A roundup of news and announcements we don’t want to get lost in the fast-churning news cycle!

by Vee Hua 華婷婷

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Bank of America Fined $250 Million for Illegally Charging Customers Extra Fees

Bank of America has been fined $250 million after it was discovered by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) that it has been double-charging customers penalty fees, withholding credit card perks, and opening accounts without customer knowledge since 2012. Of that total amount, $100 million consists of restitution to customers who were harmed; $90 million and $60 million are civil penalties to be paid to the CFPB and OCC, respectively.

While Bank of America is now saying it removed or reduced customer overdraft fees last year, the CFPB says the bank charged multiple “junk fees” to customers from 2018 to 2022, illegally penalizing them for overdrafts or insufficient funds.

Reuters also reports, “Under sales pressure or seeking rewards, Bank of America employees illegally applied for and enrolled consumers, without their knowledge, in credit card accounts from at least 2012. … [The bank] also failed to make good on cash rewards and bonus points promised to tens of thousands of credit card customers, according to the CFPB.”

Reports and resources about the junk fees the CFPB is investigating can be found on its website.

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Washington State Office of Independent Investigations Requests Cases Involving Police Use of Deadly Force

The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII) is presently accepting requests to review prior investigations of cases involving the use of deadly force by law enforcement. More details and information on how to submit can be found on the OII website.

All investigations are conducted by the OII Investigations Division. They will involve regional supervisors, who are experienced investigators who will lead a team of other investigators; senior investigators, who will conduct the investigations; and investigators, who are staff who are undergoing field training to become more proficient in conducting use-of-force investigations.

The creation of the OIII was requested by Gov. Jay Inslee, based on recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force on Independent Investigations of Police Use of Force. The Task Force was convened in 2020, following the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Manuel Ellis in Tacoma. The agency presently has one office in Olympia but is seeking to open six more branches statewide. Its public website launched in January 2023.

The OII is also seeking a defense attorney to join its 11-member OII advisory board, which has members all across the state who are serving on a volunteer basis. Its board members review agency policies and protocols, as well as approve the hiring of OII investigators and recommend candidates for the hiring for the agency director. They do not, however, play a role in OII investigations.

All interested candidates can submit their applications on Gov. Inslee’s website. Select the “Office of Independent Investigations Advisory Board” from the dropdown menu to apply.

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Verity Credit Union Announces Spring 2023 Microgrant Recipients

Through its Spring 2023 Microgrant Program, local financial institution Verity Credit Union has selected five community organizations to receive $5,000 each to support their communities. The program was launched in 2017 to provide unrestricted funding for Washington State organizations that benefit historically underserved communities; it has since supported 48 organizations with more than $100,000 in funding.

This year’s microgrant recipients, according to Verity, are:

• Black Arts Love: An organization that amplifies the presence of Black creators, culture, and entrepreneurship to foster community engagement, facilitate healing processes, advance social justice, and ultimately recognize art as a transformative force. The grant will fund the organization’s new art gallery and marketplace.

• BRAVE (Building Resilience Awareness & Variations of Excellence): A youth development organization dedicated to promoting social justice and working closely with scholars from BIPOC communities. Its mission is to forge collaborative partnerships with BIPOC youth, supporting and empowering them throughout their transformative journeys of learning and personal growth. The grant will fund upcoming community events.

• Project Feast: An organization that offers comprehensive culinary training programs for low-income immigrants and refugees, equipping them with the skills, hands-on experiences, and knowledge necessary to pursue successful careers or entrepreneurial ventures within the food industry. This grant will support Project Feast in reopening its esteemed café in Kent this summer.

• Native American Reentry Services (NARS): A program that assists Native American community members during incarceration and transition and reentry into tribal communities. Its mission is to actively confront and overcome the barriers encountered by Native individuals during the reentry process, with a steadfast commitment to promoting their holistic community integration.

• South King County Discipline Coalition’s (SKCDC): An organization with the mission of dismantling the systemic issue of disproportionate discipline faced by students of color and to effectively interrupt the harmful school-to-prison pipeline. The grant will go toward a youth reading program.

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