This week in the New York Minute, we’re covering year-end reminders for our members and celebrating respected industry leaders retiring this year. Plus, learn about credit unions supporting their community this holiday season. Get the latest industry news from across the state in our weekly blog.

From CU in New York: Association’s Year-Long Legislative Battle- Comprehensive Advocacy Efforts Face Final Test

Throughout the 2025 legislative session, the New York Credit Union Association has conducted a comprehensive advocacy campaign to advance legislation supporting credit union members while protecting the industry from statutory overreach. The Association’s multifaceted efforts now face their ultimate test as Governor Hochul decides the fate of 161 bills awaiting her action.

Comprehensive Advocacy Strategy

The Association’s 2025 legislative work encompassed the full range of advocacy activities to serve New York’s credit union community:


• Championed member-friendly legislation to expand credit union services and reduce operational burdens
• Opposed bills that would impose unnecessary statutory requirements on credit unions

• Engaged proactively with bill sponsors to seek amendments and carve-outs protecting credit unions
• Testified at committee hearings to educate lawmakers about credit union operations and member benefits
• Built coalitions with consumer groups, business organizations, and other financial services stakeholders
• Submitted detailed position papers analyzing legislation’s impact on credit union members and operations
• Educated members about pending legislation and mobilized grassroots advocacy efforts

Four Bills at The Top of the Opposition List

While the Association’s advocacy agenda included supporting numerous pro-credit union measures, four bills required particularly intensive opposition efforts due to their potential negative impact on credit union operations:

S6953B – The RAISE Act (Artificial Intelligence Regulation)


The Association worked extensively with Senator Gounardes’ office, committee staff, and stakeholder groups to seek appropriate exemptions for financial institutions. Despite the Association’s detailed advocacy explaining how the bill’s training requirements and compliance obligations could disproportionately burden credit unions, the legislation advanced without adequate protections for member-owned cooperatives. Similar legislation has been vetoed across the country and with the talk of federal legislation voiding state AI legislation, the future of RAISE is uncertain. This legislation is pending the Governor’s signature, and the Association (along with many other business groups) is actively advocating for a veto.

S929 – New York HIPA (Health Information Protection)


The Association’s advocacy team engaged intensively with Senator Krueger’s office and stakeholders to push for explicit carve-outs for financial institutions and insurance carriers. The Association’s analysis demonstrated how the broad language could inadvertently capture credit unions processing health-related information, creating duplicative privacy requirements that conflict with existing federal frameworks. The Association has joined a large coalition requesting this bill be vetoed.

S1353B – Coerced Debt Relief


The Association mounted perhaps its most comprehensive opposition campaign around Senator Cleare’s coerced debt legislation. The Association worked with bill sponsors, committee staff, and stakeholder groups to seek amendments that would protect legitimate collection activities while still addressing genuine economic abuse. Despite extensive engagement, the bill’s expansive definition of “coercion” remained problematic for credit union operations. Hopefully if this is signed into law, subsequent chapter amendments will ease some of the burden.

S8416 – FAIR Business Practices Act


The Association engaged extensively with Senator Comrie’s office and the Attorney General’s staff to seek modifications to the legislation’s vague standards for “unfair” practices. The Association’s advocacy emphasized how credit unions’ cooperative structure and member-focused mission distinguish them from for-profit institutions, warranting different treatment under enforcement provisions.

The Stakeholder Engagement Challenge

The Association’s advocacy work requires careful navigation of complex stakeholder dynamics by balancing supporting consumer protection goals while ensuring credit unions aren’t inadvertently harmed by well-intentioned legislation. This requires extensive engagement with consumer advocacy groups, legislative staff, and other financial services organizations to build understanding of credit union operations and member benefits.

Federal Validation of the Association’s Balanced Approach

NCUA’s recently announced Deregulation Project validates the Association’s balanced advocacy approach. While the federal credit union regulator works to eliminate obsolete and burdensome requirements, the Association has consistently advocated for legislation that supports credit union members while opposing measures that would create unnecessary statutory burdens. This alignment between federal burden reduction efforts and the Association’s state-level advocacy reinforces the Association’s strategic approach.

What the Association’s Comprehensive Advocacy Achieved

The Association’s sustained advocacy efforts throughout 2025 accomplished multiple critical objectives:


• Advanced member interests through support of beneficial legislation
• Protected operational flexibility by opposing or seeking amendments to problematic bills
• Educated lawmakers about credit union operations, member benefits, and cooperative principles
• Built upon relationships with legislators, staff, and stakeholder organizations
• Demonstrated thought leadership on complex financial services policy issues
• Mobilized grassroots engagement from credit union members and leaders
• Confirmed the Association as the authoritative voice on credit union policy in New York

The Final Test

Now, after months the Association’s comprehensive advocacy work supporting good bills and opposing problematic ones, key decisions rest with Governor Hochul.

Lessons in Comprehensive Legislative Advocacy

The Association’s 2025 campaign demonstrates the sophistication required in modern legislative advocacy. The Association successfully managed a complex portfolio of legislative priorities, supporting measures that benefit members while opposing those that would impose unnecessary burdens. This comprehensive approach enhanced the Association’s credibility and effectiveness with lawmakers and stakeholders.

Looking Ahead

The Association’s advocacy work extends beyond individual legislative sessions. Whether specific bills are signed or vetoed, the relationships built, expertise demonstrated, and credibility established during 2025 will benefit future advocacy efforts. For New York’s credit unions, the Association’s advocacy efforts represent a strategic, balanced approach to legislative engagement that advances member interests while protecting operational viability, demonstrating the Association’s commitment to ensuring that policymakers understand both the cooperative difference and the unique value credit unions bring to their communities.

Enjoy this insight? Subscribe to the Association’s CU in New York blog for more expert opinions on the latest news affecting the credit union industry from Jeremy Newman!

Recent Retirements: A Fond Farewell to Credit Union Leaders

This year, the New York credit union community bids a heartfelt farewell to an exceptional group of leaders whose careers have helped shape the strength, stability, and service-driven mission of our movement. These individuals have dedicated decades to serving members, mentoring teams, navigating change, and strengthening communities across the state. Their leadership, advocacy, and commitment to the credit union philosophy of people helping people have left a lasting impact that will be felt for years to come.

As they step into well-earned retirements, we extend our sincere thanks and best wishes to the following leaders for their many contributions:

• Shawn Hayes – TrailNorth FCU
• Wayne Winkler – Mid-Hudson Valley FCU
• Ron Flaherty – TEG FCU
• Sam Scro – Auburn FCU
• Bohdan Kurczak – Self Reliance FCU
• Tom Neumann – First Source FCU
• Jody Vosburg – Allegany First FCU
• Mary Ann Williams – Oneida County FCU

We thank each of these leaders for their service and wish them health, happiness, and fulfillment in their next chapter.

Member Reminder: Update Project Zip Code!

With advocacy efforts active at both the federal and state levels, now is the perfect time for credit unions to ensure their Project Zip Code (PZC) information is accurate and up to date. Project Zip Code is a secure, user-friendly tool that helps quantify the collective impact of credit unions by matching member counts to congressional districts, state legislative districts, and counties.

This data is uploaded to America’s Credit Unions’ Project Zip Code system and combined with information from credit unions nationwide, providing a powerful resource to support advocacy, education, and relationship-building with lawmakers. All information is completely secure, and no individual member data is accessible outside your organization.

Beyond advocacy, PZC offers operational value by allowing credit unions to analyze member distribution geographically, helping inform decisions related to branch locations, ATMs, and shared branching. Keeping your data current ensures your credit union’s voice is accurately represented when it matters most.

To update your information or learn more, visit America’s Credit Unions’ Project Zip Code website and take a few minutes to confirm your data. If you require assistance, please contact the Association’s Member Relations team at member.relations@nycua.org.

First New York FCU’s 2025 Toilet Paper Drive Take Down

First New York Federal Credit Union set a new record in 2025 through its annual Toilet Paper Drive in partnership with Catholic Charities Tri-County Services, collecting an impressive 19,154 rolls of toilet paper to support families and individuals across the Capital Region. The campaign culminated in the highly anticipated Toilet Paper Take Down Event on December 9 at First New York’s corporate headquarters, where towering “trees” of donated rolls were dismantled and packed for delivery.

The donations were transported to Catholic Charities’ five food pantries and two soup kitchens, helping address a critical gap for hygiene items that cannot be purchased using SNAP benefits. Community leaders, staff, volunteers, and media gathered to witness the effort, which continues to grow each year as need increases by 15–20 percent annually.

SeaComm FCU Supports Food Pantries Across Northern New York

SeaComm Federal Credit Union is helping ensure that no one goes hungry this holiday season by donating a total of $9,000 to food pantries throughout Northern New York. The funds will support local organizations working tirelessly to meet increased demand for food assistance during a time when many families are facing rising costs and economic uncertainty.

Among the recipients are trusted community partners such as the Neighborhood Center, JCEO, Urban Mission, and other local food pantries that provide essential services to individuals and families in need. These donations will help stock shelves, expand outreach, and ensure vital resources remain available throughout the winter months.

SeaComm’s contribution reflects the credit union’s long-standing commitment to community well-being and its belief that local support makes a meaningful difference. By investing directly in organizations on the front lines of hunger relief, SeaComm continues to live the credit union mission of people helping people, especially during the season when compassion and generosity matter most.

Act Fast: Your Free Webinar Codes Expire Soon

Friendly reminder: your complimentary webinar codes are set to expire on December 31, and there’s still time to put them to good use. These free codes give members access to an extensive library of on-demand webinars covering timely topics such as compliance, lending, marketing, operations, leadership, and more. Whether you’re looking to stay current on regulatory updates or strengthen professional skills across your team, there’s valuable content available.

Using your codes is simple. Just click below and look under “Access Your Promotional Codes” to redeem them. Webinars can be viewed on your schedule, making it easy to fit professional development into even the busiest year-end calendars.

Don’t let this benefit go unused. Take advantage of the Association’s educational resources before your codes expire and start the new year informed, prepared, and ahead of the curve.

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