Credit unions' rite of spring, CUNA's Governmental Affairs Conference, has now come and gone. Many credit union volunteers and professionals have scurried home for warmer climes or colder ones in the case of credit union Mecca–Madison–where they were expecting several inches of snow on top of what they already had. Here in Washington during the GAC, there were warm and cold moments as well.

Compliance, compliance, compliance. Credit unions are settling into the fact that it's simply a part of doing business, but that doesn't take care of the logistics. Credit unions are concerned about how to keep up with all of the regs coming out of Washington. Fortunately, technology has become a great efficiency driver in this area. Ultimately, a credit union is responsible for ensuring compliance with any regulation, so ensuring you have a partner with a strong compliance department is key to making  that mountain a molehill. CUNA's recently released exam survey results found 43% of respondents receiving at least one document of resolution during their last exam. Reactionary or not, it's there and must be handled.

Obamacare is a new area of compliance for everyone, and it's not going to go away no matter which political party is in charge. The court challenge failed. (Note that Chief Justice Roberts, who wrote the opinion, is also the lawyer who lost the Supreme Court case that required hurried passage of H.R. 1151. Just a fun fact.) Choosing not to offer health care is an option but could significantly shrink a credit union's talent pool, a position credit unions cannot afford to be in.