Revising certified public accountant education requirements
Summary
SB 166 revises Montana’s certified public accountant licensure education requirements. The bill keeps the existing baseline requirement that an applicant for initial CPA licensure must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and at least 150 semester hours of credit, but it clarifies that the specific accounting and business coursework requirements will be set by board rule. It also confirms that continuing education requirements for licensed CPAs are governed by board and department rule.
The bill further adds an enforcement-related provision allowing the board to expand audit activity if a prior audit finds significant noncompliance. If an audit under existing law shows more than 15% of audited licensees were noncompliant before the department begins administering a separate statutory provision, the board may audit up to 100% of licensees in the following audit year. The act takes effect January 1, 2026.
Impact
SB 166 amends section 37-50-305, MCA, affecting the Montana Board of Public Accountants, CPA applicants, and licensed CPAs subject to continuing education and compliance audits. It does not eliminate the 150-credit-hour standard, but it shifts more detail about qualifying accounting and business coursework, as well as continuing education administration, to rulemaking by the board and department. The bill also gives the board broader audit authority in response to elevated noncompliance, potentially increasing oversight of licensees.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It passed the Senate and House with large margins, including unanimous committee approval in the House Business and Labor Committee and near-unanimous floor votes in both chambers. The voting history suggests the measure was viewed as a technical or administrative update rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
There is little evidence of major contention in the available record. The only notable issue reflected in the bill text is the delegation of more detail to board rulemaking and the new authority to audit up to all licensees after a high noncompliance rate. Any concern would likely center on regulatory flexibility versus increased oversight and compliance burden for CPAs and firms, but the recorded votes do not show significant resistance.