Maryland CPAs lobby for licensure changes

The Maryland Association of CPAs visited the state capital in Annapolis to lobby for changes to CPA licensure and other laws. 

During the MACPA's annual CPA Day, nearly 100 CPAs advocated for four key issues: supporting an additional pathway to licensure, opposing a sales tax on services, opposing efforts to replace Maryland's contributor negligence standard with a comparative fault rule, and supporting proper budget funding for the Maryland Comptroller's Office. 

"When CPAs come to Annapolis for CPA Day, they're not showing up to advocate for themselves — they're showing up for their clients, for Maryland's small businesses, and for taxpayers across the state," MACPA CEO Rebekah Olson said in a statement. "Our members bring an independent, objective perspective grounded in real-world experience, and that's why legislators value what they have to say. We're here to help policymakers make smart, practical decisions that truly serve Marylanders."

MACPA members urged legislators to pass Senate Bill 34, which would create a third pathway to licensure, allowing candidates to qualify with a bachelor's degree, two years of experience and passage of the CPA exam. The bill was filed by Sen. Arthur Ellis, co-sponsored by Sen. Brian Feldman, and supported by the MACPA. Dozens of states have already passed similar legislation in an effort to address the profession's ongoing labor shortage.

Members opposed proposals that would raise state revenue through a sales tax on professional services, arguing it would ultimately increase costs for Maryland's small businesses and consumers while placing the state at a competitive disadvantage. Members successfully opposed an attempt to enact a similar tax in 2025.

Members also opposed efforts to replace the contributory negligence standard — a longstanding rule in Maryland courts that prevents a person from shifting responsibility to others. The MACPA argues that it should be maintained because it prevents a flood of suits by plaintiffs who have a disproportionate amount of fault, it keeps the lid on insurance premium growth rates, it fosters the exercise of due care by all persons, and it enhances the predictability and costs of litigation. 

Finally, the members supported the Maryland Comptroller's Office' request for additional funding, as it has for the past three General Assembly sessions.

"The CPA profession really is different here [in Maryland]," Feldman, chair of the Senate's Energy, Education and Environment Committee, who is a CPA, told those in attendance "You have an incredibly powerful voice that's perceived as credible, independent and objective, and legislators hold your insights in high regard."