff volunteerism across three community causes (Food Across America, CHOC Walk, and Breast Cancer Awareness Challenge) — internally at the league.
Credit Union Solutions
Purpose Driven
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Avoided detrimental impacts from proposed public banking program AB 1365 (CalAccount Program).
FAILED: Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee
Avoided costly, burdensome reporting requirements (two-year bill).
HELD IN COMMITTEE: AB 801 (California Community Reinvestment Act or CRA)
Held 92 direct meetings with state legislators during our California Government Relations Rally (GRR). Our top priority bill (AB 801), was HELD after targeted lobbying during GRR.
Spent 3,120 hours on state advocacy lobbying efforts.
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League position: Opposed; then neutral.
Status: Vetoed (Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto message can be found here).
Summary: This bill, commencing January 1, 2026, would require a credit union to establish an emergency financial contact program for covered senior accountholders. It would require a credit union to notify a joint accountholder or an emergency financial contact, if one has been provided, if the credit union reasonably suspects a covered transaction requested by the covered accountholder is the result of financial abuse. It would also require a credit union to delay, by at least three business days, a covered transaction initiated by a covered accountholder if the credit union reasonably suspects the transaction is the result of financial abuse and would make a credit union immune from administrative, civil, or other liability that might arise from a delayed or refused transaction. This bill was a two-year effort by the League and, as introduced, would have held a credit union liable if the credit union “should have known” that elder financial abuse was occurring.
League position: Opposed; then neutral.
Status: Failed.
Summary: This bill would have established a regulatory framework for using automated decision tools (ADTs) in California. It would have required a deployer and a deployer of the technology to submit an impact assessment of the tool, provide the option to consumers to opt-out of using ADT, and would have placed other requirements on both developers and deployers. The bill was significantly amended in the Senate Appropriations Committee to only apply to employment. It ultimately did not move off the Senate floor.
League position: Opposed; then neutral.
Status: Signed into law.
Summary: This bill was introduced on February 12, 2024, and was authored by Senators Steven Bradford and Monique Limon, the former and current chair of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee. As introduced, the bill would have required a five-day waiting period before charging a non-sufficient funds (NSF) or overdraft fee, and would limit the number of fees that could be charged in a month to three. The League quickly engaged with state senators on the bill. It passed the Senate’s banking committee by a one-vote margin (four “yes” votes, three “no” votes, and one abstention). On the Senate floor, the bill underwent two sets of amendments.
The first set of amendments removed the maximum of three fees and replaced it with language that would index the fee to $14, or the dollar amount that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) lands on within its proposed rules, and would shorten the waiting period from five days to three. The bill was amended again on the Senate floor to put in a delayed implementation for credit unions under $1 billion in assets until 2026. These amendments helped the bill pass the Senate by only four votes. All the while, the League had been engaging in heavy lobbying, grassroots efforts with over 10,000 Connect For The Cause messages sent in the Senate, and 150 attendees at the 2024 California Government Relations Rally (GRR) lobbying against the bill.
Finally, the bill headed to the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee, where the League was able to strike a deal with the author that would remove the waiting period altogether and replace it with a notification system that is modeled after best practices in the industry. The bill will now require a state-chartered credit union to notify members when an overdraft or NSF fee has been assessed and has fee-cap language that will go into effect on January 1, 2026.
League position on AB 2288: Opposed; then supported.
League position on SB 92: Monitored; then supported.
Status of both bills: Signed into law.
Summary: The League achieved a major win in reforming the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). After years of advocating for PAGA reform and financial literacy, the legislature finally gained the political will to pass these monumental bills due to increasing pressure from qualified ballot initiatives. The League supported Assembly Bill 2288 and Senate Bill 92, the two bills containing the PAGA reform agreement that was reached between the business community, legislative leadership, and Governor Gavin Newsom. For years, credit unions have been targets for predatory lawsuits under PAGA, where workers ended up receiving very little while lawyers collectively made billions of dollars. The reform agreement ensures workers retain tools to resolve labor claims and receive fair compensation while limiting shakedown lawsuits that hurt both employers and employees.
League position on AB 2927: Supported.
League position on AB 1871: Supported.
Status of both bills: Signed into law.
Summary: On the financial literacy front, the state legislature passed not one — but two bills this year! The League supported Assembly Bill 2927, which adds a one-semester standalone course in personal finance to state high school graduation requirements, beginning with the 2031 graduating class. The League also supported Assembly Bill 1871, which incorporates personal finance into the social sciences area of study for school grades 7 to 12.
League position: Supported and League-sponsored.
Status: Signed into law.
Summary: This bill makes assorted changes to California Credit Union Law, including changes related to membership applications, governance structures, sale of credit union assets, and virtual member meetings.
You can view the California Credit Union League’s Sacramento recap here.
If you would like to look up how your state senator or assemblymember voted on key credit union bills in the California State Legislature this year, click here.
For a detailed recap of California’s Credit Unions’ wins, victories, and engaged bills in the California Assembly and Senate, click here.
FAILED: AB 1365 (CalAccount Program) — Held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, avoiding detrimental impacts from this proposed public banking program.
HELD IN COMMITTEE: AB 801 (California Community Reinvestment Act or CRA) — Avoided costly, burdensome reporting requirements (two-year bill).
FAILED IN COMMITTEE: AB 1065 (Interchange Fees on Sales Tax) — Avoided major revenue losses and an uneven playing field with federally chartered institutions.
HELD: AB 909 (Elder Fraud Liability Shift) — Avoided massive liability increase by limiting senior victim liabilities (two-year bill).
16 BURDENSOM BILLS defended against, securing the passage of key operational enhancements.
3,120 HOURS SPENT on state advocacy lobbying efforts.
92 DIRECT MEETINGS with state legislators during our California Government Relations Rally (GRR). Our top priority bill (AB 801), was HELD after targeted lobbying during GRR.
Bills threatening to over-regulate technology, fraud prevention and data use were opposed, with many successfully amended.
HELD OR VETOED
Major success in preventing harmful, operational burdens.
HELD ON SUSPENSE, MOVED, OR VETOED
Success in amending and supporting legislation that provides clarity and stability for operations.
SIGNED INTO LAW
MITIGATED
Protecting Joint Marketing
Preserving your rights.
NEGOTIATED
Preserving your rights.
NEGOTIATED
• Insurance Consumer Privacy (SB 354): Our position changed from oppose to neutral after negotiations with the author and collaborations with TruStage. We secured assurances that the right to use opt-out consent for joint marketing agreements will be preserved, preventing a highly damaging opt-in requirement.
The League proactively stays ahead of congressional legislation in Washington, D.C. and important legislative and regulatory conversations that have ramifications for your credit union. We are alert on Capitol Hill so you can focus on what you do best — serving your members. The current 118th Congressional Session ends this year (each session lasts two years).
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The League’s primary commitment is to ensure credit unions are well-connected and prepared to navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
The League visited 62 credit unions, listening to the direct needs of 118 executives and leaders, providing valuable information, presentations, and discussions. We discussed where the League can improve engagement, paired credit unions with appropriate solutions, and discussed curating new business partner relationships that will best serve credit union members.
The League meticulously curated a suite of three top-tier credit union solutions designed to address distinctive challenges and extraordinary opportunities, all while keeping credit unions’ priorities in mind. We announced three new business partnerships with Credit Mountain, Clutch, and Carefull — distinguished financial service providers that have a history of delivering innovative, trustworthy, and member-first solutions. Staying true to the Leagues’ mission of powering credit unions with uniquely tailored approaches and strategic collaborations, each new partner has a proven track record of success. League-affiliated credit unions now have access to a range of these business partners’ products and services, designed and carefully crafted for their individual needs, providing transformative solutions.
The League continues to make a concerted effort to strengthen its alliances through relationships with 12 business partners and affiliates, including ViClarity, Humanidei, and TruStage — a powerful force for impact, change, and resilience. Supporting and working alongside key partners while recognizing the unique value these collaborations bring fosters a thriving credit union ecosystem.
Our League-owned companies are specifically designed to support credit unions in the areas of compliance and human capital solutions. Additionally, our business solutions support credit unions and their members, with a focus on maximizing your membership’s potential. This encompasses insurance and lending, member growth and retention, revenue and rewards, and operational efficiencies. We vet every partner carefully to ensure its value to credit unions.