Bill Text: FL S0616 | 2021 | Regular Session | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Public Accountancy

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2021-06-17 - Chapter No. 2021-98 [S0616 Detail]

Download: Florida-2021-S0616-Engrossed.html

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       CS for SB 616                                    First Engrossed
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       2021616e1
       
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to public accountancy; amending s.
    3         473.308, F.S.; requiring that certain applicants not
    4         be licensed in any state or territory in order to be
    5         licensed by endorsement; amending s. 473.311, F.S.;
    6         providing license renewal requirements for nonresident
    7         licensees; amending s. 473.312, F.S.; requiring that a
    8         majority of the hours required for continuing
    9         education include specific content; providing an
   10         effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 473.308, Florida
   15  Statutes, is amended to read:
   16         473.308 Licensure.—
   17         (7) The board shall certify as qualified for a license by
   18  endorsement an applicant who:
   19         (a) Is not licensed and has not been licensed in any
   20  another state or territory and who has met the requirements of
   21  this section for education, work experience, and good moral
   22  character and has passed a national, regional, state, or
   23  territorial licensing examination that is substantially
   24  equivalent to the examination required by s. 473.306; or
   25         (b)1. Holds a valid license to practice public accounting
   26  issued by another state or territory of the United States, if
   27  the criteria for issuance of such license were substantially
   28  equivalent to the licensure criteria that existed in this state
   29  at the time the license was issued;
   30         2. Holds a valid license to practice public accounting
   31  issued by another state or territory of the United States but
   32  the criteria for issuance of such license did not meet the
   33  requirements of subparagraph 1.; has met the requirements of
   34  this section for education, work experience, and good moral
   35  character; and has passed a national, regional, state, or
   36  territorial licensing examination that is substantially
   37  equivalent to the examination required by s. 473.306; or
   38         3. Holds a valid license to practice public accounting
   39  issued by another state or territory of the United States for at
   40  least 10 years before the date of application; has passed a
   41  national, regional, state, or territorial licensing examination
   42  that is substantially equivalent to the examination required by
   43  s. 473.306; and has met the requirements of this section for
   44  good moral character.
   45         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 473.311, Florida
   46  Statutes, is amended to read:
   47         473.311 Renewal of license.—
   48         (1)(a) The department shall renew a license issued under s.
   49  473.308 upon receipt of the renewal application and fee and upon
   50  certification by the board that the Florida certified public
   51  accountant has satisfactorily completed the continuing education
   52  requirements of s. 473.312.
   53         (b) A nonresident licensee seeking renewal of a license in
   54  this state shall be determined to have met the continuing
   55  education requirements in s. 473.312, except for the
   56  requirements in s. 473.312(1)(c), if the licensee has complied
   57  with the continuing education requirements applicable in the
   58  state in which his or her office is located. If the state in
   59  which the nonresident licensee’s office is located has no
   60  continuing education requirements for license renewals, the
   61  nonresident licensee must comply with the continuing education
   62  requirements in s. 473.312.
   63         Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
   64  473.312, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   65         473.312 Continuing education.—
   66         (1)
   67         (c) Not less than 5 percent of the total hours required by
   68  the board shall be in ethics applicable to the practice of
   69  public accounting. This requirement shall be administered by
   70  providers approved by the board and a majority of the hours
   71  shall include a review of the provisions of chapter 455 and this
   72  chapter and the related administrative rules.
   73         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.