CBA Goes Online Plus: NASBA Update, CA Budget, November Elections.

• Author: Fox, Jason
• Position: CapitolBeat

The California Board of Accountancy recently went live with CBA Connect (http://connecl.dca.ca.gov/cba/#/), a new online portal that will simplify and streamline much of the CPA license renewal process. New features include the ability to quickly complete the renewal form, submit CPE documents, pay renewal fees, update contact information, and the ability to receive real-time status updates and alerts about a renewal.

With the renewal process moving online, the CBA is also expecting shorter processing timelines. CBA Connect is highlighted on Page 2 of the most recent CBA Update (cba.ca.gov/cba/communicalions-and-outreach/update95.pdf).

There are some adjustments that come with moving to a new system. CBA Connect only allows a licensee to upload CPE courses one at a time. This can be cumbersome and take time since most licensees track their credits in a CPE tracker (like CalCPA's) and submit all the courses in one document as part of their renewal. Early-users of CBA Connect have noted that it can take time to re-input each of their courses into another system.

To address this, CalCPA and the CBA are coordinating on a solution that will allow for a batch upload of CPE records into CBA Connect. CalCPA is in the process of adding a new feature to the CPE tracker that allows members to download all their CPE documentation into a format that is compatible with CBA Connect. Similarly, a new batch-upload feature is in development for CBA Connect. Together, this would allow a licensee to more efficiently allocate and submit their CPE into CBA Connect. The new features are expected soon.

If you have not already, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with CBA Connect and be on the lookout for new features in CalCPA's CPE tracker.

NASBA Holds West Regional Meeting

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy held its West Regional meeting in June. Representatives from CalCPA and the CBA attended and heard updates on key issues from state regulators nationwide.

Discussions included how regulators can support CPA candidates through the CPA pipeline, the implementation of a new exam in CPA Evolution. DE&I efforts for state boards and considerations for CPAs working remotely across state lines.

The meetings and discussions are an opportunity to interface with key stakeholders as many of these issues will require coordination between regulators and the profession and with states across the country.

State Budget Passed; Expect More to Come

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