CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 0299
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 299
By Representative Meek
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public accountancy; creating
3 s. 473.3065, F.S.; establishing the certified
4 public accountant education assistance program;
5 providing for scholarships to eligible minority
6 students; providing for funding of
7 scholarships; requiring Board of Accountancy
8 rules; providing a penalty for certain
9 violations; creating an advisory committee to
10 assist in program administration; providing an
11 effective date.
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13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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15 Section 1. Section 473.3065, Florida Statutes, is
16 created to read:
17 473.3065 Certified public accountant education
18 assistance program.--
19 (1) The certified public accountant education
20 assistance program for Florida residents is hereby established
21 in the Division of Certified Public Accounting. The purpose
22 of the program is to provide scholarships to minority persons,
23 as defined in s. 288.703(3), who are students enrolled in
24 their fifth year of an accounting education program at
25 institutions approved by the Board of Accountancy by rule. A
26 certified public accountant education assistance advisory
27 committee shall assist the board in administering the program.
28 (2) All moneys used to provide scholarships shall be
29 funded by a portion of existing license fees, as set by the
30 board, not to exceed $10 per license. Such moneys shall be
31 deposited into the Professional Regulation Trust Fund. The
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1 department shall maintain a separate account in the
2 Professional Regulation Trust Fund for all such moneys
3 collected and may spend up to $100,000 per year from such
4 account. The department shall not allocate overhead charges to
5 this separate account. Moneys for scholarships shall be
6 disbursed upon recommendation of the advisory committee and
7 approval by the board. The board shall set forth by rule
8 criteria for awarding scholarships. Funds may be invested by
9 the Treasurer under the same limitations as apply to
10 investment of other state funds, and the interest earned
11 thereon shall be credited to the separate education assistance
12 program account.
13 (3) The board shall adopt rules as necessary for
14 administration of this program. The board shall also adopt
15 rules relating to the following:
16 (a) Eligibility criteria for receipt of a scholarship
17 which, at a minimum, shall include the following factors:
18 1. Financial need.
19 2. Ethnic, gender, or racial minority status, pursuant
20 to s. 288.703(3).
21 3. Scholastic ability and performance.
22 (b) Scholarship application procedures.
23 (c) Amounts in which scholarships may be provided, the
24 total amount that may be provided, the timeframe for payments
25 or partial payments, and criteria for how scholarship funds
26 may be expended.
27 (d) The total amount of scholarships that can be made
28 each year.
29 (e) The minimum fund balance that must be maintained.
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1 (4) Determinations made by the board regarding
2 recipients of scholarship moneys shall not be considered an
3 agency action for purposes of chapter 120.
4 (5) It shall be unlawful for any person or the agent
5 of such person to file with the board any notice, statement,
6 or other document which is false or contains any material
7 misstatement of fact. Any person who violates the provisions
8 of this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree,
9 punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
10 (6) There is hereby created the certified public
11 accountant education assistance advisory committee to assist
12 the board in administering the certified public accountant
13 education assistance program. The committee shall be diverse
14 and representative of gender, ethnic, and racial status.
15 (a) The committee shall consist of five licensed
16 Florida certified public accountants selected by the board.
17 One member shall be a board member who serves as chair of the
18 committee. One member shall be a representative of the
19 National Association of Black Accountants, one member shall be
20 a representative of the Cuban American CPA Association, and
21 two members shall be selected at large.
22 (b) The Board of Accountancy shall determine the terms
23 for initial appointments and appointments thereafter.
24 (c) Any vacancy on the committee shall be filled in
25 the manner provided for the selection of the initial member.
26 Any member appointed to fill a vacancy of an unexpired term
27 shall be appointed for the remainder of that term.
28 (d) Three consecutive absences or absences
29 constituting 50 percent or more of the committee's meetings
30 within any 12-month period shall cause the committee
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1 membership of the member in question to become void, and the
2 position shall be considered vacant.
3 (e) The members of the committee shall serve without
4 compensation. Any necessary and actual expenses incurred by a
5 member while engaged in the business of the committee shall be
6 borne by such member or the organization or agency such member
7 represents. However, a board member appointed by the board
8 shall be compensated in accordance with the provisions of ss.
9 455.207(4) and 112.061.
10 Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 1997.
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13 HOUSE SUMMARY
14 Creates the certified public accountant education
assistance program to provide scholarships to minority
15 students enrolled in certain accounting education
programs. Provides for funding of such scholarships
16 through existing license fees. Requires Board of
Accountancy rules and penalties for certain violations.
17 Creates an advisory committee to assist in program
administration.
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