Our Latest Press

Santa Barbara County Interested in Studying Feasibility of Central Coast Public Bank

Noozhawk – May 29, 2021 The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution this month expressing interest in participating in a viability study that would determine the feasibility of establishing a public bank with the five Central Coast counties. “At least studying this as a possibility is a responsible decision in light of the hedging […]

Monterey County officials show interest in public banking

Monterey Herald – SALINAS — Monterey County elected officials have OK’d exploring the concept of joining other Central Coast counties to develop a public banking system that would provide benefits for economic development, infrastructure needs and affordable housing. The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday gave the nod to exploring how interested Monterey County would be […]

Free banking in California? New bill tackles access and racial equity

Free banking in California? New bill tackles access and racial equity

By Margot Roosevelt, Los Angeles Time. Escalating overdraft charges. Minimum balances. High ATM, check-cashing and debit card fees. Banking can be expensive, especially for low-wage workers. A score of California lawmakers have signed on to a new bill designed to offer Golden State households free financial services, taking on the state’s powerful banks at a […]

Interest Compounds for a California State Public Bank

Interest Compounds for a California State Public Bank

By California Public Banking Alliance California State Senators Mike McGuire and Steven Bradford took a bold step toward establishing a state public bank on November 23, 2020 by chairing a joint hearing with the Governance and Finance, and Banking and Financial Institutions Committees. The Senators unleashed testimony from a wide range of financial professionals and community activists […]

Public Banking Act Gives Us A Proven Model to Address Unprecedented Crises

Public Banking Act Gives Us A Proven Model to Address Unprecedented Crises

By California Public Banking Alliance America faces a perfect storm of ever-escalating crises which are culminating in a central crisis of democracy itself. We are wholly unprepared for this crisis, because our institutions are failing. From the justice system to the Presidency to Wall Street, Americans are wondering what actually works, and who led us […]

Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Legislation Enabling Creation of Public Banks

Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Legislation Enabling Creation of Public Banks

Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) introduced the historic Public Banking Act, which allows for the creation of state and locally administered public banks by establishing the Public Bank Grant program administered by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board which would provide grants for the formation, chartering and capitalization of public banks. […]

California State Public Bank Bill AB 310 Moves Forward in 2021

California State Public Bank Bill AB 310 Moves Forward in 2021

By Brett Garrett, Rick Girling, Susan Harman, Debbie Notkin, Trinity Tran Public banking took a gigantic step forward on Monday as the Senate Governance and Finance Committee under Chair Senator Mike McGuire heard informational testimony for AB 310, which will establish the California state public bank to address the catastrophic economic consequences of COVID-19. This historic […]

Public banking would help speed the economic recovery from COVID-19

Public banking would help speed the economic recovery from COVID-19

April 17, 2020 – The Hill. Rick Girling of the California Public Banking Alliance and Isaiah Poole with Next System Project lays out the case for why public banks are a necessary engine for economic recovery. At least 90 percent of the nation’s cities are facing a budget crisis because of the economic shutdown in […]

What a Public Bank Can Do for Real People

What a Public Bank Can Do for Real People

Oscar Perry Abello talks with Sylvia Chi and Kurtis Wu from the California Public Banking Alliance. YES! Magazine takes a deep dive into the Bank of North Dakota, the only state-owned bank in the nation and explores how public funds can be redirected to empower local communities. The little city of Hazen, North Dakota, population 2,300, […]

State legislation prompts San Diego to explore creating a city-owned ‘public bank’

State legislation prompts San Diego to explore creating a city-owned ‘public bank’

San Diego Union-Tribune – February 2, 2020. The San Diego Union-Tribune talks with Jeff Olson with Public Bank SD and the California Public Banking Alliance on the next steps for a San Diego Public Bank. SAN DIEGO —  New state legislation allowing cities to establish government-run “public banks” has prompted San Diego officials to begin exploring the idea, including four City Council […]

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