PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ADVOCACY ADVANCES THE PROFESSION THE NEBRASKA SOCIETY OF CPAS PLAYS A VITAL ROLE in advocacy—it’s one of the most important things we do. We spend a great deal of time getting to know legislators, building connections with the Nebraska Department of Revenue, cultivating our relationship with the team at the Nebraska Board of Public Accountancy, and engaging with leaders of other like-minded organizations. We also offer opportunities for you to build relationships with your state legislators. Relationships are critical to the legislative and political effectiveness of the CPA profession. For several decades now, the Nebraska Society has held its annual State Senators’ Reception and Dinner prior to the start of the Nebraska Legislature. The 2023 event was held Jan. 3 at The Cornhusker Marriott, Renaissance Room, in Lincoln, with more than 70 registrants, including 24 state senators—an excellent showing of both senators and our members. This long-standing tradition provides a welcome opportunity for CPAs to connect with state senators and for senators to reconnect with one another prior to the start of the legislative session the following day. You will see a few photos of the event in this article. Each year, numerous pieces of legislation are introduced in the Nebraska Legislature that can impact you, your profession, your organization, and your clients. At the end of day 10 of the first session of the 108th Legislature, senators had introduced 812 bills and several resolutions calling for constitutional amendments. BY JONI SUNDQUIST, NEBRASKA SOCIETY OF CPAS On Jan. 23, Society lobbyist Korby Gilbertson of Radcliffe, Gilbertson & Brady led a review at the Society office and via Zoom of proposed legislation of potential interest to the profession. Members of the Society Board, Political Education Committee, Legislation Committee, and Taxation Committee participated in the discussion to recommend the Society’s positions on 80-some bills. Committee hearings began the week of Jan. 23, with all-day hearings commencing the week of Jan. 30. Bills are now advancing from committee to the floor of the Legislature for debate. Over the past few years, we’ve seen very aggressive efforts across the U.S. to eliminate licenses for many occupations and professions. What most people don’t immediately recognize is that this type of legislation puts the CPA license at risk because anti-licensure proponents frequently do not consider the very technical, complex nature of the profession. The NESCPA monitors any proposed legislation that could impact our profession and leverages relationships with key legislators to ensure they understand the importance of the CPA license. During the last legislative session, the Society and our lobbying team worked alongside the State Board to educate the sponsor of a bill (LB 263) regarding the negative impacts this type of legislation would have on the CPA license. As a result, CPAs were excluded from the legislation, although it failed to pass. When a similar bill (LB 16) was introduced this legislative session, exclusion of the profession thankfully carried over. While the goal of the legislation—to reduce barriers to employment for people moving into the state—sounds positive on the surface, the bill would have weakened the experience and education requirements of the CPA profession and other learned professions in Nebraska had the exclusion not been included. The devil is in the details, as they say. We will continue to monitor LB 16, as it has not yet crossed the finish line. 6 Nebraska CPAs
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