Members of the Oklahoma Accountancy Board and the Oklahoma Society of CPAs joined Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus, for the ceremonial signing of legislation that offers another pathway to obtaining certified public accountant (CPA) designation.

House Bill 4317 creates an additional path to achieving the certification while maintaining the requirement to pass the CPA exam. Kendrix said the update will modernize the licensure structure while protecting the quality of work.

Kendrix, the bill's author and a CPA of more than 30 years, said the change will help address the state’s ongoing shortage of CPAs as the profession has evolved beyond traditional number-crunching to include more consulting and advisory work.

"We need to make sure our licensing requirements are preparing students for the workforce, not simply requiring them to take more classes and pay more costs," Kendrix said. "This legislation helps us move toward a system that emphasizes mentorship and real-world experience, while still maintaining the higher education path for those who choose it."

In addition to passing the CPA exam and one year of supervised work experience, the existing paths require either a master's degree in accounting or at least 150 additional credit hours. The new path requires a bachelor's degree in accounting and two years of supervised work experience.

All candidates will still be required to pass the four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination within the designated timeframe before receiving their CPA certification. Prior to licensure, candidates must also pass an ethics exam and a criminal background check.

HB4317 also allows the Oklahoma Accountancy Board to grant CPA certificates to applicants licensed in other states.

The update takes effect Nov. 1.