The Maryland Association of CPAs returned to Annapolis on Feb. 5 to support a legislative proposal that would create an additional pathway to CPA licensure.

MACPA CEO Rebekah Olson, CPA, testified before the Maryland Senate’s Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee in favor of Senate Bill 34, titled “Certified Public Accountants — Licensure — Qualifications,” which proposes “a modernized licensure framework that preserves the current 150-hour model while introducing an additional experience-based pathway” for CPA candidates.

CPA candidates in Maryland currently have two options for obtaining their license — earn either (a) a bachelor's degree with a concentration in accounting plus 30 additional credit hours of college-level education, or (b) a master’s degree in accounting. Each option also requires candidates to pass the CPA exam and complete at least one year or relevant professional experience.

SB 34 would create a third pathway that allows candidates to earn their CPA license by completing a bachelor’s degree (with a minimum concentration in accounting or business) and two years of relevant professional experience while also passing the CPA exam.

SB 34 represents the latest in a nationwide movement to enact additional pathways to CPA licensure that offer flexibility while reducing barriers to licensure. To date, 25 states have either passed similar legislation or taken steps to move in that direction. The reforms are meant to address shrinking talent pools, increasing workforce demands, and rapid changes in accounting and audit standards.

"SB 34 is a measured, responsible update to Maryland’s CPA licensure law," Olson told lawmakers. "It preserves the rigor and public trust of the CPA credential while expanding opportunity and supporting workforce development. For these reasons, MACPA respectfully urges a favorable report on Senate Bill 34."

Olson said the proposed pathway would benefit CPA candidates, employers, and Maryland’s business community in four important ways:

• It would offer candidates additional flexibility by recognizing diverse educational backgrounds and learning experiences, and by creating an additional route to licensure via structured work experience.
  
  
• It would reduce the financial and time burdens created by the 150-hour requirement while also supporting students and career changers without compromising quality.
  
  
• It would support employers who face a growing need for accounting talent by broadening access to licensure for qualified professionals.
  
  
• It would keep Maryland's employers and CPA candidates competitive with the dozens of other states that are pursuing similar reforms.

"SB 34 does not eliminate the 150-hour pathway, reduce examination requirements, or weaken supervision standards," she said. "Instead, it recognizes that structured, supervised experience can demonstrate professional competency alongside formal education."