| Since July 1, 2012: | The Board has continued to develop two on-line programs to support the licensure and reporting of continuing education by licensed Nebraska CPAs. A team approach between the Board, Nebraska.gov, and DASIMS Services has allowed for the successful development and enhancement of these programs. The Board has developed areas of a paperless office where feasible. The Board has begun programs to utilize fewer mailings and using less paper and more email notifications to registrants. The additional notification via email has decreased non-compliance by registrants by over 30% from previous years. This is another example by increasing the use of technology; the Board has decreased staff time, paper, and other late filing requirements by registrants.History of Board effectivenessThe Board over the last several years continues to strive to be efficient and effective as possible. Strategic planning over the years lends to ways to achieve cost savings whenever possible while continuing to provide a satisfactory level of regulatory protection for the public. Some examples of Board applied efficiencyeffectiveness: Eliminated state FTEstaff position based on outsourcing examination processing to NASBACPAESCreated online renewal applications that eliminated paper processing allowing staff to focus on more important work. Generally it takes less than 5 minutes to renew their active permit to practice for CPAs. Board surveys report CPAs enjoy the convenience of renewing their active permit online (the 2014 survey is attached).Created online CPE submission processing eliminating paper for staff to process and benefits the CPA by providing online access to CPE history records. Again, CPAs report a very positive experience when utilizing the CPA reporting system (the 2014 survey is attached) Agreed to move Board office to the 1526 Building from the Apothecary Building in the Haymarket area based on cost savings.Instituted and strengthened the Committee based format (the Board has five standing committees) that allowed for the elimination of two-day Board meetings to one day for cost savings. Telephone conference calls are utilized by Committees requiring less travel expense. Additionally, allows less time needed by busy Board members to devote to Board business.Created a Board intern program with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln whereas honors accounting students participate in state regulation of CPAs while the Board has flexibility in hours utilized, minimal salary requirements, and eliminates the need to hire temporary state workers. Continued productive relationship with the Nebraska Society of CPAs and Nebraska Society of Independent Accountants. Upon the identification of an issue that might require an amendment to the Public Accountancy Act or Board regulations it has been the Boards practice to form a Task Force Work Group to research and render a recommendation to the Board. The group is made of up of Board members and leaders within the CPA community to allow for a proper vetting of the issue before it arrives at the Legislature andor hearing on regulations. The goal is to workout issues andor points of dispute within the profession before coming to the Legislature if at all possible. This allows for a more effective legislative process. Created a Board enforcement tracking tool to monitor and provide transparency for Board members for making sure case files are properly tracked and moved forward on a timely basis. Proper case file management is employed allowing for a more efficient process while keeping Board members apprised of the actions taken in enforcement cases. The Board works closely with the National Association of State Board of Accountancy (NASBA) on matters that promote national effectiveness in the regulation of CPAs including promoting mobility provisions and the Accountancy Licensing Database (ALD) for Board use and CPAverify for public use. Mobility allows CPAs to cross state borders when conducting limited engagements without having to register andor license in Nebraska. This, first of a kind, regulation model reduces the hindrance on CPAs and CPA firms when conducting multiple professional engagements in several jurisdictions and reduces paperwork and work needed to license while allowing for Board regulation over mobile CPAs. The Board also participates and sends information to the ALD and CPA verify along with over 45 other State Boards to assist in the effective regulation of CPAs on the national level. The ALD allows staff to quickly identify CPAs from other jurisdictions without the need to visit each State Board website while CPAverify gives the public including employers, businesses, and others the ability to look up the status of CPA at one location. The Board appointed a QEP Task Force in 2010 to review and make recommendations regarding the QEP program. Recommendations included the program will end and a national Peer Review Program will be required of Nebraska CPA firms. The complexity of audit standards and other attest work is the genesis for the change and to assist in firms with complying with professional standards for their clients. If firms cannot meet these standards the Board must be prepared to remove the firm from the profession. In 2015 LB 159 was passed that gives the Board authority to require the national peer review program be completed by Nebraska CPA firms. Experience Requirement Public Accountancy Act- The 2013 Legislature passed LB 27 and Governor Dave Heineman signed into law the ability of Permit to Practice applicants to submit evidence of three years of acceptable experience within a private entity, additional governmental, and academia under the supervision of a CPA to count towards the experience requirement. The Board formed an Experience Work Group that researched and provided recommendations for Board review. This would align the requirement more closely with the Uniform Accounting Act (UAA) and surrounding jurisdictions. |