CPA Mobility Bill Passes

The TSCPA supported HB 2144 that eliminates unnecessary red tape for out-of-state CPAs that practice in Texas passed the legislature this week.  The bill requires out-of-state CPA firms to have a Texas license to perform audits on Texas companies.  For all other services, CPAs with substantially equivalent qualifications as Texas may practice in Texas without notice or license.  By so doing the CPA becomes subject to the Texas laws and rules, including the jurisdiction of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.  Texas became the seventh state to ease restrictions on interstate CPA practice.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his consideration.  Click here to read the bill.

Comments

[Wade Gafford]

Are new rules being drafted to change the current rules for the new CPA mobility bill passage?

If Texas is going to make CPA sate mobility a reality, it needs to get rid of the rule that requires a CPA with a non-CPA consulting firm that discloses he or she is a CPA to also disclose that the non-CPA consulting firm is not a CPA firm. It is not practical that out of state CPAs with non-CPA consulting firms will create two sets of business cards, one for what Texas wants and one that will work in other states.

Texas' current rule simply results in many CPAs in non-CPA firms not disclosing that they are a CPA because of the negative tone of the regquired disclosure. Texas should be encouraging all CPAs to disclose that they are CPAs instead of having a rule that discourages disclosure and does not fit well with state mobility.

Wade

[Bob Owen]

The Accountancy Board is working on new rules to implement HB 2144, the interstate mobility bill. The bill's effective date is Sept. 1, 2007. The board will likely consider new rules on first reading at its July meeting.
I am not aware of any plans to change the rules requiring the non-CPA firm disclosure. I believe it does apply to any CPA wokring for a non-CPA firm regardless of their resident location.