New Hampshire SB 571: relative to the requirements to be issued a certificate as a certified public accountant.

Bill Text

SB 571 - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-2072

 09/05

SENATE BILL 571

AN ACT relative to the requirements to be issued a certificate as a certified public accountant.

SPONSORS: Sen. Reardon, Dist 15; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. McGough, Dist 11; Sen. Rochefort, Dist 1; Sen. Pearl, Dist 17; Sen. Perkins Kwoka, Dist 21; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Rep. Muns, Rock. 29; Rep. C. McGuire, Merr. 27; Rep. Bryer, Rock. 1; Rep. Janigian, Rock. 25; Rep. Johnson, Straf. 11

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

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ANALYSIS

This bill:

 I. Removes the definition of "substantial equivalency" and replaces it with a standard of "comparable" in considering whether the office of professional licensure and certification shall grant a certificate of "certified public accountant" to an applicant with a foreign accountancy designation.

 II. Modifies the educational requirements to obtain a certificate as a "certified public accountant."

 III. Allows an applicant to sit for examination as of a date no more than 120 days before the applicant expects to obtain his or her baccalaureate degree, pursuant to rules adopted by the board.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-2072

 09/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT relative to the requirements to be issued a certificate as a certified public accountant.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Definitions. Amend RSA 309-B:3, XVIII-XIX to read as follows:

 XVIII. ["Substantial equivalency" is a determination by the office or its designee that the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in the statutes and administrative rules of another jurisdiction are comparable to or exceed the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in the Uniform Accountancy Act, or that the individual certified public accountant's education, examination, and experience qualifications are comparable to or exceed the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in the Uniform Accountancy Act. In ascertaining substantial equivalency as used in this statute, the office shall take into account the qualifications without regard to the sequence in which experience, education, or examination requirements were attained. 

 XIX.] "Uniform Accountancy Act" means [the May 2014 edition of] the model legislation developed jointly by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy, as it is amended from time to time. 

 2 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Qualifications for a Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. Amend RSA 309-B:5, III-IX to read as follows:

 III. The education requirements for a certificate shall be as follows: 

 (a) [Until January 1, 2005,] A post-baccalaureate [baccalaureate] degree [or its equivalent] conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, [with] the total educational program to include an accounting concentration or equivalent as determined by board rule; [to be appropriate.] 

 (b) [After January 1, 2005 and until June 30, 2014, at least 120 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration or equivalent as determined by board rule to be appropriate; provided however, that candidates for a certificate may sit for the examination described in paragraph IV if they have at least 120 semester hours of college education including a baccalaureate degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration or equivalent as determined by board rule to be appropriate.] A baccalaureate degree plus an additional 30 semester credit hours, conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration as determined by board rule; or 

 (c) [On or after July 1, 2014, at least 150 semester hours of college education including] A baccalaureate [or higher] degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration, or equivalent as determined by board rule [to be appropriate; provided however, that candidates for a certificate may sit for the examination described in paragraph IV if they have at least 120 semester hours of college education