Mobility update: separating myth from fact.

• Author: Allen, Bruce C.
• Position: Capitol Beat

Legislation sponsored by the California Board of Accountancy, AB 2473 (Niello/Ma) to allow "accountancy mobility," was pulled off the Assembly Business and Professions Committee's agenda April 9. It's clear the CPA profession must further educate legislators so that the issue of CPA mobility can be addressed.

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As bill co-author Assembly Member Roger Niello said, "It wasn't the right time...however, this is an issue that has begged for remedy for a number of years, and it is an issue that other states have dealt with, are dealing with, or will deal with. At some point this issue will need to be addressed by California."

Mobility legislation is sailing through other state legislatures with minimal effort and very few "no" votes. More than 2,000 legislators have already voted to remove unworkable statutes from their accountancy acts and 17 states have adopted the "No notice, no fee and no escape" provisions of the Uniform Accountancy Act adopted by the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy and AICPA.

We must continue to work to resolve the mobility issue and will call on members to talk to their own legislators about the problem and the need to address it quickly before things get worse.

It is important that everyone understand the issue and how it impacts business, clients and the profession. California leads the nation in so many things, but it appears that once again, we will be lagging until the lack of mobility is addressed.

AB 2473 would allow licensed CPAs from other states to provide certain services to California clients without being subject to a state notification process that provides no increased consumer protection. It also would allow California CPAs to service, client needs in other states.

In addition, AB 2473 will protect California consumers by allowing the CBA to take disciplinary action against out-of-state CPAs for misconduct, including imposing fines, barring them from practice and reporting them to their local boards of accountancy.

Unfortunately, a small but vocal opposition to this bill is trying to back their position through a number of false claims. The following are myths (courtesy of the Coalition for Business and Consumer Choice) being communicated by opponents of AB 2473 and the facts about how the legislation will really benefit Californians.

MYTH: Opponents claim AB 2473 would somehow allow "fake" CPAs, criminals and those under investigation for malpractice to provide...