FBA's Public Policy Priorities 
​Florida bankers drive economic growth and well-being across the communities they serve — supporting the diverse needs of individuals and businesses with a range of services. To help ensure a dynamic banking industry, now and in the future, FBA engages in proactive advocacy at the state and federal levels. We work with legislators, regulators, and industry and community partners to advance public policy outcomes on key issues affecting financial institutions and the people they serve. The following are major public policy initiatives:

Countering Fraud & Protecting Bank Customers
Banks are on the front lines of the fight against fraud, working to protect customers from scams, identity theft, and cybercrime. We advocate for a national strategy that will tackle fraud and scams from all angles, including cutting off communication channels to potential victims, bolstering education of all Americans, and ensuring prosecution of criminals.  We work to strengthen collaboration among financial institutions, telecoms, tech companies, law enforcement, and policymakers, as well as engage the public, to combat fraud, enhance consumer protections, and ensure criminals are held accountable.
 
Expanding Access to Affordable Housing
Housing affordability is a growing challenge for families across our state. We advocate for policies that increase access to affordable mortgage lending, reduce regulatory barriers to new housing development, and expand public-private partnerships that help make homeownership and rental housing attainable for more residents.
 
Strengthening the Property Insurance Market
A stable property insurance market is essential for homeowners, businesses, and lenders. We support efforts to improve market conditions, address rising insurance costs, and promote sustainable risk management solutions that ensure access to affordable coverage.

​Ensuring Credit Union Accountability
FBA supports competition within the financial services marketplace, but insufficient transparency and accountability for credit unions harm consumers and taxpayers. As a now $2.3 trillion industry, mega credit unions have evaded public scrutiny hiding behind their original mission – to serve those of modest means connected through a common bond in a local area which justified their not-for-profit cooperative structure. Regulators and members of Congress alike have concluded that the modern credit union system – and its 140 million members – would benefit from more disclosure and reporting requirements.
 
FBA seeks to promote more regular oversight of credit unions while advocating for more appropriate regulatory, supervisory, and tax requirements that better reflect the industry's evolution.
 

 

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​Promoting a Sustainable IOTA Program
In 1978, the State of Florida was the first in the nation to develop an Interest On Trust Accounts program which required that financial institutions pay interest on certain law firm client accounts to benefit a legal aid foundation. For decades, Florida’s financial institutions proudly partnered with their lawyer clients supporting the IOTA program. Then, in March 2023, the Florida Supreme Court, at the request of the Florida Bar, drastically increased, by an estimated 3000%, the interest rate that financial institutions pay. Financial institutions are being forced to reassess whether they can offer these special accounts at little or no cost to the legal community.
 
The FBA’s members seek to establish a more reasonable rate that would enable continued participation in a strong IOTA program.


​Learn more about our advocacy efforts and how you, as an FBA member, can get involved.  Check out our Members Only Content for bankers and trust professionals.