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1 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Definitions. Amend RSA 309-B:3, XVIII and XIX to read as follows:
XVIII. *"Substantial equivalency" is a determination by the office or its designee that the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in the statutes and administrative rules of another jurisdiction are comparable to or exceed the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in the Uniform Accountancy Act, or that the individual certified public accountant's education, examination, and experience qualifications are comparable to or exceed the education, examination, and experience requirements contained in the Uniform Accountancy Act. In ascertaining substantial equivalency as used in this statute, the office shall take into account the qualifications without regard to the sequence in which experience, education, or examination requirements were attained.
XIX. "Uniform Accountancy Act" means the May 2014 edition of* the model legislation developed jointly by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy .
2 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Qualifications for a Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. RSA 309-B:5, III is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
III. The education requirements for a certificate shall be as follows:
(a) A post-baccalaureate degree 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:
(b) A baccalaureate degree plus an additional 30 semester credit hours, conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration 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.
3 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Qualifications for a Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. Amend RSA 309-B:5, V to read as follows:
V. An applicant shall be required to pass all sections of the examination provided for in paragraph IV in order to qualify for a certificate. A passing grade for each section shall be 75. The applicant shall pass all sections of the examination within a time period established by the board, in accordance with rules adopted by the board pursuant to RSA 309-B:4, VI and RSA 309-B:5, IV.
4 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Qualifications for a Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. RSA 309-B:5, IX(a)-(b) is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
(a) Two years, for a candidate who is applying for licensure on the basis of the educational requirement in RSA 309:B:5, III(c).
(b) One year, for a candidate who is applying for licensure on the basis of the educational requirement in RSA 309-B:5, III(a) or (b).
5 New Section; New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Mobility. Amend RSA 309-B by inserting after section 6 the following new section:
309-B:6-a Mobility.
I. An individual whose principal place of business is outside this state is granted the privilege to perform or offer to perform services, whether in person or by mail, telephone, or electronic means, in this state as a certified public accountant without notice to the board, the submission of any other documentation, or the payment of any fee if the individual holds a valid and unrevoked license or permit to practice as a certified public accountant issued by another state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and satisfies the education, examination, and experience requirements of RSA 309-B:5.
II. An individual whose principal place of business is outside this state, who holds a valid and unrevoked license or permit to practice as a certified public accountant issued by another state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and who as of the effective date of this section had practice privileges in this state pursuant to this state's substantial equivalency provisions shall continue to have the privilege to perform or offer to perform services, whether in person or by mail, telephone, or electronic means, in this state as a certified public accountant without notice to the board, the submission of any other documentation, or the payment of any fee.
III. An individual licensee of another state exercising the privilege afforded under this section and the firm which employs that licensee hereby simultaneously consent, as a condition of the grant of this privilege:
(a) To the personal and subject matter jurisdiction and disciplinary authority of the board;
(b) To comply with RSA 309-B and the board's rules thereunder;
(c) That in the event the license from the state of the individual's principal place of business is no longer valid, the individual will cease offering or rendering professional services in this state individually and on behalf of a firm; and
(d) To the appointment of the state board which issued his or her license as his or her agent upon whom process may be served in any action or proceeding by this board against the licensee.
6 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Issuance and Renewal of Certificates. Amend RSA 309-B:7, VI to read as follows:
VI. The office shall issue a certificate to a holder of a substantially equivalent foreign designation, granted in a foreign country, provided that:
(a) The foreign authority which granted the designation makes similar provision to allow a person who holds a valid certificate issued by this state to obtain such foreign authority's comparable designation; and
(b) The foreign designation:
(1) Was duly issued by a foreign authority that regulates the practice of public accountancy and the foreign designation has not expired or been revoked or suspended;
(2) Entitles the holder to issue reports upon financial statements; and
(3) Was issued upon the basis of educational, examination, and experience requirements established by the foreign authority or by law; and
(c) The applicant:
(1) Received the designation, based on educational and examination standards substantially equivalent to those in effect in this state, at the time the foreign designation was granted;
(2) Completed an experience requirement, substantially equivalent to the requirement set out in RSA 309-B:5, IX, in the jurisdiction which granted the foreign designation or has completed at least 4 years of professional experience in this state; or meets equivalent requirements prescribed by the board by rule, within the 10 years immediately preceding the application; and
(3) Passed a uniform qualifying examination in national standards acceptable to the board.
7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
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1 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Definitions. Amend RSA 309-B:3, XVIII and XIX to read as follows:
XVIII. "Uniform Accountancy Act" means the model legislation developed jointly by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy , as it is amended from time to time .
2 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Qualifications for a Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. RSA 309-B:5, III is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
III. The education requirements for a certificate shall be as follows:
(a) A post-baccalaureate degree 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:
(b) A baccalaureate degree plus an additional 30 semester credit hours, conferred by a college or university acceptable to the board, the total educational program to include an accounting concentration 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.
3 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Qualifications for a Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. Amend RSA 309-B:5, V to read as follows:
V. An applicant shall be required to pass all sections of the examination provided for in paragraph IV in order to qualify for a certificate. A passing grade for each section shall be 75. The applicant shall pass all sections of the examination within a time period established by the board, in accordance with rules adopted by the board pursuant to RSA 309-B:4, VI and RSA 309-B:5, IV. An applicant may be able to sit for the examination as of a date no more than 120 days before the applicant expects to obtain his or her baccalaureate degree, pursuant to rules established by the board.
4 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Qualifications for a Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. RSA 309-B:5, IX(a)-(b) is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
(a) Two years, for a candidate who is applying for licensure on the basis of the educational requirement in RSA 309:B:5, III(c).
(b) One year, for a candidate who is applying for licensure on the basis of the educational requirement in RSA 309-B:5, III(a) or (b).
5 New Section; New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Mobility. Amend RSA 309-B by inserting after section 6 the following new section:
309-B:6-a Mobility.
I. An individual whose principal place of business is outside this state is granted the privilege to perform or offer to perform services, whether in person or by mail, telephone, or electronic means, in this state as a certified public accountant without notice to the board, the submission of any other documentation, or the payment of any fee if the individual holds a valid and unrevoked license or permit to practice as a certified public accountant issued by another state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and satisfies the education, examination, and experience requirements of RSA 309-B:5.
II. An individual whose principal place of business is outside this state, who holds a valid and unrevoked license or permit to practice as a certified public accountant issued by another state, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and who as of the effective date of this section had practice privileges in this state pursuant to this state's substantial equivalency provisions shall continue to have the privilege to perform or offer to perform services, whether in person or by mail, telephone, or electronic means, in this state as a certified public accountant without notice to the board, the submission of any other documentation, or the payment of any fee.
III. An individual licensee of another state exercising the privilege afforded under this section and the firm which employs that licensee hereby simultaneously consent, as a condition of the grant of this privilege:
(a) To the personal and subject matter jurisdiction and disciplinary authority of the board;
(b) To comply with RSA 309-B and the board's rules thereunder;
(c) That in the event the license from the state of the individual's principal place of business is no longer valid, the individual will cease offering or rendering professional services in this state individually and on behalf of a firm; and
(d) To the appointment of the state board which issued his or her license as his or her agent upon whom process may be served in any action or proceeding by this board against the licensee.
6 New Hampshire Accountancy Act; Issuance and Renewal of Certificates. Amend RSA 309-B:7, VI to read as follows:
VI. The office shall issue a certificate to a holder of a comparable foreign designation, granted in a foreign country, provided that:
(a) The foreign authority which granted the designation makes similar provision to allow a person who holds a valid certificate issued by this state to obtain such foreign authority's comparable designation; and
(b) The foreign designation:
(1) Was duly issued by a foreign authority that regulates the practice of public accountancy and the foreign designation has not expired or been revoked or suspended;
(2) Entitles the holder to issue reports upon financial statements; and
(3) Was issued upon the basis of educational, examination, and experience requirements established by the foreign authority or by law; and
(c) The applicant:
(1) Received the designation, based on educational and examination standards comparable to those in effect in this state, at the time the foreign designation was granted;
(2) Completed an experience requirement, comparable to the requirement set out in RSA 309-B:5, IX, in the jurisdiction which granted the foreign designation or has completed at least 4 years of professional experience in this state; or meets equivalent requirements prescribed by the board by rule, within the 10 years immediately preceding the application; and
(3) Passed a uniform qualifying examination in national standards acceptable to the board.
7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.