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Bank regulator seeks two examiners to oversee earned-wage-access providers, requests vehicle replacement
Summary
The Office of the State Bank Commissioner told the Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Committee it needs two new full-time examiners to oversee earned wage access providers after unexpectedly high participation, and seeks additional funding to replace an aging agency vehicle. Funding would come from licensing fees.
The Office of the State Bank Commissioner asked the committee for staffing and equipment to meet new regulatory demands tied to earned wage access (EWA) services. Jesse Becker, director of finance and administration, told lawmakers the agency now has 26 registered EWA providers and six more applications as of December 2025 and is seeking two dedicated examiners for EWA oversight in fiscal 2027.
The request is part of an enhancement package totaling $157,670 for FY2027. "Participation has been significantly higher than we anticipated," Becker said, describing the workload of licensing, examinations and enforcement. He said the positions would be funded through licensing fees already collected by the agency and that the consumer mortgage lending division anticipated the need and has available funding.
Becker also described a vehicle-replacement request to replace a 2014 van with an 8-passenger vehicle estimated at $65,000. He said officials previously approved $35,000 and are now requesting an additional $30,000 so the agency can procure a vehicle available on the market that meets operational needs. The purchase would be budget neutral, he said, funded in part by reductions in travel and other contractual services.
Why it matters: the EWA program was authorized by the Legislature in House Bill 2560, which assigned oversight to the bank commissioner. Committee members pressed officials on whether the state should reconsider payment practices for employers and whether the law needs changes; Becker said the agency would review the issue and consult internally.
Next steps: the committee closed the hearing on the Office of the State Bank Commissioner after Q&A; any formal funding decisions will occur later in the appropriations process.
