Bill Text: CA AB2267 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Accountancy: California Board of Accountancy.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-05-05 - Re-referred to Com. on B. & P. [AB2267 Detail]
Download: California-2019-AB2267-Amended.html
|
Amended
IN
Assembly
May 04, 2020 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2267
| Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin |
February 14, 2020 |
An act to amend Sections 5007, 5070, and 5070.5 of, and to add Section 5093.1 to Sections 5009.5 and 5093.5 to, the Business and Professions Code, relating to professions and vocations.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2267, as amended, Irwin.
Accountancy: licensure: examination. California Board of Accountancy.
Existing law establishes the California Board of Accountancy in the Department of Consumer Affairs for the purpose of licensing and regulating the practice of accountancy and provides that the officers of the board are a president, vice president, and a secretary-treasurer. Existing law requires the president to preside at all meetings of the board, and in the event of the president’s absence or inability to act, requires the vice president to preside.
This bill would require the secretary-treasurer to preside at meetings of the board if both the president and vice president are absent or unable to act. The bill would authorize the president to designate a board member who is not an officer to preside at a meeting of the board if all officers of the board are
absent or unable to act at that meeting.
Existing law prohibits a person from engaging in the practice of public accountancy in this state unless the person holds a valid permit issued by the board or a practice privilege, as specified. Existing law requires an applicant to report to the board a valid email address if the applicant has one, at the time of application for, or renewal of, a public accountant license. Existing law provides that these email addresses are not considered public records and prohibits these email addresses from being disclosed pursuant to specified provisions of law, unless required pursuant to a court order.
This bill would recast these provisions to, in the interest of protecting the privacy of applicants and licensees, prohibit from disclosure all email addresses
provided by applicants or licensees, and would make conforming changes.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of accountancy by the California Board of Accountancy in the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law prohibits a person from engaging in the practice of public accountancy in this state unless the person holds either a valid permit issued by the board or a practice privilege, as specified. Existing
Existing law sets forth the requirements for an applicant to qualify for the certified public accountant license and requires an
applicant for admission to the examination to present evidence to the board that the applicant has completed specified education requirements.
This bill would would, instead, authorize the board to admit an applicant to the certified public accountant examination before the applicant completes those education requirements, provided requirements if the applicant satisfies the conditions specified by the board. The bill would authorize the board to withhold the release of an applicant’s examination scores if an applicant fails to timely complete the education requirements or comply with the
board’s regulations.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NOBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 5007 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:5007.
The president shall preside at all meetings of the board, and in the event ofSEC. 2.
Section 5009.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:5009.5.
In the interest of protecting the privacy of applicants and licensees, an email address provided by applicants or licensees to the board pursuant to this chapter shall not be considered a public record and shall not be disclosed pursuant to Section 27 or pursuant to a request under the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), unless required pursuant to a court order by a court of competent jurisdiction.SEC. 3.
Section 5070 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:5070.
(a) Permits to engage in the practice of public accountancy in this state shall be issued by the board only to holders of the certificate of certified public accountant issued under this chapter and to those partnerships, corporations, and other persons who, upon application approved by the board, are registered with the board under this chapter. Notwithstanding any other law, the board may register an entity organized and authorized to practice public accountancy under the laws of another state for the purpose of allowing that entity to satisfy the registration requirement set forth in Section 5096.12, if (1) the certified public accountants providing services in California qualify for the practice privilege, and (2) the entity satisfies all other requirements to register in this state, other than its form of legal organization.(b) All applicants for registration shall furnish satisfactory evidence that the applicant is entitled to registration and shall pay the fee as provided in Article 8 (commencing with Section 5130). Every partnership, corporation, and other person to whom a permit is issued shall, in addition to any other fee that may be payable, pay the initial permit fee provided in Article 8 (commencing with Section 5130).
(c) Each applicant who has a valid email address shall report to the board that email address at the time of application or registration. In the interest of protecting an applicant’s privacy, the email address shall not be considered a public record and shall not be disclosed pursuant to Section 27 or pursuant to a request under the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), unless
required pursuant to a court order by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(d) Each partnership, corporation, and other person issued a permit by the board to practice as a certified public accountant or as a public accountant shall be furnished with a suitable certificate evidencing that registration.
SEC. 4.
Section 5070.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:5070.5.
(a) (1) A permit issued under this chapter to a certified public accountant or a public accountant expires at 12 midnight on the last day of the month of the legal birthday of the licensee during the second year of a two-year term if not renewed.(2) To renew an unexpired permit, a permitholder shall, before the time at which the permit would otherwise expire, apply for renewal on a form prescribed by the board, pay the renewal fee prescribed by this chapter, and give evidence satisfactory to the board that the permitholder has complied with the continuing education provisions of this chapter.
(3) Each applicant for renewal who has a valid email address shall report that
email address to the board on the renewal form described in paragraph (1). In the interest of protecting an applicant’s privacy, the electronic mail address shall not be considered a public record and shall not be disclosed pursuant to Section 27 or pursuant to a request under the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code), unless required pursuant to a court order by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) A permit to practice as an accountancy partnership or an accountancy corporation expires at 12 midnight on the last day of the month in which the permit was initially issued during the second year of a two-year term if not renewed. To renew an unexpired permit, the permitholder shall, before the time at which the permit would otherwise expire, apply for renewal on a form prescribed
by the board, pay the renewal fee prescribed by this chapter, and provide evidence satisfactory to the board that the accountancy partnership or accountancy corporation is in compliance with this chapter.
(c) On or before July 1, 2020, each permitholder who has a valid email address shall provide that email address to the board.
(d) A permitholder shall notify the board within 30 days of any change to their email address on file with the board. The board may periodically, as it determines necessary, require permitholders to confirm that their email address on file with the board is current.
SEC. 5.
Section 5093.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:5093.5.
(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 5093, the board may admit an applicant to the certified public accountant examination before the applicant completes the education requirements set forth in Section 5093.(b) The board shall adopt regulations pursuant to this section that shall specify, at a minimum, both of the following:
(1) The timeframe in which an applicant must complete their education following submission of the application for admission to the examination.
(2) The manner in which an applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence of their education requirements.
(c) The board shall may withhold the release of an applicant’s examination scores if an applicant fails to timely complete the education requirements or comply with the regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this section.
