Board of Accountancy approves staff bills to modernize CPA mobility and update licensure rules

The California Board of Accountancy voted Sept. 20 to approve two staff‑sponsored legislative proposals that would (1) modernize the state’s CPA mobility rules and (2) change minimum education and experience requirements for CPA licensure.

The board approved the mobility proposal after a staff presentation from Licensing Division Chief Michelle Senter describing a package that would add a definition of “comparable licensure requirements,” replace the term “substantially equivalent” in parts of the Business and Professions Code, and retain consumer‑protection safeguards. "This will define comparable licensure requirements," Senter said, describing the proposal’s focus on requiring passage of the uniform CPA exam and considering another jurisdiction’s education and experience requirements "collectively" when the board decides whether a state’s standards meet or exceed California’s.

Executive Officer Dominic Franzella framed the pair of measures as a practical step to preserve California’s authority over mobility while giving the board flexibility to consider national competency‑based models. "I believe the board should feel comfortable in making decisions today on the proposals you have before you," Franzella told members, emphasizing the timing advantage of acting now to…