October 25 and 26, 2002

Our quarterly members’ meeting was held at the Comfort Suites in Austin, TX.  Dr. Richard Murray, Director of the University of Houston Center for Public Policy, was on hand to present The New Texas Public Accountancy Act, Sunset Advisory Commission Staff Report and the 2003 Legislative Session for 2 hours of CPE.

Dr. Richard Murray

Johanna Peery

In addition, the members focused on the organization’s legislative strategy.  Johanna Peery gave a report on contact with the Sunset Commission staff and the procedure for submitting materials to be considered.

NOVEMBER 2002

On November 12, 2002, the Sunset Advisory Commission held hearings on the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.  Quite a few TACPA members were on hand to testify.  In addition, Mr. Hebert Schoenfeld, Past President of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners, came from New York at our request to testify.  The decision hearing was held on December 10, 2002, at which time the Commission voted on its recommendations on the State Board.  These recommendations will be sent to legislative counsel to incorporate in the new Texas Public Accountancy Act.  Some of the Commissions recommendations were strongly supported by members of the TACPA, such as:

Don Clanton and Herb Schoenfeld

The ban on allowing officers and board members of trade associations, such as the Texas Society of Public Accountants, to serve on the State Board The ban on allowing non-State Board members to serve on policy-making State Board committees The requirement that all State Board Committee members be subject to the same statutory qualifications and file the same financial disclosure statements as State Board members The need to continue the State Board for 12 years

The Sunset Advisory Commission at work

Some of the TACPA members who were at the hearings

In addition, the Commission recommended that the range of criminal penalties be expanded and recommended an increase in administrative penalties.  It also voted to discontinue the Licensing Agency Pilot Project under which the State Board has operated.  This Project allowed agencies to operate as semi-independent and self-directed.

The Commission did not, however, recommend that non-CPA ownership be removed, which was a disappointment.