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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility requirements for a certified public |
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accountant certificate and to take the uniform CPA examination. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 901.252, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 901.252. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. To be eligible to |
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receive a certificate, a person must: |
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(1) satisfy the requirements of Section 901.253; |
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(2) complete at least 150 semester hours or |
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quarter-hour equivalents in board-recognized courses, including an |
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accounting concentration or equivalent courses that meet the |
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education requirements established under Section 901.254 or |
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901.255, as determined by board rule; |
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(3) pass the uniform CPA examination; |
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(4) meet the work experience requirements established |
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under Section 901.256; and |
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(5) pass an examination on the rules of professional |
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conduct as determined by board rule. |
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SECTION 2. Section 901.254, Occupations Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 901.254. EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS. (a) To be eligible |
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to take the uniform CPA examination, an applicant must: |
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(1) hold a baccalaureate or graduate degree, or its |
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equivalent as determined by board rule, conferred by a |
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board-recognized institution of higher education; and |
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(2) complete at least 120 [150] semester hours or |
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quarter-hour equivalents in board-recognized courses, including at |
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least 24 semester hours of [an] accounting [concentration] or |
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equivalent courses as determined by board rule. |
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(b) A rule adopted under Subsection (a)(2) may not require |
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that an applicant complete more than 21 semester hours of |
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upper-level accounting courses. |
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SECTION 3. Section 901.256(a), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) To be eligible to receive a certificate, a person must |
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complete[: |
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[(1) at least two years of work experience under the |
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supervision of a certified public accountant; or |
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[(2)] at least one year of work experience acceptable |
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to the board, including experience providing a service or advice |
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involving accounting, attest services, management or financial |
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advisory or consulting services, tax services, or other services |
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the board considers appropriate for an accountant, if the person: |
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(1) [(A)] has completed at least 150 semester hours of |
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college credits; or |
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(2) [(B)] holds a graduate degree. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 901.252 and 901.256(a), Occupations |
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Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to an application for a |
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public accountant certificate submitted on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. An application for a public accountant |
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certificate submitted before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the application was |
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submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. Section 901.254, Occupations Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies only to an application to take an examination |
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submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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application to take an examination submitted before the effective |
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date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the |
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application was submitted, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |