Early Legislative Win: Provisions Threatening State Board of Accountancy Oversight Removed from HB 5222

Earlier this session, we alerted members to concerns with Sections 1 and 2 of HB 5222, which would have allowed the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to take enforcement action in CPA matters without involving the State Board of Accountancy. That change would have weakened the expert oversight the Board provides in regulating this highly technical profession and would threaten mobility as NASBA and other states could deem us as not substantially equivalent.

Currently, the Connecticut State Board of Accountancy – a body that includes licensed CPAs with deep technical expertise – has the authority to determine whether professional standards have been violated and what discipline is appropriate. DCP conducts investigations, but the Board provides the expert oversight necessary.

Sections 1 and 2 of the bill would have allowed DCP to conduct hearings, issue cease-and-desist orders, seek court action, and impose civil penalties of up to $50,000 in CPA matters without any requirement to notify the Board, consult the Board, or follow the Board’s determinations. Over time, this change could have sidelined the Board and weakened the expert oversight that protects both the profession and the public.

At our request and after a number of letters from our members, CTCPA CEO Bonnie Stewart and State Board of Accountancy Chair Timothy Egan met with DCP leadership, including Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Marvin, to discuss these concerns and the potential impact on CPA regulation. We’re pleased to report that following that meeting, the Department of Consumer Protection requested those sections be removed from the bill, preserving the Board’s central role in CPA oversight; the bill did pass out of committee with those sections removed.

This is excellent news for the profession and an early legislative victory this session. Removing these provisions preserves the State Board of Accountancy’s critical role as the expert body responsible for CPA oversight and discipline in Connecticut.

Thank you to the members who engaged on this issue and helped elevate the profession’s concerns. Your advocacy continues to make a meaningful difference in protecting the integrity of CPA regulation.