Banks doing business in California are taking the unusual step of endorsing a statewide initiative on the November ballot that they say could help minimize frivolous "shakedown" lawsuits by private lawyers.

Bankers in California are up in arms about proposed legislation that could send bank and credit union employees to jail for failing to report suspected financial abuse of elderly customers to law enforcement officials or the state's Adult Protective Services agency.

For the past four years legislators in Indiana have been debating predatory lending, an issue where federal regulators have proved particularly willing to preempt state laws.

Missouri may soon have the toughest penalty yet for identity thieves - life imprisonment for the most serious offenses.

Like most states, Illinois bars the door to commercial banks headquartered elsewhere unless they buy an existing Illinois charter.

Vermont lawmakers are considering a bill that would put state-chartered credit unions on an equal footing with their federal counterparts - letting them make business loans and expand their fields of membership.

The bruising fight over New Haven Savings Bank's conversion to stock ownership continues to reverberate in Connecticut.

The days appear to be numbered for more than 2,000 payday-lending outlets in Georgia.

Washington state legislators are clearing the way for a bill that would permit owners of automated teller machines to override current Visa International rules by surcharging cardholders of foreign banks.

Wisconsin banks with out-of-state investment subsidiaries could face bigger tax bills in the coming months if state auditors determine that the units were created chiefly to avoid taxes.

Spooked by reports of independent ATM operators stealing users' identities, lawmakers in California are planning to introduce legislation in January that would require owners of nonbank automated teller machines to get licenses from state banking regulators.

Michigan is the latest state to pass legislation giving credit unions more power to expand - and the state's bankers, surprisingly, say they can live with it.

Less than six weeks before a statewide referendum, the industry in Alabama remains divided over a plan that could increase bank taxes by millions of dollars.

LAS VEGAS - Banks and thrifts operating in Nevada will pay an additional $17 million in taxes next fiscal year as part of an $836 million tax hike signed into law this week by Gov. Kenny Guinn.

A new Colorado law meant to safeguard school districts' funds could inadvertently deprive the state's community banks of tens of millions of dollars in deposits.

A Massachusetts bill meant to discourage mutual thrifts in from converting to stock ownership could have the opposite effect, according to bankers and trade groups.