H. B. 4494
(By Delegates Morgan, White, Campbell, Hutchins,
Higgins, Palumbo, Andes and Kominar)
[Introduced February 11, 2008; referred to the
Committee on Government Organization then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact
§30-9-2, §30-9-8, §30-9-13, §30-9-16,
§30-9-17, §30-9-19 and §30-9-26
of the Code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended, all relating to the regulation of the
practice of accountancy.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §30-9-2, §30-9-8, §30-9-13, §30-9-16, §30-9-17, §30-9-19
and §30-9-26 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be
amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 9. ACCOUNTANTS.
§30-9-2. Definitions.
As used in this article, the following words and terms have
the following meanings, unless the context or associated language
clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) "Assurance" means any act or action, whether written or
oral, expressing an opinion or conclusion about the reliability of a financial statement or about its conformity with any financial
accounting standards.
(2) "Attest services" means providing any:
audit or review of
a financial statement or any examination of prospective financial
information performed in accordance with applicable statements on
standards
(A) Audit or other engagement to be performed in accordance
with the Statements on Auditing Standards;
(B) Review of a financial statement to be performed in
accordance with the Statements on Standards for Accounting and
Review Services;
(C) Examination of prospective financial information to be
performed in accordance with applicable Statements on Standards for
Attestation Engagements; or
(D) Engagement to be performed in accordance with the Auditing
Standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(3) "Audit" means expressing an opinion about the fairness of
presentation of financial statements in accordance with
applicable
statements on standards the Statements on Auditing Standards.
(4) "Authorization" means an authorization issued pursuant to
this article that entitles a permit holder or an individual
practitioner to perform attest or compilation services.
(5) "Board" means the West Virginia Board of Accountancy.
(6) "Business entity" means any corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, professional
limited liability partnership, limited liability company,
professional limited liability company, joint venture, business
trust or any other form of business organization. The term
"business entity" includes a firm.
(7) "Certificate" means a certificate as a certified public
accountant issued or renewed by the board pursuant to this article
or corresponding provisions of prior law.
(8) "Certified public accountant" or "CPA" means the holder of
a certificate.
(9) "Client" means a person or entity that agrees with a
licensee or licensee's employer to receive any professional
service.
(10) "Commission" means compensation, except a referral fee,
for recommending or referring any product or service to be supplied
by another person.
(11) "Compilation services" means providing a service
performed in accordance with
applicable statements on standards the
Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services that
presents, in the form of a financial statement, information that is
the representation of management without an expression of assurance
on the statement:
Provided, That this definition does not apply to
the use of the term "compilation" in section thirty-one of this
article.
(12) "Contingent fee" means a fee established for the
performance of any service pursuant to an arrangement in which no
fee will be charged unless a specified finding or result is
attained, or in which the amount of the fee is otherwise dependent
upon the finding or result of the service. A fee fixed by a court,
taxing authority or other public authority is not a contingent fee.
(13) "Examination," when used with reference to prospective
financial statements, means expressing an opinion about the
fairness of presentation of financial information in accordance
with
applicable statements on standards the Statements on Standards
for Attestation Engagements.
(14) "Financial statement" means a writing or other
presentation, including accompanying notes, which presents, in
whole or in part, historical or prospective financial position,
results of operations or changes in financial position of any
person, corporation, partnership or other entity.
(15) "Firm" means any business entity, including
but not
limited to an accounting
corporation corporations and professional
limited liability companies, in which two or more certified public
accountants or public accountants hold an ownership or membership
interest, in terms of the financial interests and voting rights of
all partners, officers, shareholders, members or managers, and the
primary business activity of which is the provision of professional
services to the public by certified public accountants or public accountants.
(16) "Firm ownership requirements" means, with respect to:
any firm, the requirements that: (A) Sixty percent of the
ownership of the firm, in terms of financial interests and voting
rights of all partners, officers, shareholders, members or
managers, belongs either to certified public accountants or public
accountants who have met the continuing professional education
requirements of subsection (b), section twelve of this article and
who are not subject to the exemption or limitation set forth in
subdivisions (1) or (2) of subsection (b), section twelve of this
article, but not a combination of certified public accountants and
public accountants; and (B) all owners of the firm who are not
certified public accountants or public accountants are active
participants in the firm.
(A) Any professional limited liability company organized
pursuant to article thirteen, chapter thirty-one-d of this code,
with one or more duly certified public accountants or public
accountants licensed or otherwise authorized to render professional
services;
(B) Any other firm where:
(i) A simple majority of ownership of the firm, in terms of
financial interests and voting rights of all partners, officers,
shareholders, members or managers, belongs either to:
(I) Certified public accountants holding a certificate under section twelve of this article or the equivalent provision of
another state; or
(II) Public accountants who have met the continuing
professional education requirements of subsection (b), section
twelve of this article and who are not subject to the exemption or
limitation set forth in subdivisions (1) or (2), subsection (b),
section twelve of this article or similar provisions of another
state.
(ii) All owners of the firm who are not certified public
accountants or public accountants are active participants in the
firm or in affiliated entities.
(17) "Foreign" means any country other than the United States.
(18) "Good moral character" means lack of a history of
dishonesty or felonious activity.
(19) "Home office" means the location specified by the client
as the address to which a service described in subsection (d) of
section sixteen of this article is directed.
(19) (20) "Individual practitioner" means a certified public
accountant or a public accountant who offers professional services
to the public but who does not practice in a firm.
(20) (21) "License" means a certificate, permit, registration
or authorization.
(21) (22) "Licensee" means the holder of a license.
(22) (23) "Manager" means a manager of a limited liability company.
(23) (24) "Member" means a member of a limited liability
company.
(24) (25) "Nonlicensee" means a person or business entity that
does not hold a license.
(25) (26) "Out-of-state certificate" means a valid certificate
as a certified public accountant or equivalent designation issued
or renewed under the laws of another state:
Provided, That
"out-of-state certificate" does not include any certificate as a
certified public accountant or equivalent designation that was
issued or renewed solely by virtue of a holder's prior status as a
public accountant or its equivalent in the state of issuance and
not by virtue of the holder's having met the certification
requirements of the state of issuance.
(26) (27) "Out-of-state permit" means a valid permit as a firm
of certified public accountants or another designation equivalent
to a permit issued or renewed by the board and that is issued or
renewed under the laws of another state.
(27) (28) "Peer Review" means a study, appraisal or review of
one or more aspects of the professional work of a licensee by a
person who holds a certificate or an out-of-state certificate and
who is not affiliated with the licensee being reviewed.
(28) (29) "Permit" means a permit issued to a firm pursuant to
this article.
(29) (30) "Professional services" means those services that
involve the specialized knowledge and skills of a certified public
accountant or a public accountant.
(31) "Principal place of business" means the office location
designated by the licensee for purposes of substantial equivalency
and reciprocity.
(30) (32) "Public accountant" means a person holding a
registration who is not a certified public accountant.
(31) (33) "Referral fee" means compensation for recommending
or referring any service of a licensee to any person.
(32) (34) "Registration" means a registration as a public
accountant issued by the board pursuant to prior law governing the
registration of public accountants and renewed by the board
pursuant to this article.
(33) (35) "Report," when used with reference to financial
statements, means an opinion or disclaimer of opinion or other form
of language or representation which states or implies any form of
assurance or denial of assurance.
(34) (36) "Rule" means any rule proposed for legislative
approval by the board pursuant to this article.
(35) (37) "State" means any state of the United States, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam.
(36) (38) "Substantial equivalency" or "substantially
equivalent" means or refers to a determination by the board
or its designee that the education, examination and experience
requirements contained in the statutes or rules of another state
are comparable to or exceed the education, examination and
experience requirements contained in the uniform accountancy act,
or that an individual certified public accountant's education,
examination and experience qualifications are comparable to or
exceed the education, examination and experience requirements
contained in the uniform accountancy act.
(37) (39) "Substantial equivalency practitioner" means any
individual
holding an out-of-state certificate who has notified the
board of his or her intent to practice accountancy in the state
under the provisions of this article and whose principal place of
business is not in this state who holds a certificate from another
state and has complied with the provisions of section sixteen of
this article.
(38) (40) "Uniform accountancy act" means the
most recent
ediction of the uniform accountancy act,
third edition, revised
(November 1999), jointly published by the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of State
Boards of Accountancy.
§30-9-8. Education, examination and experience certificate
requirements.
The board shall issue a certificate to an applicant of good
moral character who meets the following requirements:
(1) Before applying for the examination prescribed in
subdivision (2) of this section, the applicant has met the
following educational requirements:
(A) For an applicant making his or her initial application for
examination prior to the fifteenth day of February, two thousand,
a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent; or
(B) For an applicant making his or her initial application for
examination on or after the fifteenth day of February, two
thousand, at At least one hundred fifty semester hours of college
education including a baccalaureate or higher degree conferred by
a college or university,
the total education program to include an
accounting concentration or equivalent, as determined by the board
to be appropriate;
(2) (1) Has passed Passage of the uniform certified public
accountant examination published by the American institute of
certified public accountants or its successor and any additional
examination required by the board by rule that tests the
applicant's knowledge of subjects related to the practice of
accounting.
Before applying for the examination required in this
subdivision, an applicant is to have obtained a baccalaureate
degree or its equivalent, as determined by board rule to be
appropriate; and
(3) (2) Demonstrates that he or she has had At least one year
of experience in providing any type of service or advice involving the use of accounting, attest, compilation, management advisory,
financial advisory, tax or consulting skills. The experience
requirement may be satisfied by employment in private practice,
government, industry,
not-for-profit organization, academia or
public practice. An applicant's experience must be verified by a
licensee and must meet requirements specified by rule.
§30-9-13. Duty to inform board of denials, suspensions,
revocations, limitations.
Each licensee
and each substantial equivalency practitioner
must notify the board, within thirty days of its occurrence, of any
denial, suspension or revocation of or any limitation placed on a
license or out-of-state certificate.
§30-9-16. Substantial equivalency practice privileges.
(a) An individual whose principal place of business is not in
this state and who holds an out-of-state certificate has all the
rights and privileges of a certificate holder of this state without
the need to obtain a certificate if
the other state extends similar
privileges to a holder of a certificate, and:
(1) The
board has determined by rule that the state that
issued the out-of-state certificate has certification requirements
that are substantially equivalent to the certification requirements
of the uniform accountancy act; or
(2)
The board has verified that the individual's
qualifications are substantially equivalent to the certification requirements of the uniform accountancy act. The individual holds
a valid license as a certified public accountant from any state
which the NASBA National Qualification Appraisal Service has not
verified to be in substantial equivalence with the CPA licensure
requirements of the uniform accountancy act and such individual has
obtained from the NASBA National Qualification Appraisal Service
verification that such individual's CPA qualifications are
substantially equivalent to the CPA licensure requirements of the
uniform accountancy act. Any individual who passed the uniform CPA
examination and holds a valid license issued by any other state
prior to the first day of January, two thousand twelve, may be
exempt from the education requirement in the uniform accountancy
act for purposes of this section.
(b)
No less than ten days prior to performing or offering to
perform any services in the state, an individual seeking to
practice under the provisions of this section must file a notice
with the board that: (A) Includes the individual's name, principal
business address, out-of-state certificate number and state of
issuance, and any other information that the board may require by
rule; (B) discloses any pending disciplinary action or any past
denial, revocation or suspension of the out-of-state certificate;
and (C) attaches any fee that the board may require by rule. An
individual who offers or renders professional services, whether in
person, by mail, telephone or electronic means, under this section shall be granted practice privileges in this state, and no notice,
fee, or other submission is required of any such individual. Such
an individual is subject to the requirements in subsection (c) of
this section.
(c)
No later than the first day of July of the second calendar
year following the substantial equivalency practitioner's most
recent filing of the notice required under subsection (b) of this
section or with greater or lesser frequency as the board may
require by rule, a substantial equivalency practitioner must file
a notice with the board containing the information and attaching
the fee, if any, required in subsection (b) of this section if the
substantial-equivalency practitioner expects or intends to continue
to offer services in the state.
(d) Any individual performing or offering to perform any
services in the state as a substantial equivalency practitioner
is
and the firm which employs that out-of-state certificate holder are
simultaneously subject to
the following:
(1) Jurisdiction jurisdiction of the board concerning all
matters within the scope of this article
and are required to
(2) Compliance comply with the provisions of this article and
applicable rules.
(3) The appointment of the Secretary of State as his or her
agent upon whom process may be served in any action or proceeding
against the individual arising out of any transaction or operation connected with or incidental to services performed in this state;
and
(4) The The appointment of the state board of accountancy of
the state of issuance of
his or her out-of-state any substantial
equivalency practitioner's certificate
is appointed as his or her
agent upon which process may be served in an action or proceeding
by the board.
In the event the certificate from the state of the
individual's principal place of business is no longer valid, the
individual will cease offering or rendering professional services
in this state individually and on behalf of a firm.
(d) An individual who qualifies for the practice privileges
under this section may only perform any of the following services,
for any entity with its home office in this state, through a firm
which has obtained a permit issued under section seventeen of this
article and an authorization issued under section nineteen of this
article:
(1) A financial statement audit or other engagement to be
performed in accordance with the Statements on Auditing Standards
(SAS);
(2) An examination of prospective financial information to be
performed in accordance with the Statements on Standards for
Attestation Engagements (SSAE); or
(3) An engagement to be performed in accordance with the
Auditing Standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(e) An individual practitioner who is also a substantial
equivalency practitioner may provide the services set out in this
subsection without obtaining a permit issued under section
seventeen of this article but must obtain the authorization issued
under section nineteen of this article.
(f) A certificate holder of this state offering or rendering
services or using their CPA title in another state is subject to
disciplinary action in this state for an act committed in another
state for which the certificate holder would be subject to
discipline in that other state. The board shall investigate any
complaint made by the board of accountancy of another state.
§30-9-17. Issuance and renewal of permits.
(a) The board shall
issue a permit to a firm that demonstrates
that grant or renew permits to firm applicants that demonstrate
their qualifications in accordance with this section.
(b) The following must hold a permit issued under this
section:
(1) Any firm with an office in this state performing attest or
compilation services;
(2) Any firm with an office in this state that uses the title
"CPA" or "CPA firm"; or
(3) Any firm that does not have an office in this state but
performs attest services described in subdivisions (A), (C) or (D), subsection two, section two of this article for a client having its
home office in this state.
(c) A firm which does not have an office in this state may
perform services described in subdivision (B), subsection (2),
section two of this article, or subsection (11), section two of
this article, for a client having its home office in this state and
may use the title "CPA" or "CPA firm" without a permit issued under
this section only if it meets firm ownership requirements and is
undergoing a peer review program, that conforms with applicable
rules, and performs such services through an individual with
practice privileges under section sixteen of this article.
(d) A firm that does not have an office in this state and does
not perform attest services or compilation services for a client
having its home office in this state may perform other professional
service while using the title "CPA" or "CPA firm" in this state
without a permit issued under this section only if it performs such
services through an individual with practice privileges under
section sixteen of this article; and the firm can lawfully do so in
the state where the individuals with practice priveleges have their
principal place of business.
(e) Applicants for a permit must demonstrate that:
(1) Each partner, officer, shareholder, member or manager of
the firm whose principal place of business is in this state and who
performs or offers to perform professional services in this state holds a certificate or a registration; and
(2) The firm meets firm ownership requirements.
(b) (f) An application for the issuance of a permit must be
made in the form specified by the board by rule and must include
the following information:
(1) The names of all partners, officers, shareholders, members
or managers of the firm whose principal place of business is in
this state;
(2) The location of each office of the firm within this state
and the name of the certified public accountant or public
accountant in charge of each office; and
(3) Any issuance, denial, revocation or suspension of an
out-of-state permit.
(c) (g) Permits will initially be issued for a period to
expire on the thirtieth day of June following the date of issue.
(d) (h) The board shall renew a permit for a one-year period
beginning on the first day of July of each year after initial
issuance in accordance with the requirements for initial issuance
of a permit in this section.
(e) (i) The board shall charge an application fee for the
initial issuance or renewal of a permit in an amount specified by
rule.
§30-9-19. Issuance and renewal of authorizations.
(a) Commencing with the first day of July, two thousand one, no person or business entity may provide attest or compilation
services without having first obtained an authorization issued by
the board. An applicant may apply to provide attest services or
compilation services or both.
This requirement does not apply to
individuals performing attest or compilation services based on the
practice privilege under section sixteen of this article except as
required under subsection (d) of that section, or to business
entities performing attest or compilation services that are not
required to obtain a permit under subdivisions (2) or (3),
subsection (a), section seventeen of this article. Any substantial
equivalency practitioner who issues a compilation report as an
individual practitioner or on behalf of a business entity may do so
without obtaining an authorization under this section so long as
such individual does so in accordance with the requirements set out
in subdivisions (1) and (2), subsection (f) of this section.
(b) Applications for the issuance of authorizations must be
made in the form specified by the board by rule.
(c) Authorizations will initially be issued for a period to
expire on the thirtieth day of June following the date of initial
issuance.
(d) The board shall issue an authorization to a permit holder
that demonstrates that:
(1) Any certified public accountant,
or public accountant
or
substantial equivalency practitioner who signs or authorizes someone to sign a
report on financial statements attest or
compilation report on behalf of the permit holder meets the
competency requirements set forth in the professional standards for
those services specified by rule;
(2) All attest and compilation services rendered by the permit
holder in this state are verified by a certified public accountant,
substantial equivalency practitioner or a public accountant; and
(3) The permit holder is undergoing a peer review program that
conforms with applicable rules.
(e) A firm may simultaneously apply for the issuance or
renewal of a permit and the issuance or renewal of an authorization
by demonstrating that the firm meets the requirements of section
seventeen of this article and subsection (d) of this section.
(f) The board shall issue an authorization to an individual
practitioner who demonstrates that he or she:
(1) Signs
an attest
and or compilation
reports report as a
certified public accountant,
or public accountant
or substantial
equivalency practitioner, as applicable
and meets the competency
requirements set forth in the professional standards for those
services specified by rule; and
(2) Is undergoing a peer review program that conforms with
applicable rules.
(g) The board shall renew an authorization for a one year
period beginning on the first day of July of each year after initial issuance in accordance with the requirements for initial
issuance of an authorization in this section.
(h) The board shall charge an application fee for the initial
issuance or renewal of an authorization in an amount specified by
rule.
§30-9-26. Unlawful acts.
(a) No authorization holder or substantial equivalency
practitioner may perform attest or compilation services in a manner
other than pursuant to the statements on standards relating to
those services specified by rule.
(b)(1) No licensee or substantial equivalency practitioner
or
firm may, for a commission or referral fee, recommend or refer to
a client any product or service or refer any product or service to
be supplied by a client, or perform for a contingent fee any
professional services for or receive a referral fee, commission or
contingent fee from a client for whom the licensee, the substantial
equivalency practitioner or
any firm
with which either of them
works or associates or
any firm in which either of them owns an
interest
or who performs for that client:
(A) An audit or review of a financial statement;
(B) A compilation of a financial statement when the licensee
or substantial equivalency practitioner expects, or reasonably
might expect, that a third party will use the financial statement
and the compilation report does not disclose a lack of independence; or
(C) An examination of prospective financial information.
(2) The prohibition in subdivision one of this subsection
applies only during the period in which the licensee or substantial
equivalency practitioner is engaged to perform any of the services
listed in subdivision (1) of this subsection and the period covered
by any historical financial statements involved in any of those
listed services.
(c) No licensee or substantial equivalency practitioner may
for a contingent fee prepare an original or amended tax return or
claim for a tax refund or serve as an expert witness.
(d) No licensee may use a professional or firm name or
designation that: (1) Is deceptive or misleading about the legal
form of the firm, or about the persons who are partners, officers,
members, managers or shareholders of the firm, or about any other
matter; or (2) contains a name or term other than past or present
partners, officers, members, managers or shareholders of the firm
or of a predecessor firm engaged in the practice of accounting.
(e) No person or firm that does not hold an authorization to
perform attest services,
or is not otherwise exempt from the
authorization requirement, may perform or offer to perform attest
services, and no person or firm that does not hold an authorization
to perform compilation services,
or is not otherwise exempt from
the authorization requirement, may perform or offer to perform compilation services.
(f) No individual practitioner who holds an authorization may
perform or offer to perform attest services for a client of his or
her employer through or on behalf of his or her employer.
(g) No person who is not a certified public accountant, a
public accountant or a substantial equivalency practitioner may:
(1) Issue a report on financial statements of any other
person, business entity, or governmental unit or otherwise render
or offer to render any attest or compilation service:
Provided,
That this subdivision does not prohibit any act of a public
official or public employee in the performance of that person's
duties or the performance by any person of other services involving
the use of accounting skills, including the preparation of tax
returns, management advisory services, and the preparation of
financial statements without the issuance of reports thereon
:
Provided, however, That this subdivision does not prohibit any
person who is not a certified public accountant, a public
accountant or a substantial equivalency practitioner to prepare
financial statements or issue nonattest transmittals of information
thereon that do not purport to have been performed in accordance
with the applicable statements on standards;
(2) Claim to hold a certificate, registration or authorization
or make any other claim of licensure or approval related to the
preparation of financial statements or the issuance of reports thereon that is false or misleading;
(3) Claim to have used "generally accepted accounting
principles," "generally accepted accounting standards," "public
accountancy standards," "public accountancy principles," "generally
accepted auditing principles" or "generally accepted auditing
standards" in connection with the preparation of any financial
statement, or use any of these terms to describe any complete or
partial variation from those standards or principles or to imply
complete or partial conformity with those standards or principles;
(4) State or imply that he or she is tested, competent,
qualified or proficient in financial standards established by the
American institute of certified public accountants or any agency
thereof, the governmental accounting standards board or any agency
thereof, the securities and exchange commission or any agency
thereof, the financial accounting standards board or any agency
thereof, or any successor entity to any of these entities;
(5) Assume or use the titles "certified accountant,"
"chartered accountant," "enrolled accountant," "licensed
accountant," "registered accountant," "Auditor," "independent
Auditor" or any other title or designation that a reasonable person
may confuse with the titles "certified public accountant" or
"public accountant," or assume or use the abbreviations "CA," "LA,"
"RA," or similar abbreviation that a reasonable person may confuse
with the abbreviations "CPA" or "PA":
Provided, That the title "Enrolled Agent" and the abbreviation "EA" may only be used by
individuals so designated by the Internal Revenue Service;
(6) Use language in any statement relating to the financial
affairs of a person or entity that is conventionally used by a
licensee in a report on a financial statement;
(7) Use the words "audit," "audit report," "independent
audit," "examine," "examination," "opinion" or "review" in a report
on a financial statement;
(8) Assume or use any title that includes the words
"accountant," "Auditor," or "accounting" in connection with any
other language (including the language of a report) that implies
that the person or business entity holds a license or has special
competence in accounting or auditing:
Provided, That this
subdivision does not prohibit any officer, partner, member, manager
or employee of any business entity from affixing that person's own
signature to any statement in reference to the financial affairs of
the business entity with any wording designating the position,
title, or office that the person holds therein, nor does it
prohibit any act of a public official or employee in the
performance of the person's duties;
(9) Use or assume the title "certified public accountant," the
abbreviation "CPA," or any other title, designation, word,
combination of letters, abbreviation, sign, card or device that may
lead a reasonable person to believe that the person is a certified public accountant or the holder of an out-of-state certificate; or
(10) Assume or use the title "public accountant," the
abbreviation "PA," or any other title, designation, word,
combination of letters, abbreviation, sign, card or device that may
lead a reasonable person to believe that the person is a public
accountant.
(h) No business entity that does not hold a permit
or is not
exempt from the permit requirement under subdivision (2) or (3),
subsection (a), section seventeen of this article, may assume or
use the designations "certified public accountants," "CPA firm,"
"public accountants," or "PA firm" or the abbreviations "CPAs," or
"PAs," or any other title, designation, word, combination of
letters, abbreviation, sign, card or device that may lead a
reasonable person to believe that the business entity is a firm or
holds a permit.
(i) The display or uttering by a person of any printed,
engraved or written instrument, bearing the name of the person in
conjunction with any of the claims, titles, words or phrases listed
in this section is, for purposes of this section, prima facie
evidence that the person has engaged in the acts.
(j) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section,
it is not a violation of this section for a firm or business entity
which does not hold a permit under section seventeen or an
authorization under section nineteen of this article and which does not have an office in this state to provide its professional
services in this state so long as it complies with subdivision (2)
or (3) of subsection (a) of section seventeen whichever is
applicable and with any applicable provision of section nineteen of
this article.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow more firms and
accountants to practice accountancy in West Virginia.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.