April 2008 | Inland Empire Chapter Bulletin

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CalCPA NEWS

CPA Mobility

CalCPA supports AB 2473, which addresses CPA mobility issues in California. Contact your legislators today and educate them on the importance of this bill to you and the businesses and individuals with whom you work.

 

SAVE THE DATES

Annual Installation

Date: Friday, May 30

Annual Leadership Planning Conference

Date: Friday, June 6
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

You Do Count!

By Renee H. Miller, CPA

As we are all seeing and reading in the news, this election year underscores how very important it is to make sure your voice is heard. As CPAs (or future CPAs), we have an opportunity to do just that for the sake of our profession. To this end, CalCPA encourages all of us to participate in the upcoming CPA Day at the Capitol May 13 in Sacramento. You can register for the event online—and there is no fee. CPA Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity to meet with legislators and help them understand the major issues facing CPAs in California. Right now, one of those key issues is mobility.
   I pass along to you a message from Jeannie Tindel, CalCPA's director of legislation:
   “One of the things that has always impressed me about the CPA profession is the number of volunteer hours that CPAs devote to their communities and to their profession. At the last council meeting, Conrad Davis, chair of CalCPA’s Government Relations Committee, unveiled the legislative plans for this year. The California Board of Accountancy, led by our own past president Don Driftmier, is planning to introduce legislation to enact new mobility standards for CPAs, and CalCPA is poised to actively support that legislation aggressively once it is introduced.
   “The legislation would require firms performing an audit of a California-headquartered company to register with the California Board of Accountancy, but it would allow other out-of-state CPAs to provide service to their California clients without notifying the CBA. Any CPA providing service to a California client would be under the automatic jurisdiction of the CBA and could be fined and disciplined by the CBA, and also face discipline in their home state. The California legislation parallels the new model Uniform Accountancy Act that is being referred to nationally as “No notice, no fee and no escape.”
   “Thirteen states have already enacted such provisions, and it has been the law in Ohio since 1964. Legislation will be introduced in 20 states this year. That leads to the next part of this effort. We need to help Conrad and CalCPA’s director of government relations, Bruce Allen, pass this bill and support the CBA initiative.
   “On May 13, all concerned California CPAs should be in Sacramento helping California legislators understand the importance of mobility to the profession and its employers and clients. Mobility is just one of the professional issues that will be covered that day, but it is a big one. CPAs cannot be required to register in every state in which their clients have business interests. As legislation is introduced, more issues will be identified that could impact CPAs and California’s business climate unless the profession makes sure that legislators understand the real-world impacts of what they are considering.
   “May 13 is your opportunity to help influence their decisions. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and is followed by a briefing on the issues at 10 a.m. You will receive briefing papers on the issues and your schedule of appointments and then go in teams to meet with legislators and decision makers. The day concludes with a debriefing from 3:30-4 p.m. Register online today. If you have questions call (916) 441-5351. Last year 200 people participated in CPA Day at the Capitol. We need many more people to attend to make a difference this year. Sign up as early as possible to ensure that CalCPA’s government relations team will be able to successfully schedule an appointment with your representative.”
   To add to Jeannie’s comments and her reference to Ohio law, you may want to read the January/February 2008 article in California CPA magazine titled “Why Ohio Is the Model for Interstate Practice” by Ronald Rotaru, executive director of the Accountancy Board of Ohio.
   Also on the CalCPA website, you will find talking points not only on mobility, but also on substantial equivalency. Most other states require 150 hours of college education prior to obtaining the CPA license, but California does not. This means we are not substantially equivalent to most other states. As a California CPA, you would need more than just a California CPA license to provide CPA services in other substantially equivalent states. So it sounds like 2012 may be a pivotal year when Pathway 1 (which only requires a bachelor’s degree) is eliminated and Pathway 2 (which requires 150 college hours comprising a bachelor’s degree plus 30 college hours) becomes mandatory. But don’t panic—a grandfather clause is anticipated to protect those licensed before 2012.
   Mark your calendar for May 13—and let your voice be heard!
   Respectfully,
—Renee H. Miller, CPA
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CHAPTER NEWS

New Members

On behalf of the Inland Empire Chapter’s officers, directors and members, we extend our warmest of welcomes to our new members: Alexander Frazin, Allen Hoglund, Denise Leyk... [see all new members]

2008-09 Chapter Nominations

Chapter nominations for the 2008–09 year have been made. Please fax your ballot to chapter program associate Monica Thompson at (951) 924-8298. All ballots must be received by Friday, April 11
   Download your ballot today
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CHAPTER EVENTS

Golf Tournament

By Dick Savich, Golf Committee Chair

Mark your calendars for the next Inland Empire Golf Tournament, to be held Monday, May 19, at the Greg Norman Course at PGA West in La Quinta. Our goal this year is to have over 100 golfers!
   We have the opportunity to play a premier course during prime season at a great price—$175 per person, which includes lunch, dinner, carts, practice range, special contests, prizes, drinks, refreshments and more. Be prepared to take advantage of this great deal and get your foursome together now. Look for more details in future bulletins.
   Also, we need sponsors for the raffle, silent auction and goody bags. If you are interested, e-mail Monica Thompson or call (951) 242-7558. Net proceeds go to the Scholarship Fund, which helps Inland Empire accounting students. We have provided scholarships to students at 17 different colleges and universities in the Inland Empire.
   Download a brochure.
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CalCPA NEWS

CPA Day at the Capitol

Help legislators understand key issues facing California CPAs including the importance of CPA mobility and achieving substantial equivalency in our state. California is a part of a national effort to remove unnecessary barriers to providing services across state lines, which is unjustly costly to the clients of CPAs and may in fact interfere with consumer choice.
   The connections you make will prove to be crucial in educating legislators and their staff before they vote on issues important to you as a California CPA.
   You will establish meaningful relationships that ultimately will create a more favorable business environment for CPAs throughout California.

Date: Tuesday, May 13
Time: 9:30 a.m./registration; 10–11 a.m./issues briefing; 11 a.m.–3 p.m./appointments with legislators; 3:30–4 p.m./debrief
Location: Sheraton Grand Sacramento; Sacramento
RSVP: Online

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Inland Empire Chapter Leadership