SEC. 4. (a) The Commissioners are hereby authorized and empowered to establish a Board of Accountancy, composed of three certified public accountants of the District of Columbia, to serve as their agent and to delegate to such Board of Accountancy any of the technical and professional functions vested in the Commissioners by this Act. Each of the members of the Board of Accountancy shall be registered in accordance with the provisions of section 9 of this Act and, at the time of appointment to the Board, shall have been engaged in the practice of public accountancy as a certified public accountant for a period of not less than ten years, at least five years of which shall have been in the District of Columbia. The requirements of the preceding sentence shall not apply to those persons who are members of the Board of Accountancy on the date of enactment of this Act. The length of terms for Board members shall be three years and no person shall be appointed to the Board for more than two terms. The Commissioners shall have the authority to determine from time to time the amount of compensation to be paid to Board members. The Commissioners may remove any member of the Board of Accountancy for neglect of duty or for other sufficient cause. SEC. 5. The Commissioners are authorized to adopt from time to time such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act including, but not limited to, rules of professional conduct and grounds for denial, suspension or revocation of any certificate, endorsement or registration applied for or issued under this Act. The Board of Accountancy shall make recommendations to the Commissioners concerning the adoption of such rules and regulations. No such rules or regulations shall be adopted until after the Commissioners shall have held a public hearing thereon. SEC. 6. (a) The Commissioners are authorized to issue a certificate of certified public accountant of the District of Columbia to any applicant furnishing to the Commissioners satisfactory proof that he has the following qualifications: (1) Is at least twenty-one years of age; (2) Is a citizen of the United States, or has declared his intention of becoming such citizen; (3) Has actually and continuously resided in or has been domiciled in the District of Columbia or has been regularly employed in the District of Columbia on a continuous full-time basis for a period of not less than one year immediately prior to the date of filing an application, or, in the case of an employee of a certified public accountant or firm of certified public accountants registered to practice in the District of Columbia, has been a bona fide resident of a foreign country for a period of not less than eighteen months immediately preceding the date of filing an application and is not qualified to be examined and to receive a certificate of certified public accountant in the State of last residence solely because of the aforesaid residence abroad; (4) Has had the education and experience specified in section 7 hereof; (5) Has successfully completed an examination in accounting and such related subjects as prescribed by the Commissioners; (6) Is of good moral character; and (7) Has paid all required fees. (b) Applications for certificate of certified public accountant by examination approved prior to the effective date of this Act by the Board of Accountancy for the District of Columbia, created under prior law, shall be regarded as applications filed under this Act, and the terms and conditions governing carryover credits for having passed a part of the examination in effect at the effective date of this Act, shall control with respect to such applications. (c) A person who held a certificate of certified public accountant issued under the laws of the District of Columbia on the effective date of this Act, shall not be required to obtain an additional certificate under this Act, but shall otherwise be subject to all the provisions of this Act and such certificate shall, for all purposes, be considered a certificate issued under this Act and subject to the provisions hereof. The holder of a certificate of certified public accountant which is in full force and effect, shall be styled and known as a certified public accountant and may also use the abbreviation "C.P.A." SEC. 7. (a) Effective upon enactment of this Act and for one year thereafter the educational and experience requirements shall be: (1) Completion of a four-year course of study at an approved high school, or the equivalent of such a course of study, and (2) Completion of a resident course of study satisfactory to the Commissioners at an institution, junior college, or school of accountancy, or combination thereof, of not less than sixty semester hours of which a minimum of thirty semester hours shall have been in accounting theory and practic auditing, and in commercial law as affecting accountancy, and the rema of the semester hours shall have been in subjects satisfactory to the missioners, and (3) Not less than one year's experience satisfactory to the Commissi in the full-time employment of a certified public accountant of the Di of Columbia or of any State or territory of the United States, reg engaged in the full-time public practice of his profession as a certified accountant, or in the full-time employment of a firm of certified accountants all the partners of which are certified public accountants District of Columbia or of some other State or territory of the United and said firm is regularly engaged in the full-time public practice as cer public accountants. (b) Effective one year from the date of enactment of this Act, the educa and experience requirements shall be: (1)(A) Completion of a four-year course of study at an approved school, or the equivalent of such a course of study, and (B) Completion of a resident course of study satisfactory to the Cor sioners at an institution, junior college, or school of accountancy, or c nation thereof, of not less than sixty semester hours of which a minim thirty semester hours shall have been in accounting theory and practi auditing, and in commercial law as affecting accountancy and the rema of the semester hours shall have been in subjects satisfactory to the missioners, and (C) Not less than four years' experience satisfactory to the Commiss in the full-time employment of a certified public accountant of the D of Columbia or of some other State or territory of the United States reg engaged in the full-time public practice of his profession as a certified accountant or in the full-time employment of a firm of certified publ countants, all the partners of which are certified public accountants District of Columbia or of some other State or territory of the United S and said firm is regularly engaged in the full-time public practice as ce public accountants, or (2) (A) Completion of a four-year course of study at an approved school or the equivalent of such a course of study, and (B) Completion of a resident course of study satisfactory to the missioners at an institution, junior college, or school of accountan combination thereof, of not less than ninety semester hours of which a mum of thirty semester hours shall have been in accounting theor practice, in auditing, and in commercial law as affecting accountancy the remainder of the semester hours shall have been in subjects satisfa to the Commissioners, and (C) Not less than three years' experience satisfactory to the Commiss in the full-time employment of a certified public accountant of the D of Columbia or of some other State or territory of the United States reg engaged in the full-time public practice of his profession as a certified accountant or in the full-time employment of a firm of certified accountants, all the partners of which are certified public accounta the District of Columbia or of any State or territory of the United S and said firm is regularly engaged in the full-time public practice as ce public accountants, or (3) (A) Completion of a four-year course of study at an approved school or the equivalent of such a course of study; and (B) Completion of a resident course of study satisfactory to the missioners at an institution, junior college, or school of accountan combination thereof, of not less than one hundred and twenty semester of which a minimum of thirty semester hours shall have been in accou theory and practice, in auditing, and in commercial law as affecting ac ancy, and the remainder of the semester hours shall have been in su satisfactory to the Commissioners, and (C) Not less than two years' experience satisfactory to the Commiss in the full-time employment of a certified public accountant of the D of Columbia or of some other State or territory of the United States res engaged in the full-time public practice of nis profession as a certified accountant or in the full-time employment of a firm of certified public ac ants all the partners of wnich are certified public accountants of the D of Columbia or of some other State or territory of the United States an firm is regularly engaged in the full-time public practice as martie : accountants. (c) The Commissioners may, upon unanimous recommendatem of the bus this section, one and one-half years of actual and continuous e, gern Kent pat In general, the educational and experience requirements specified 1 shall be those in effect on the final date for accepting applications for tion for which the applicant first sits, but the Commissioners may tions to the general rule in order to prevent what they determine to ne inte hardship to applicants resulting from changes in the educational and experience requirements. SEC. 8. (a) The Commissioners may, in their discretion, waive the ram matra specified in section 6 of this Act and may issue an endorsement ẻ em fun certified public accountant, renewable biennially, to an applicant : (1) is a certified public accountant of a State or territory of the States, or who is the holder of a certificate of certified publie aces the equivalent thereof, issued in any foreign country, provide t ments for such certificate are, in the opinion of the Commissionere to those herein required; and (2) meets the qualifications specified in clauses (1), (2), (4 subsection (a) of section 6 of this Act: Provided, however, T.. who is a certified public accountant in good standing of a shall not be required to meet more extensive education qualifications than those required by the District of Col when such applicant was granted his certificate of certified phone us by such State or territory; and (3) declares his intention under oath of opening and manag employed in an office in the District of Columbia for the purse Tag in the full-time public practice of his profession as a certified panie wego start of the District of Columbia. (b) The holder of endorsement of certificate of certified part went full force and effect, shall have all of the privileges of the holdere se tega of certified public accountant issued under section 6 of this r subject to all of the provisions of the Act. SEC. 9. Every certified public accountant engaged in or who pre na wen in the public practice of his profession as a certified pubis out of District of Columbia, is hereby required to register bienta missioners. A certified public accountant employed by at regem det accountant registered under this section or by a partnershi accountants registered under section 10 of this Act, shall be public accountant engaged in public practice and shall be Failure of a certified public accountant or registrant to app for renewal registration shall deprive him of the right to era engage in the public practice of his profession as a certified patentant unless and until he subsequently applies for and obtains such reze we see fied to register. original or continue to SEC. 10. (a) A partnership which maintains an office wind engages in the full-time practice of public accountancy or a partnership may thereafter wish to practice as such in the District of Columbia, may y for registration, renewable biennially, with the Commissioners as a part of certified public accountants, provided it meet all of the following requirement: (1) Each partner thereof is a certified public actant in good standing of the District of Columbia or of some State or ternury, 58-275-66--2 (2) At least one partner or the resident accountant of the District of Columbia e public accountancy in the District of Col (3) Each partner thereof engaged in p accountant in the District of Columbia is District of Columbia. (b) A registered partnership of certified p partnership may use the title "Certified Public "C.P.A.s" in connection with the partnership SEC. 11. After notice by registered mail hearing, the Commissioners are authorized and for not more than three years, any certificate, by the Commissioners in accordance with the to grant or renew, any certificate, endorsem accordance with the provisions of this Act, or the applicant or holder thereof violates the rul rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this Provided, That said denial, suspension, or rev specific charges in writing. A certified copy twenty days' notice of the hearing of the same, or applicant for such certificate, endorsement, SEC. 12. The Commissioners are hereby a nection with any hearing conducted pursuant 11 of this Act, to subpena any necessary with documents. SEC. 13. After notice and hearing are provid Commissioners may revoke or suspend the reg censure a registered partnership for any of the this Act, or for any of the following additional (1) failure to maintain the qualification Act; (2) the revocation or suspension by th or endorsement of a certificate of certified or (3) the cancellation, revocation, susper thority of the partnership or any partner ancy in any State or territory. SEC. 14. The Commissioners shall adopt a cedures for public hearings for the purpose of a certificate, endorsement, or registration. SEC. 15. Upon application in writing and af Commissioners may issue a new certificate or en public accountant to a person whose certificate have been revoked, or may permit the registra ticing certified public accountant whose registr SEC. 16. Nothing contained in this Act shall certified public accountant from serving as an certified public accountant or a partnership of Nothing contained in this Act shall prohibit partnership of certified public accountants of performing specific accounting engagements in fessional business incident to regular practice Provided, That such temporary practice is cond of professional conduct promulgated by the Co SEC. 17. Any person who violates any provi be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon convic fine of not more than $500 or to imprisonmen both such fine and imprisonment. Whenever believe that any person is liable to punishmen the facts to the Corporation Counsel of the cause the proper proceedings to be brought, if, i SEC. 18. The use, display, or uttering by a p sign, advertisement, directory classification, or instrument or device, bearing a person's nam "certified public accountant" or "certified pub tion thereof, shall be prima facie evidence in an of this Act that the person whose name is so display or uttering of such letterhead, listing, ca classification, or other printed, engraved, or written instrument or device, and that such person is holding himself out to be a certified public accountant or partnership of certified public accountants. SEC. 19. All statements, records, schedules, working papers, and memorandums made by a certified public accountant or by a partnership of certified public accountants incident to or in the course of professional service to clients, except reports submitted to clients, shall be and remain the property of such certified public accountant or partnership in the absence of an expressed agreement between such persons and the client to the contrary. No such statement, record, schedule, working paper, or memorandums shall be sold, transferred, or bequeathed, without the consent of the client or his personal representative or assignee, to anyone other than one or more surviving partners or new partners of such persons. SEC. 20. If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any person or to any circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this Act are declared to be severable. SEC. 21. The Commissioners are authorized and empowered, after public hearing, to establish, abolish, increase, or decrease, from time to time, fees and charges necessary to defray the approximate cost of administering the provisions of this Act. All funds derived from fees and charges collected relevant to the administration of this Act shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States Sto the credit of the District of Columbia. SEC. 22. There is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of revenues of the et, District of Columbia such funds as may be necessary to pay the expenses of administering and carrying out the purpose of this Act. SEC. 23. The Act entitled "An Act to create a board of accountancy for the District of Columbia, and for other purposes", approved February 17, 1923 oft (42 Stat. 1261), as amended, is hereby repealed. This Act shall take effect upon tifier enactment. art (H.R. 9815, 89th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To provide for regulation of the professional practice of certified public accountants in the District of Columbia, including the examination, licensure, registration of certified public accountants, and for other purposes ep Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of tion America in Congress assembled, That this Act shall be known and may be cited as the "District of Columbia Certified Public Accountancy Act of 1965." ce, th ertif Ce sha a prac SEC. 2. As used in this Act DEFINITIONS (a) The term "certified public accountant" means a person who is the holder in good standing of a certificate of certified public accountant issued under the no laws of any State or territory of the United States authorizing him to practice at tos as a certified public accountant in such State or territory. A "certified public accountant of the District of Columbia" is a person who is the holder in good at or standing of a certificate of certified public accountant issued under the Act of orary Congress approved February 17, 1923, as amended (42 Stat. 1261, ch. 94), or who n pro is the holder in good standing of a certificate of certified public accountant or of mbia an endorsement of certificate of certified public accountant issued pursuant to e rules section 6 or 8, respectively, of this Act authorizing him to practice as a certified public accountant in the District of Columbia. shall ar, or (b) The term "Commissioners" means the Commissioners of the District of t to Columbia sitting as a board or their authorized agent or agents. (c) The term "Board" means the Board of Accountancy. son to (d) The term "person" includes partnerships, corporations, and associations, refer as well as natural persons. O may (e) The term "he" and the derivatives thereof shall be construed to include the anted. word "she" and the derivatives thereof. card, SEC. 3. (a) No natural person shall assume or use the title or designation ritten "certified public accountant" or the abbreviation "C.P.A." or any other title, words designation, words, letters, or abbreviations tending to indicate that such person revis is a certified public accountant, or is likely to be confused with "certified public on 17 accountant" or "C.P.A.", unless such person is a holder of a certificate of certified ed the ectory |