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    One of the first steps NASBA Chair Stephanie Saunders (VA) has taken to address the CPA Pipeline crisis head-on is her establishment of NASBA’s Professional Licensure Task Force. The 10-member Task Force, comprised of State Board of Accountancy, State CPA Society, AICPA and NASBA representatives, is tasked with considering new concepts for CPA licensure that may be included in the Uniform Accountancy Act (UAA) in order to update the current licensure model. 

    The Task Force kicked off the 2023-2024 committee year with a series of virtual and in-person meetings to discuss the history of the current education model, the education required under Mutual Recognition Agreements, and the Experience, Learn and Earn (ELE) and experiential learning models that were introduced in 2023. From those discussions, Task Force members determined that the general principles adopted for ELE: cost effective; rigorous education component; and scalable to firms and employers of all sizes, should apply to the development of a structured professional program. The group also saw the need to seek input from and share timely updates with Boards of Accountancy and other interested parties. 

    In December, the Task Force invited NASBA stakeholders to reply to a concept exposure addressing the Task Force’s recommendation of creating an additional path to licensure—one that would offer education, documented experience, and other elements that would provide an equivalent path within the UAA for candidates to qualify for licensure, without the need of having a fifth year to complete a 150-hour education program. Stakeholders are encouraged to consider the proposed changes and share their input on the concept exposure by March 31, 2024. 

    To further emphasize this pressing issue, the Task Force hosted a Professional Licensure Task Force Webinar on January 8. The 90-minute webinar featured Saunders, who serves as chair of the Task Force for 2023-2024, Nicola Neilon (NV), chair of NASBA’s Uniform Accountancy Act Committee, and Susan Coffey, AICPA CEO – Public Accounting. Both Neilon and Coffey also serve on the Task Force. 

    The webinar provided an opportunity for state board members, executive directors and persons serving on the Task Force and UAA Committee to learn more about the recent work of the Task Force, explore root pipeline challenges, take a deeper dive into the proposed changes to the UAA, compare current and prospective licensure models, and receive an update on the activities of the AICPA’s National Pipeline Advisory Group. A rebroadcast of the webinar was held on January 18.  

    The Task Force thanks NASBA stakeholders in advance for their feedback. To respond to the Comment Exposure, CLICK HERE.