As I continue to morph into a complete compliance being, I realize the value of what I have learned. Compliance people need to be included in short list of people that call on our legislators. This may be idelistic and it may only work at the state level, but who better to contribute to the process? The regulators do not fully understand the realities of administration. Compliance professionals do understand.

If you have not done anything to help build a better piece of legislation, do not complain about the result.

Enough soap box. Speak up and be counted.

In my prior life I wrote the comment letters and they were reviewed several times higher. I reviewed the final to ensure I agreed with it and that it met the spirit and intent of my/our opinion. We never had differences to work out. Perhaps I was lucky. I signed the letters for the bank but they could just as easily have been from the President.

My point is, whether it is by name or by function, the compliance professionals should be involved and actively pursuing this phase of the process. It is also gratifying to read the final rules and see something like "one commenter stated... and we agree... so the final rule is adopted accordingly".