Senate Bill sb2720er
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2 An act relating to public accountancy; amending
3 s. 473.308, F.S.; authorizing waiver of certain
4 requirements in excess of a baccalaureate
5 degree for applicants for licensure as a
6 certified public accountant who meet certain
7 prior employment criteria; amending s. 473.311,
8 F.S.; requiring completion of required
9 continuing education in ethics prior to taking
10 the examination required for renewal of
11 license; amending s. 473.312, F.S.; requiring a
12 certain amount of continuing education to be in
13 ethics; providing course requirements and
14 requirements for course providers; providing an
15 effective date.
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17 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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19 Section 1. Subsection (4) of section 473.308, Florida
20 Statutes, is amended to read:
21 473.308 Licensure.--
22 (4) If application for licensure is made prior to
23 October 1, 2008 2005, and the applicant has at least 5 years
24 of experience in the practice of public accountancy in the
25 United States or in the practice of public accountancy or its
26 equivalent in a foreign country that the International
27 Qualifications Appraisal Board of the National Association of
28 State Boards of Accountancy has determined has licensure
29 standards that are substantially equivalent to those in the
30 United States, or has at least 5 years of experience as an
31 auditor or accountant in the employment of a unit of federal,
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1 state, or local government and that employment required the
2 use of accounting skills as a substantial part of the
3 applicant's duties and was under the supervision of a
4 certified public accountant licensed by a state or territory
5 of the United States, the board shall waive the requirements
6 of s. 473.306(2)(b)2. that are in excess of a baccalaureate
7 degree. All experience that is used as a basis for waiving the
8 said requirements of s. 473.306(2)(b)2. must be while licensed
9 experience outside this state. Furthermore, said experience
10 must be after licensure as a certified public accountant by
11 another state or territory of the United States or while
12 licensed after licensure in the practice of public accountancy
13 or its equivalent in a foreign country that the International
14 Qualifications Appraisal Board of the National Association of
15 State Boards of Accountancy has determined has licensure
16 standards that are substantially equivalent to those in the
17 United States. The board shall have the authority to establish
18 the standards for experience that meet this requirement.
19 Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 473.311, Florida
20 Statutes, is amended to read:
21 473.311 Renewal of license.--
22 (1) The department shall renew a license upon receipt
23 of the renewal application and fee and upon certification by
24 the board that the licensee has satisfactorily completed the
25 continuing education requirements of s. 473.312 and has passed
26 an examination approved by the board on chapter 455 and this
27 chapter and the related administrative rules. However, each
28 licensee must complete the requirements of s. 473.312(1)(c)
29 prior to taking the examination.
30 Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 473.312, Florida
31 Statutes, is amended to read:
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2004 Legislature CS for SB 2720
1 473.312 Continuing education.--
2 (1)(a) As part of the license renewal procedure, the
3 board shall by rule require licensees to submit proof
4 satisfactory to the board that during the 2 years prior to
5 application for renewal, they have successfully completed not
6 less than 48 or more than 80 classroom hours of continuing
7 professional education programs in public accounting subjects
8 approved by the board. The board may prescribe by rule
9 additional continuing professional education hours, not to
10 exceed 25 percent of the total hours required, for failure to
11 complete the hours required for renewal by the end of the
12 reestablishment period.
13 (b) Not less than 25 percent of the total hours
14 required by the board shall be in accounting-related and
15 auditing-related subjects, as distinguished from federal and
16 local taxation matters and management services.
17 (c) Not less than 5 percent of the total hours
18 required by the board shall be in ethics applicable to the
19 practice of public accounting. This requirement shall be
20 administered by providers approved by the board and shall
21 include a review of the provisions of chapter 455 and this
22 chapter and the related administrative rules.
23 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.
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