The Board proposes the rule amendment to update the education requirements for concentrations in accounting and business.

 

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION

Board of Accountancy

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

61H1-27.002Concentrations in Accounting and Business

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Board proposes the rule amendment to update the education requirements for concentrations in accounting and business.

SUMMARY: Education requirements for concentrations in accounting and business will be updated.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION: The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: During discussion of the economic impact of this rule at its Board meeting, the Board, based upon the expertise and experience of its members, determined that a Statement of Estimated Regulatory Costs (SERC) was not necessary and that the rule will not require ratification by the Legislature. No person or interested party submitted additional information regarding the economic impact at that time.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 473.304, 473.306(3), 473.308(3) FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 473.306(2), (3), 473.308(3) FS.

IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN THE FAR.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Veloria A. Kelly, Division Director, Board of Accountancy, 240 NW 76th Drive, Suite A, Gainesville, Florida 32607

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

61H1-27.002 Concentrations in Accounting and Business.

(1) No change.

(2) For purposes of Section 473.308, F.S., if application for licensure is made after August 1, 1983, an applicant must have at least 150 semester hours or 225 quarter hours of college education, including a baccalaureate degree or higher conferred by an accredited college or university with a major in accounting, or its equivalent. The applicant’s total education program shall include a concentration in accounting and business as follows:

(a) No change.

(b) 39 semester or 58 quarter hours in general business education which shall include not less than the equivalent of 3 6 semester or 4 8 quarter hours in business law courses which shall include coverage of the uniform commercial code, contracts and torts. Vocational and clerical type courses will not count either toward the accounting requirement set forth in subsection 61H1-27.002(2), F.A.C., or this general business education requirement. Specialized industry courses will be acceptable as general business courses but not as accounting courses unless as defined in subsection 61H1-27.002(2), F.A.C., and they have an accounting prefix, further such courses in order to qualify must be certified by the chairman of the school or college’s accounting department as qualifying for general business credit. Written or oral communication courses will qualify for the general business requirement if they have a business or accounting prefix or if they are reflected in the catalog in the school or college as relating directly to the school or college’s business or accounting requirements. A maximum of 9 semester hours (13 quarter hours) of computer courses and 6 upper division semester hours (8 quarter hours) of statistics courses will be accepted for purposes of meeting the general business requirement.

(3) To be eligible to take the licensure examination, an applicant shall have completed 120 semester or 180 quarter hours as follows:

(a) No change.

(b) 24 semester or 36 quarter hours in general business education which shall include not less than the equivalent of 3 6 semester or 4 8 quarter hours in business law courses which shall include coverage of the uniform commercial code, contracts and torts. Vocational and clerical type courses will not count either toward the accounting requirement set forth in subsection 61H1-27.002(2), F.A.C., or this general business education requirement. Specialized industry courses will be acceptable as general business courses but not as accounting courses unless as defined in subsection 61H1-27.002(2), F.A.C., and they have an accounting prefix; further such courses in order to qualify must be certified by the chairman of the school or college’s accounting department as qualifying for general business credit. Written or oral communication courses will qualify for the general business requirement if they have a business or accounting prefix or if they are reflected in the catalog in the school or college as relating directly to the school or college’s business or accounting requirements. A maximum of 9 semester hours (13 quarter hours) of computer courses and 6 upper division semester hours (8 quarter hours) of statistics courses will be accepted for purposes of meeting the general business requirement.

(4) For purposes of this rule, upper division accounting hours other than elementary above the minimum requirement may be substituted for general business hours. Elementary accounting subjects shall not be accepted as general business education. Elementary accounting subjects include principles of financial and managerial accounting courses even if they are covered in a three course sequence, are titled “introductory,” “fundamentals” or “principles” and even if they are offered at the graduate level. All accounting courses and not less than 21 semester or 32 quarter hours of general business courses must be at the upper division level. For the purpose of paragraph 61H1-27.002(2)(b), F.A.C., all general business courses, including accounting courses in excess of the 36 hours required, must be taken at the upper division level, except for Introductory Macro and Micro Economics, three semester hours of the six required in Business Law, Introductory Statistics, Introduction to Computer Information Systems, and any written or oral communication course described in paragraph 61H1-27.002(2)(b), F.A.C. Lower level general business courses, other than those listed above, posted to transcripts after August 31, 1989 will not count. Standardized tests, such as CLEP, are not acceptable for accounting or general business courses; however, advanced placement (AP) courses will be counted if the applicant has been granted college credit for those AP courses by their degree-granting institution.

(a) through (b) No change.

(5) through (8) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 473.304, 473.306(3), 473.308(3) FS. Law Implemented 473.306(2), (3), 473.308(3) FS. History–New 12-4-79, Amended 2-3-81, 8-1-83, 3-21-84, 6-10-84, 6-5-85, 10-28-85, Formerly 21A-27.02, Amended 5-22-88, 3-21-89, 5-20-91, 12-2-92, Formerly 21A-27.002, Amended 11-2-95, 11-3-97, 1-31-05, 5-24-07, 11-30-08, 12-21-09, 12-2-14,                               .

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Board of Accountancy

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Board of Accountancy

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: March 11, 2016

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: April 7, 2016