Joining voices to impact change

By Janese Shepard, CPA, CGMA

If you’re reading this, there is a high likelihood you’re an OSCPA member who finds value in your membership. 

Recently I read an OSCPA Google review from someone looking for “free CPE” who was stunned to discover this was a member benefit. Clearly, they were overlooking the entire value of OSCPA membership.

One part of OSCPA’s mission is “protecting the interests and designation of CPAs” making advocacy a key member benefit.

Advocacy allows us to have a voice and actively support something important to us. As you know, becoming a CPA involves years of hard work and determination; an accomplishment we pride ourselves on. Thus, protecting our CPA designation is important to us. OSCPA’s advocacy efforts aim to protect your license from burdensome legislation and defend your interests as a CPA.

The OSCPA serves as our liaison with legislative and regulatory agencies in Oklahoma. The OSCPA’s staff and members of the political action committee, CPA-PAC, monitor proposed legislation and communicate with legislators on issues affecting the profession. You can have a voice and support these efforts by volunteering or by contributing to the CPA-PAC.

The OSCPA’s Legislative Contact Program reinforces to legislators that OSCPA’s viewpoints are representative of their constituents. It heightens their accountability to constituents and personalizes the political impact of state legislation.

I encourage members to become involved in the political process by supporting the CPA-PAC by contributing a minimum of $40. CPA-PAC contributions provide an opportunity for the OSCPA to support candidates who understand and support the concerns of our profession.

The OSCPA’s advocacy efforts help put a face on legislation by establishing relationships that open doors for legislators to seek our input on issues impacting the profession.

For the 2023 legislative session, we are supporting the following items:

• Definition of Attest – This would amend the definition of attest to align with the current definition of attest as reflected in the Uniform Accountancy Act (UAA).

• Firm Mobility – This would allow CPAs and firms performing attest services to practice outside of their domicile state without the need to register with the accountancy board of the non-domicile state.

• 120 Hours to Sit for the CPA Exam – Oklahoma is one of the few remaining states that require candidates to complete 150 hours prior to sitting for the CPA examination. This does not change the 150 hours of education requirement but allows CPA candidates a head start on the examination.

One voice may go unnoticed.  But by joining our voices through advocacy, our profession will successfully adapt and thrive.

Janese Shepard, CPA, CGMA, is a partner at Gray, Blodgett & Company, PLLC in Norman, Okla.—an OSCPA 100% VIP Firm. An OSCPA member since 2001, she has served on several committees and currently serves on the Society’s Executive and CPA/PAC Committees. Shepard is the 2018 recipient of the OSCPA’s Rick Kells Outstanding Tax Professional Award and the 2014 recipient of the Norman Chapter Distinguished CPA Award.