MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin’s CUs have thrown their support behind a bill introduced in the state legislature that would enact some of the Payment Card Industry data security rules as law and make parties responsible for data breaches pay the costs accrued by their customers, including credit unions.

WASHINGTON — Some members may soon be coming into their credit unions to cash the so-called "rebate" checks to Americans from the federal government, but economists are not expecting the one-time payments to have much of an effect on either personal or CUs' bottom lines.

CUs Urged To Actively Manage Savings Rates

In the last year the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission has issued more than 130 lead-related product recalls, most involving children’s toys. Source: www.cpsc.gov (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

DES MOINES, Iowa - TMG Financial Services has acquired three credit union card portfolios. Selling their portfolios were St. Cloud FCU, St. Cloud Minn., MEMBERS1st Community CU in Marshalltown, Iowa, and Wyo Central FCU in Casper, Wyo. In all, the acquisitions represent $6.3-million in account balances and 5,000 total accounts. TMG Financial Services, which launched an agent program in mid-2007, is an affiliate of The Members Group, which is jointly owned by the Iowa league and Iowa Corporate. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Clinton proposed last week a plan that would curb abuses by credit card companies. That plan would include a cap on interest rates, the creation of an independent regulator for consumer protection in financial services, and a prohibition on several common card practices.

HARRISBURG, Penn. - The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association has reached an agreement with the banking lobby on language that would give the bankers and the general public comment and input on field of membership applications for state chartered credit unions, a growing battleground between the traditional rivals.

WASHINGTON - Congress moved ahead last week with an economic stimulus package that will rebate as much as $600 each to the average taxpayer, but the bill will not include any of the CURIA provisions credit union lobbyists had hoped to attach to the package.

WHAT:

FEBRUARY

KEESLER AFB, Miss. - Smartly uniformed staff members fit right in with Keesler Air Force Base military personal in July 1967. Credit union manager Robert D. Wilson reports that staff members appreciated the new uniforms because they saved money on work clothes. In addition, members and other military personnel visiting the on-base credit union appreciated the sharp, professional look the uniforms gave credit union employees. (c) 2008 The Credit Union Journal and SourceMedia, Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.cujournal.com http://www.sourcemedia.com

A story distributed nationally by McClachey Newspapers focused on financial institutions offering alternatives to the estimated 73-million “underserved” who often use check-cashers. “The hope is that mainstream financial institutions can convert the check-cashing customers and payday loan-seekers of today into the sought-after depositors and low-risk borrowers of tomorrow,” the story said. Featured in the report was the purchase of the 55 Nix CheckCashing stores in Southern California by Kinecta FCU, and the purchase of eight check-cashing stores by Wescom CU.

PURCHASE, N.Y. - MasterCard said it has teamed with US Bank and Nokia on a pilot to test the use of cell phones equipped with MasterCard’s PayPass contactless payment functionality. The pilot, to be conducted in Spokane, Wash., will test consumers’ ability to use Nokia phones to pay for purchases with a tap of their mobile phone, instead of sliding a card through a magnetic stripe reader. Pilot participants will receive Nokia 6131 NFC phones, which are equipped with the Near Field Communication technology needed to communicate with MasterCard PayPass readers.

FCUL Signs With NewGround

NORTH SYRACUSE, N.Y. - What may be the first indoor drive-through teller lanes in America are now operating at a new branch of SECNY FCU here.

ANGLETON, Texas - Is it really possible to build a totally “green” credit union branch?

GREENBELT, Md. - Open just over a month, NASA Federal Credit Union reports its “branch of the future” that includes many “green” features, is exceeding member service expectations.

MAUI, Hawaii - Are credit unions still relevant to the emerging consumer?

FRAZER, Penn. - Creators of a new secure card payments card are looking for financial backers among credit unions to finance a pilot and bring the Xcalibur card to market.

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - A web seminar and a marketing toolkit are now available online to any credit union interested in learning more about Biz Kid$, the national public television series that is sponsored by “America’s Credit Unions.” Both the web seminar and the tool kit are being made available by the Washington Credit Union Foundation (WCUF) in partnership with the National Credit Union Foundation (NCUF). Biz Kid$ is currently airing on 279 PBS stations in 43 states.