I hope this edition of Community Banker finds you enjoying a healthy and prosperous New Year. Before delving into the exciting things ahead of us in 2016, let’s look back a bit at what transpired since our last edition. In December, community bankers gained some regulatory relief through signage of the Highway Bill, of all things. Dogged advocacy by community bankers and community banking trade associations exempted community banks from burdensome regulations like Fed dividend cuts and redundant privacy notices while expanding exam cycles for certain highly rated banks and restoring cuts in crop insurance programs.
While we hoped for more expansive regulatory relief in 2015, the community banking provisions in the Highway Bill are a start. With 2016 being an election year, additional meaningful relief will be challenging, but we will continue to chip away at this regulatory behemoth.
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