07/29/26
The Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to leave its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50% to 3.75%, marking the fifth consecutive meeting without a change. While the decision was widely expected, the vote highlighted growing divisions within the Federal Open Market Committee.
Three regional Federal Reserve Bank presidents, including Cleveland Federal Reserve President Beth Hammack, dissented from the decision, favoring a 25-basis-point rate increase.
07/22/26
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Main Street Capital Access Act, a sweeping banking package designed to promote new bank formation, modernize bank supervision and provide meaningful regulatory relief for well-managed financial institutions.
07/22/26
The Ohio Bankers League has secured another important legal victory for Ohio’s financial-services industry.
In Bitounis v. Interactive Brokers, L.L.C., Slip Opinion No. 2026-Ohio-2268, the Supreme Court of Ohio reversed the Eighth District Court of Appeals and reinstated the trial court’s dismissal of claims against Interactive Brokers. The Court held that a brokerage firm performing routine business activities for a customer after that customer unlawfully sold securities did not “participate or aid” in those sales and therefore could not be held jointly and severally liable under R.C. 1707.43(A).
07/15/26
Ohio bankers have an important opportunity to advance one of the most comprehensive community bank regulatory relief packages considered by Congress in years. The Ohio Bankers League is asking every member banker to send a grassroots email urging Congress to support and pass the Main Street Capital Access Act, H.R. 6955.
The legislation contains more than two dozen provisions designed to strengthen locally based banks, better align regulation with actual risk and allow bankers to devote more resources to serving customers and communities. While federal regulators have made positive changes during the current administration to improve the way community banks are examined, the Main Street Capital Access Act would codify those reforms in law so they remain durable through future changes in political leadership.
07/15/26
Federal banking regulators have issued new joint guidance reminding financial institutions to carefully evaluate the credit risks associated with lending to individuals who are not legally authorized to work in the United States.
07/15/26
The OBL continues to support responsible financial innovation while advocating for a regulatory framework that protects consumers, preserves the stability of the banking system and promotes fair competition.
As Congress considers digital asset legislation, the OBL has joined banking associations from across the country in urging lawmakers to strengthen provisions governing payment stablecoins. Specifically, the coalition is calling for targeted revisions to ensure payment stablecoins function as payment tools and not as substitutes for traditional bank deposits
07/15/26
The OBL congratulates Thomas J. Fraser, President and CEO of First Mutual Holding Co. in Lakewood, on his nomination to serve as Vice Chair of the American Bankers Association. Fraser was selected by the ABA Nominating Committee as part of the association's 2026-2027 slate of officers, which will be presented for election during the ABA Annual Convention on Oct. 27 in Salt Lake City.
07/08/26
Last Wednesday, the Ohio Bankers League submitted formal comments to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation opposing the proposed transfer of substantially all of the assets and liabilities of The Hicksville Bank to Interra Credit Union, an Indiana state-chartered, privately insured credit union.
This is an important moment for Ohio’s banking industry, and OBL has been fully engaged.
07/01/26
OBL has recently become aware of an uptick in demand letters, class action litigation, and threats of litigation targeting banks and other businesses over commonly used website technologies. These claims generally focus on whether a business’s website, email marketing platform, search function, online form, analytics tool, advertising pixel, chatbot, or other embedded software collects or transmits visitor information to third-party vendors without sufficient notice or consent.
07/01/26
Ohio Congressman Dave Joyce has reintroduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act, bipartisan legislation that would finally provide needed legal clarity for financial institutions serving state-legal cannabis businesses. The bill would prevent federal banking regulators from penalizing, discouraging or restricting banks that choose to provide financial services to cannabis-related businesses operating legally under state law.
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