(a) There shall be a State Board of Accountancy which shall consist of nine members, to be appointed by the Governor, all of whom shall be residents of this state, five of whom shall hold current, valid licenses to practice public accountancy and four of whom shall be public members. Any persons serving on the board prior to October 1, 1992, shall continue to serve until a successor is appointed. Whenever an appointment of a licensee to the state board is to be made, the Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants shall submit to the Governor the names of five persons qualified for membership on the board and the Governor shall appoint one of such persons to said board, subject to the provisions of section 4-10. The Governor shall select a chairperson pursuant to section 4-9a. The term of each member of the board shall be coterminous with that of the Governor. Vacancies occurring during a term shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired portion of the term. Upon the expiration of a member's term of office, such member shall continue to serve until his successor has been appointed. Any member of the board whose license under section 20-281d is revoked or suspended shall automatically cease to be a member of the board. No person who has served two successive complete terms shall be eligible for reappointment to the board. Appointment to fill an unexpired term shall not be considered to be a complete term. Any member who, without just cause, fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall not be eligible for reappointment.

(b) The board shall meet at such times and places as may be fixed by the board and shall meet at least once in every quarter of a calendar year. A majority of the board members then serving shall constitute a quorum at any meeting duly called. The board shall have a seal which shall be judicially noticed. The board shall maintain a registry of the names and addresses of all licensees and registrants under sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive, and shall have responsibility for the administration and enforcement of said sections.

(c) The Department of Consumer Protection shall provide office space for the board. Members shall not be compensated for their services and, notwithstanding the provisions of section 21a-7, shall not be reimbursed for necessary expenses.

(d) The board shall annually cause to be printed a directory which shall contain the names, arranged alphabetically, of all licensees and registrants under sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive.

(e) Said board shall be within the Department of Consumer Protection.

(f) The board shall have the power to take all action that is necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive, including the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents; to administer oaths; to take testimony and to receive evidence concerning all matters within its jurisdiction. In case of disobedience of a subpoena, the board may invoke the aid of any court of this state in requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence. The board, its members, and its agents shall be immune from personal liability for actions taken in good faith in the discharge of the board's responsibilities, and the state shall indemnify and hold harmless the board, its members, and its agents from all costs, damages, and attorneys' fees arising from claims and suits against them with respect to matters to which such immunity applies.

(g) The board may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, governing its administration and enforcement of sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive, and the conduct of licensees and registrants, including, but not limited to:

(1) Regulations governing the board's meetings and the conduct of its business;

(2) Regulations concerning procedures governing the conduct of investigations and hearings by the board;

(3) Regulations specifying the educational qualifications required for the issuance of certificates under section 20-281c, the experience required for initial issuance of certificates under section 20-281c and the continuing professional education required for renewal of licenses under subsection (e) of section 20-281d;

(4) Regulations concerning professional conduct directed to controlling the quality and probity of the practice of public accountancy by licensees, and dealing among other things with independence, integrity, objectivity, competence, technical standards, responsibilities to the public and responsibilities to clients;

(5) Regulations specifying actions and circumstances that shall be deemed to constitute holding oneself out as a licensee in connection with the practice of public accountancy;

(6) Regulations governing the manner and circumstances of use by holders of certificates who do not also hold licenses under sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive, of the titles “certified public accountant” and “CPA”;

(7) Regulations regarding quality reviews that may be required to be performed under the provisions of sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive;

(8) Regulations implementing the provisions of section 20-281l, including, but not limited to, specifying the terms of any disclosure required by subsection (d) of said section 20-281l, the manner in which such disclosure is made and any other requirements the board imposes with regard to such disclosure. Such regulations shall require that any disclosure: (A) Be in writing and signed by the recipient of the product or service; (B) be clear and conspicuous; (C) state the amount of the commission or the basis on which the commission will be calculated; (D) identify the source of the payment of the commission and the relationship between such source and the person receiving payment; and (E) be presented to the client at or prior to the time the recommendation of the product or service is made;

(9) Regulations establishing the due date for any fee charged pursuant to sections 20-281c, 20-281d and 20-281e. Such regulations may establish the amount and due date of a late fee charged for the failure to remit payment of any fee charged pursuant to sections 20-281c, 20-281d and 20-281e; and

(10) Such other regulations as the board may deem necessary or appropriate for implementing the provisions and the purposes of sections 20-279b to 20-281m, inclusive.

(1949 Rev., S. 4610; 1955, S. 2293d; 1959, P.A. 616, S. 69; P.A. 77-614, S. 210, 610; P.A. 78-255, S. 8, 10; P.A. 80-205, S. 1, 6; P.A. 81-203, S. 1; P.A. 82-419, S. 5, 47; P.A. 83-487, S. 10, 33; P.A. 85-504, S. 3, 15; P.A. 87-496, S. 87, 110; P.A. 92-212, S. 2; P.A. 00-42, S. 3; P.A. 03-259, S. 40; P.A. 05-287, S. 5, 22; P.A. 08-185, S. 1; P.A. 11-48, S. 37; 11-61, S. 99; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 76.)

History: 1959 act deleted requirement that treasurer submit account of receipts to state treasurer and provisions re payment of board's expenditures and member's expenses and compensation; P.A. 77-614 deleted provisions for holding annual meeting on second Wednesday in January and for election of officers, deleted power to make bylaws and regulations governing board business and increased from two to four the number of members required for quorum and for calling special meetings in Subsec. (a) and transferred regulation power under Subsec. (b) from board to commissioner of consumer protection, retaining board in advisory role, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-255 added Subsecs. (c) to (g) re continuing education requirements; P.A. 80-205 deleted requirements that register be “published for public distribution in January” and that names of board members and regulations be published and that copies of register be mailed to registered practitioners; P.A. 81-203 amended Subsec. (c) to require the commissioner of consumer protection to adopt regulations establishing experience requirements necessary to qualify for receipt of an annual registration card; P.A. 82-419 changed term “annual registration card” to “license”; P.A. 83-487 amended Subsec. (c) to clarify requirements for issuance of license and certificate; P.A. 85-504 amended Subsec. (a) by requiring the board to meet quarterly, establishing minimum attendance requirements for members and placing a limit on the number of terms served, amended Subsecs. (b) and (c) by deleting reference to regulatory power of the commissioner of consumer protection and added Subsecs. (h) and (i) which provide for a permanent office, hiring of employees and contractual agreements and the adoption of regulations; P.A. 87-496 substituted “public works” for “administrative services” commissioner in Subsec. (h); P.A. 92-212 entirely replaced prior provisions re board of accountancy; in 1993, in the provision re member's terms in Subsec. (a) the words “that of” were inserted in the phrase “shall be coterminous with that of the governor” for grammatical correctness; P.A. 00-42 amended Subsec. (g) by inserting new Subdiv. (8) re regulations implementing the provisions of Sec. 20-281l, renumbering former Subdiv. (8) as Subdiv. (9) and making technical changes; P.A. 03-259 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing number of members of board from seven to nine and requiring one of the additional members to hold a public accountancy license and the other additional member to be a public member; P.A. 05-287 amended Subsec. (e) to change the location of the board from within the office of the Secretary of the State to within the Office of Policy and Management for administrative purposes only, effective July 1, 2005, and amended Subsec. (g) to add new Subdiv. (9) re regulations establishing due dates for fees and late fees and to redesignate existing Subdiv. (9) as Subdiv. (10), effective July 13, 2005; P.A. 08-185 amended Subsec. (e) by deleting provision re board shall be within Office of Policy and Management for administrative purposes only, effective July 1, 2008; P.A. 11-48 amended Subsec. (e) by specifying that board shall be within office of the Secretary of the State, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-61 amended Subsec. (e) by providing that board may recommend and Secretary of the State may employ such personnel, rather than board may employ an executive director and such other personnel, as necessary to carry out specified provisions, effective July 1, 2011; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 amended Subsec. (c) to replace provisions re reimbursement for expenses with provisions re department to provide office space for board and members not to be compensated for services or reimbursed for expenses, amended Subsec. (e) to delete provisions re employing personnel, entering into contractual agreements and appointing committees or persons and replace “within the Office of Secretary of the State” with “within the Department of Consumer Protection” and amended Subsec. (g) to replace “rules” with “regulations”, effective July 1, 2016.

See Sec. 4-32 re state revenue accounting system.

See Sec. 4-40a re compensation and expenses of licensing boards and commissions.

See Sec. 51-58 re court seals.