There are many different ways that the coronavirus threat highlights and intersects with a host of other, seemingly unrelated policy issues. For example, access to health care, the ability of hourly or part time workers to build a social or economic safety net for themselves and their families, or how federal and state government can put in place the necessary preparations and protections to meet the needs of citizens. Those are some of the big issues that policymakers grapple with.

As more schools close or move online, we want to highlight the AFSA Education Foundation’s free online personal finance course, MoneySKILL®.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) on March 18, 2020, approved deposit insurance applications for two companies, Square and Nelnet, to launch two, new industrial banks. The approval of industrial banks, which the American Financial Services Association has sought for nearly two decades, paves the way for more non-depository financial institutions to provide key banking services to consumers.

Yesterday, American Financial Services Association President & CEO Bill Himpler, with representatives of other, select trade groups, met via phone with House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) staff to brief them on what the financial-services industry is doing in response to the coronavirus.

Join us on March 19 at 2:00 p.m. ET for Understanding & Analyzing Your Merchant Statements, presented by PayNearMe.

Premier Partners provide the American Financial Services Association with significant support to ensure the success of not only the association, but the entire consumer-finance industry. We asked the RSM LLC team, AFSA’s January 2020 highlighted Premier Partner, to provide insight into the industry and their AFSA membership.

The American Financial Services Association and its members understand that in this time of anxiety around consumers’ own health and safety, as well as that of their families, loved ones and friends, there is also concern about their financial security.

On March 11, AFSA joined with other trade associations, including the Washington State Financial Services Association and Card Coalition to send a letter to the Washington legislature opposing the inclusion of a private right of action in SB 6281, the Washington Privacy Act. The bill was in conference committee to reconcile differences between the bill versions passed by each chamber. Notably, the House version included a private right of action, while the Senate did not.

The safety and security of AFSA members and their customers is our top priority. To that end, AFSA has established a Coronavirus Resource Page for members containing key documents from federal, state and local government agencies, as well as links from other entities that you may find useful in helping you make additional decisions for your own business response.

AFSA just received an order from Riverside County, California, where the La Quinta Resort is located. It orders that all events with attendance “of at least 250 individuals taking place between March 12, 2020 and April 30, 2020…are hereby cancelled."