Pub. 8 2018-2019 Issue 4

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G C O L O R A D A N S R E A L I Z E D R E A M S January • February 2019 5 While CBA and other financial industry trade organizations did not take a position for or against the proposal, bankers have expressed concern that the industry will face blowback when it is unable to easily fill in the gaps, should payday lenders exit the state in droves. Don't be afraid to humanize the issue by relating it to your local community or personal experience. Make A Clear, Actionable Request Many people are afraid that it's impolite to make a direct request. But, don't forget that the purpose of your meeting is to secure support for your issue. It is appropriate and expected that you will make a request at your meeting. The key is to make sure that your request is clearly articulated and actionable by the legislator. Keep in mind that your request should be timely and consistent with the legislative process. It is usually not enough to ask for generic support for an issue or cause, rather, make a direct and specific request that is tied to pending legislative activity (if possible). For example, ask that a legislator co-sponsor a bill. You should make reference to bill numbers and be knowledgeable about the status of the bill. Making a specific request gives you the opportunity to evaluate the legislator's response. CBA's government affairs team is a good source for this information. Cultivate a Relationship With Staff Many grassroots advocates underestimate the im- portant role of legislative staff. A supportive staff person can oftenmake the difference between success and failure. Staff play an invaluable role in shaping a legislator's agenda and position on issues. It is import - ant that you make every effort to cultivate a positive working relationship with staff. Over time, staff may even come to regard you as a helpful resource for information on your issue. Follow-Up What happens after a meeting is almost as important as the meeting itself. Send a ‘thank you' letter after the meeting that not only expresses appreciation but reinforces yourmessage and any verbal commitment of support made by the legislator or staff. If you promise during themeeting to get back in touch with additional information, be sure that you do so. Failure to follow up on your promise will call your credibility into question. Also, don't forget to report the results of your meeting back to CBA staff or the chapter liaison. This information is vital to coordinating overall legislative strategy and evaluating the impact of advocacy efforts. Follow-up is important even if the legislator does not agree to support your request because you are building a long-term relationship. Say ‘Thank You’ We are always asking our legislators for something, so thank them for their hard work and ask what you can do for them. Have Fun This is not only a great opportunity for you, but it’s a great opportunity for legislators and staff to hear from their constituents. Enjoy it! n While this new political climate concerns some people in our indus- try, we know democrat leadership takes seriously its role and we are confident they will work to the ben - efit of all Coloradans including the business and banking community. Well in advance of this outcome, CBAhasworked to develop relation- ships with and educate candidates for public office on the issues most important to banking. CBA already has very strong relationships with the democrats who will head the business committees in both the house and the senate: Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp and Sen. Angela Wil - liams, respectively. Both women have been friends to the industry and have sponsored or supported CBA-spearheaded legislation. One area of concern remains, however. We are not aware of any members of the legislature or top state leadership who has banking experience. That is where we as bankers come in. CBA does much of the heavy lifting on our behalf, but it is more important now than ever before for bankers to know who represents them and involve themselves in the process. Also, during the election, vot- ers took hardline stances against proposals that could have grave- ly harmed the state’s economy and livelihood. Bankers active - ly opposed and raised money against Amendment 73, a $1.6B tax increase for education, which failed 43-57. Bankers also opposed Proposition 112, oil and gas 2,500’ setbacks, which failed by the same margin: 43-57. The likelihood of seeing such bills in the near future is high and planning to help them be crafted better starts now. Meanwhile, voters overwhelm- ingly supported a measure to cap the amount of interest that can be charged on payday loans to 36 per- cent.While CBA and other financial industry trade organizations did not take a position for or against the proposal, bankers have expressed concern that the industry will face blowback when it is unable to easily fill in the gaps, should payday lend - ers exit the state in droves. As you know, federal regula- tions continue to restrict banks on small-dollar personal loans. To date, only the OCC has eased back on 2013 guidelines and opened a door for direct-deposit advance products at banks it oversees. We look forward to facing new challenges and helping to ensure new legislators understand busines and banking – and their impor- tance in our state’s economy. Please make sure to persue the informa- tion I’ve included on how to get involved. If you have any questions, any member of the CBA staff would be happy to help you. n