[The following is a paid advertisement.]

On February 10, a court decision regarding the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act introduced new uncertainty for the financial institutions that quietly power our communities every day.

Local credit unions aren’t faceless corporations — they are neighbors, Little League sponsors, small business lenders, and first-time homebuyer champions. Every dollar they earn stays close to home, fueling local jobs, schools, and Main Street dreams.

For decades, financial institutions have helped build a safe, reliable electronic payments system that consumers trust and rely on daily. Whether it’s tapping a card at a local coffee shop, paying for groceries, or managing bills online, that system works because it is stable and collaborative. The Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act threatens to disrupt that balance, creating uncertainty that could ripple through the very services families depend on.

If local financial institutions face new costs or operational strain, it’s our communities that feel it most — through fewer resources for small business lending, reduced community investment, and less innovation in convenient, secure payment tools.

Credit unions exist to serve people, not profits. Protecting them means protecting local economies, consumer choice, and the strong, dependable payments system Illinois families rely on every day.

Learn more at https://betterforillinois.org/

Paid for by Illinois Credit Union League.