It is a pleasure working with the staff of MIBA and representing MIBA with members of the legislature, their staff and the executive branch.

As we begin to shift our focus to 2024, it is important to take a look back at what was accomplished in 2023. MIBA was instrumental in passing:

• SB 13 — Relating the powers of the division of finance
• SB 63 — The SAFE Banking of Marijuana Act
• SB 101 — Provisions relating to lender-placed insurance
• SB 186 — Enhanced penalties for property damage to teller machines
• SB 398 — The collection of motor vehicle sales tax by a dealer

In the run-up to 2024, we recognize several new and unique political challenges:

• Term limits will bar six state senators and 22 state representatives from seeking re-election.
• At present, five of the six-term-limited state senators are running for statewide office.
• There are at least six contested republican primaries, two of which are against sitting republican senators.
• The current Speaker of the House is under fire to resign for admitting that he was personally reimbursed by the state for expenses incurred by his campaign committee.

These are just the political challenges that we predict will impact the 2024 session, which reminds me of the old Chinese curse, “May he live in interesting times.”