The beginning of the 2020 legislative year for state lawmakers across the country comes with new threats to the future of CPA licensure.

Legislative challenges to professional licensing standards remain a threat to CPAs and other professionals as groups such as the American Legislative Exchange Council and Americans for Prosperity advocate for anti-licensing legislation in individual states.

Legislation that would weaken state professional licensing requirements was introduced in the West Virginia Legislature earlier this month, and similar legislation is expected to be introduced in other states. Groups advocating against licensing have developed model legislative proposals that call for professional and occupational licensing to be eliminated.

“There are 46 state legislatures in session, so we are keeping our eye on literally all 46 states, wherever bills that we’re concerned about may pop up,” Skip Braziel, vice president–State Regulatory & Legislative Affairs at the AICPA, said in a telephone interview Wednesday. “… It’s important for us to stay vigilant.”

Survey shows support for licensing

In response to these challenges, the AICPA and representatives of other professions have formed the Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing to educate lawmakers and the public on how licensing rules protect the public.

The alliance on Wednesday released the results of a survey of 952 likely voters indicating that:

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