A marked impact: 300 CPAs connect with legislators on critical issues.

• Author: Allen, Bruce C.
• Position: CapitolBeat

Three hundred CPAs came to Sacramento May 13 to meet with legislators and talk about the need for national uniformity in regulation of the CPA profession. Specifically, the CPAs were in Sacramento to talk about AB 2473 (Niello, Ma), the California Board of Accountancy-sponsored legislation to elevate California's educational standards for CPA licensing to those of 45 other states and to allow California consumers to exercise their right to choose their CPA financial advisers. And, the participants' message was well received by legislators.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

It really was a great day. Assembly member Fiona Ma, CPA welcomed attendees to the briefing prior to their visits with legislators. She noted they were in Sacramento on a historic day as the first African American woman was installed as Speaker of the Assembly. Ma related progress that was being made on CPA mobility and urged their continued participation in the process.

Assembly Member Roger Niello, CPA sent a representative to the morning briefing meeting to express his regret on being unable to be personally present. "As you know, or will find out, our CPA mobility bill (AB 2473) is stalled in committee. Well, I am here at least in spirit this morning to assure you that, while AB 2473 may not be moving, the issue will not go away. To be eventually successful, I need your help. Only with your help we will have success. It is up to you to speak out about the truth of the profession, because you had better believe the opposition is doing its best to tell a different story."

Niello's message included a quote from British philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell:

"Man is a credulous animal, and must believe something; in the absence of good grounds for belief he will be satisfied with bad ones."

The opposition to AB 2473 is being led and to a large extent motivated by the Center for Public Interest Law located in San Diego, which has been accused of spreading misinformation about the mobility proposal and the effort to increase the educational standards for California's CPA candidates to meet a national standard.

While AB 2473 may be dead for this session, the effort to advance mobility has gained tremendous momentum across the nation. Twenty-five states already have enacted similar provisions and it is anticipated that at least four more will successfully pass the model legislation this year.

Next year's CPA Day at the Capitol already is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009...