The AICPA and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) have proposed changes to the profession’s model law to address accounting's talent needs and expand access to accounting careers for a bigger pool of candidates.

In a press release, the AICPA and NASBA noted that the Uniform Accountancy Act (UAA) offers state legislatures and accountancy boards a national model that can be adopted fully or partially to meet each jurisdiction's needs.

The proposed UAA changes would allow states to adopt the CPA Competency-Based Experience Pathway, an added route to CPA licensure proposed by the AICPA and NASBA.

The alternative path would allow CPA candidates to demonstrate their professional and technical workplace skills after earning a bachelor’s degree and meeting their state’s accounting and business course requirements. The AICPA and NASBA released an exposure draft on the proposed pathway on Sept. 12, with comments due Dec. 6.

To help states adopt the CPA Competency-Based Experience Pathway, the AICPA and NASBA boards of directors each approved UAA changes that would:

• Set the education required to sit for the Uniform CPA Examination at a baccalaureate degree or higher;

• Define the requirements for an added licensure pathway as a CPA;

• Maintain mobility for those licensed through a pathway defined in the UAA. Help state accountancy boards identify those licensed under a pathway not substantially equivalent to the UAA through a national licensee database;

• Offer a mechanism for those who are licensed through a pathway not defined under the UAA but who later meet the UAA-specified mobility requirements.

Specifically, the education requirement in the UAA for a candidate to receive a certificate as a CPA would be amended to allow for any of the following pathways:

"(A) a post baccalaureate degree with a cumulative 150 semester credit hours, 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, or

(B) a baccalaureate degree plus additional credits totaling 150 semester credit hours, 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, or

(C) a baccalaureate degree conferred by a college or university acceptable to the Board, the total education program to include an accounting concentration, or equivalent as determined by Board rule and the completion of competency-based experience prescribed in [an amended experience requirement]."

Thus, in contrast to the current education requirement, the proposed education requirement would allow for a pathway that does not require 150 semester credit hours.

The proposed UAA amendments to the experience requirement for the first two pathways would include "one year providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attest, compilation, management advisory, financial advisory, tax or consulting skills all of which was verified by a licensee, meeting requirements prescribed by the Board by rule. This experience would be acceptable if it was gained through employment in government, industry, academia, or public practice."

The proposed UAA amendments to the experience requirement for the new third pathway would include "two years of experience: At least one year of competency-based experience performed in accordance with a competency framework developed by a national accounting organization and administered in accordance with Board rule, and the remainder of experience [as set forth with regard to the first two pathways]."

Comments to the proposed changes are due Dec. 30 and can be submitted through this form.