Statement of Scope
Accounting Examining Board
Relating to: | Examination requirements |
1. Finding/nature of emergency (Emergency Rule only):
N/A
2. Detailed description of the objective of the proposed rule:
The Accounting Examining Board may revise chapter Accy 2 to ensure that examination requirements are consistent with national standards.
3. Description of the existing policies relevant to the rule, new policies proposed to be included in the rule, and an analysis of policy alternatives:
The current rules require applicants to complete all sections of the Uniform CPA Examination within a rolling 18-month period. If all sections are not passed within that rolling 18-month period, regardless of the circumstances, credit for the sections that the applicant did pass is lost, and the applicant must retake and pass all sections of the exam.
National standards related to the length of time applicants have to complete the Uniform CPA Examination have recently changed and the Board has identified the need for an evaluation of the existing code to ensure they are clear and consistent with current standards and practice.
The alternative to this rule revision would be to not revise this code. This may result in Wisconsin being out of step with current national standards and with applicants being unnecessarily delayed in their ability to participate in our state’s workforce.
4. Detailed explanation of statutory authority for the rule (including the statutory citation and language):
Section 15.08 (5) (b), Stats., provides an examining board “[s]hall promulgate rules for its own guidance and for the guidance of the trade or profession to which it pertains. . .” Section 227.11 (2), Stats., provides that each agency may promulgate rules interpreting the provisions of any statute enforced or administered by the agency, may prescribe forms and procedures in connection with any statute enforced or administered by it, is authorized to exercise discretion in deciding individual cases may formalize the general policies evolving from its decisions by promulgating the policies as rules which the agency shall follow until they are amended or repealed, and may promulgate rules implementing or interpreting a statute that it will enforce or administer after publication of the statute but prior to the statute's effective date. Section 442.04, Stats., provides that the examining board shall “grant a certificate as a certified public accountant to all persons who become entitled thereto under this section”, “hold an examination at least once each year at a time and place determined by the examining board”, and “ensure that evaluation procedures and examinations under this subsection… are designed to measure only the ability to perform competently as an accountant.”. However, the Board may not grant a certificate as a certified public accountant to any person other than a person who “… has successfully passed an examination in such subjects affecting accountancy and business as the examining board considers necessary.” 5. Estimate of amount of time that state employees will spend developing the rule and of other resources necessary to develop the rule:
State employees will spend approximately 40 hours developing the proposed rule.
6. List with description of all entities that may be affected by the proposed rule:
Candidates for Wisconsin certification as a CPA.
7. Summary and preliminary comparison with any existing or proposed federal regulation that is intended to address the activities to be regulated by the proposed rule:
None.
8. Anticipated economic impact of implementing the rule (note if the rule is likely to have a significant economic impact on small businesses):
The proposed rule will have minimal to no economic impact on small businesses and the state’s economy as a whole.
