D.C. mayor signs pathways bill

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a bill to establish an alternative path to CPA licensure.

The bill will create a third pathway, allowing CPA candidates to apply for licensure with a bachelor's degree, two years of experience and passage of the CPA exam. The legislation must now undergo a 30-day congressional review. As long as there is no opposition, the new licensing requirements will become law after this period.

Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg

This is part of the nearly complete nationwide movement to address the profession's talent shortage and make obtaining a CPA license more accessible by overhauling state laws. Only a few U.S. states and territories remain to formalize changes. 

(Read more: "The 150-hour revolution in accounting")