S 176 South Carolina Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Certified Public Accountants

Summary
AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-2-30, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR USE OF PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS FOR CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, SO AS TO APPLY THESE REQUIREMENTS TO USAGES IN ELECTRONIC FILES AND METADATA; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-2-35, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE BY THE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY, SO AS TO REVISE THE EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS, TO REVISE REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING THE UNIFORM CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT EXAM REQUIREMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-2-40, RELATING TO ENTITIES REQUIRED TO REGISTER WITH THE BOARD TO PRACTICE AS CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRMS, SO AS TO REQUIRE SUCH REGISTRATION OF FIRMS THAT PERFORM COMPILATION SERVICES, AND TO PROVIDE OWNERSHIP OF SUCH FIRMS MAY BE HELD THROUGH A REVOCABLE GRANTOR TRUST; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-2-70, RELATING TO POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD, SO AS TO ADD REVIEW AND PROVIDE INPUT ON PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE CHANGES RELATED TO THE PRACTICE OF ACCOUNTING AS A POWER OF THE BOARD; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-2-80, RELATING TO INVESTIGATIONS OF COMPLAINTS OR OTHER INFORMATION SUGGESTING VIOLATIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE INSPECTOR-INVESTIGATORS MUST HAVE BEEN LICENSED AS CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS FOR AT LEAST THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEARS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-2-240, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS LICENSED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO OBTAIN LICENSURE BY THE BOARD, SO AS TO PROVIDE RECIPROCITY LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-2-245, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS LICENSED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO PRACTICE IN THIS STATE WITHOUT LICENSURE BY THE BOARD, SO AS TO REVISE THE REQUIREMENTS; AND BY REPEALING SECTION 40-2-20(18) RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING THE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY, SECTION 40-2-35(H) RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE BY THE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY, AND SECTION 40-2-35(I) RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSURE BY THE BOARD OF ACCOUNTANCY. - RATIFIED TITLE
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Signed May 12, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Mar 11, 2025 · House May 1, 2025

How they voted

410
Passed · 5 other
Total votes 46
Mar 11, 2025
D Democratic12
10 Yea 2
83% Yea
R Republican34
31 Yea 3
91% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
27
Key actions
11
Committee
4
Amendments
3
May 12, 2025
Signed into law
Signed By Governor
legislature
May 6, 2025
Upper · Passed
Concurred in House amendment and enrolled
upper
May 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read third time and returned to Senate with amendments
lower
May 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 1, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (106-0-12)
house
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor, Commerce and Industry
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
lower
Mar 20, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Read third time and sent to House
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee Amendment Adopted
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (41-0-5)
senate
Feb 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor, Commerce and Industry
upper
Jan 14, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
upper
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Wes Climer
Wes Climer
RRepublican
SC
15