League Frets Over What May Sidetrack FOM Bill

Sometimes in legislatures it can be a completely unrelated issue that throws a bill off track, and that could be the case here for the legislation that would allow CU boards to define their own fields of membership without having to apply for regulatory approval.

"Strange things happen when people get to talking," Arizona league President Gary Plank told The Journal. "During testimony on the bill, what got some legislators worrying was some problems we've had with homeowners' associations."

Some homeowners' association boards have been ignoring their members, Plank explained, and some lawmakers were concerned that the same thing could happen at a CU.

And sometimes all it takes is one or two people to quash a bill's chances, including Sen. Robert Blendu (R- Litchfield), who opposed the bill in the Commerce Committee and who is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee.

"That's one of the advantages of having a member of leadership behind your bill," Plank noted. "They know all the nooks and crannies you can use to push a bill through."