NASBA Committees Report

State Board Report

November 2013

In addition to the committee activity summaries included in NASBA’s 2013 Annual Report, a few of NASBA’s many committees were asked to present reports at the Annual Meeting. One of the newest, the State Society Relations Committee, had only met once, but expects to meet multiple times in the year ahead. The Committee’s Chair, Rich Jones, CEO of the Washington Society of CPAs, underscored the need for trust between the State Society and the State Board. “Weak State Boards hurt the State Societies, licensees and the public,” he said. His committee’s charge is to: “Provide State Societies a mutual platform to inform Boards of Accountancy and NASBA about issues of importance to the regulation of the profession, and enhancing Board relations with State Societies.” The Committee’s members include the executive directors of the Colorado, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington State Societies, with NASBA Director of Legislative and Governmental Affairs John Johnson serving as their staff liaison.

Similarly, the Standards Setting Group had held only one meeting, reported Raymond N. Johnson (OR), but expects to be tackling such essential issues as what are and what are not “authoritative standards.”

The Board Effectiveness and Legislative Support Committee has been in existence for several years, but has recently been focused on monitoring legislation and regulation impacting Boards of Accountancy with the assistance of a bill-tracking program that covers legislation introduced in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Congress. Committee Chair Donald H. Burkett (SC) described how the Committee is promoting the development of a legislative affairs network.

Uniform Accountancy Act Committee Chair Kenneth R. Odom (AL) reported there had been very few comments on the revised “attest” definition exposure draft by the end of the comment period on October 17, 2013. The comment period for the firm mobility exposure draft concludes on January 31, 2014, he reminded the NASBA audience. Comments should be sent to lhaberman@nasba.org.