Ruthanne Christie

The Board of Accountancy meeting addressed several agenda items, including noting deceased practitioners and handling Official General Counsel (OGC) Final Actions through Informal Hearings, Waivers, and Settlement Stipulations for various individuals. The Board considered Petitions for Variance or Waiver from Rule for multiple applicants, including approving permanent variances for certain CPA Examination timeframes. Discussions included exam considerations, endorsement applications (with one item continued), initial licensure, and maintenance/reactivation requests. The Chief Attorney's report involved prosecuting year-old cases. The Board Counsel's report covered rules updates, substantial equivalency discussions for Ohio, New York, and the US Virgin Islands, and approval of the December 2023 Rules Report. Administrative items included committee reports, updates from the Executive Director regarding the NASBA meeting and credit relief program, approval of 2024 proposed meeting dates, and discussions related to the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

The agenda for the Board of Accountancy meeting included several items: approval of minutes from the January 9, 2026 meeting (which is excluded from the summary details per instructions), noting deceased licensees including Charles S. Hulme, and handling OGC Final Actions involving settlement stipulations (Lydia Virino) and motions for waiver (Matthew Walker). The meeting also addressed petitions for variance or waiver from Kadem Ramirez and Swati Singhania, considerations for CPA exam candidates (Luis A. Lacasse, Jonathan K. O'Brien, Marlene J. Torres), and endorsement considerations (Robert B. Brown, Kathy L. Kisiel). Reports were provided by the Chief Attorney and Board Counsel, including the February 2026 Rules Report. Committee updates included the Education Advisory Committee meeting from February 3, 2026. Administrative items included remarks from the Chair and Executive Director, presentation of the 2025 Q4 CPA Exam Report, training on Parliamentary Procedure and Making Motions, and public comments.

The committee meeting focused primarily on individual and university course reviews for accounting credit. Individual course reviews included the approval of four semester hours for ACCY 503 (Managerial Accounting A & B) from the University of Illinois and three semester hours for ACCT 5355 (Information Systems in Accounting) from Texas A&M University, and three semester hours for ACCT 321 (Introduction to Accounting Systems) from West Virginia University. The committee denied three semester hours for AGC 6075 from Florida Gulf Coast University due to duplication with undergraduate cost accounting concepts, and denied three semester hours for ACG 3103 from Miami Dade College due to duplication with a previously credited course. In university reviews, the committee approved four quarter hours of graduate tax credit for AC 566 from Purdue Global University and approved three semester hours for ACCT 304 (Accounting Ethics for Florida) and three semester hours for ACCT 425 (Auditing) from Upper Iowa University. Administrative matters included informational updates on Law and Rules and Executive Director/Licensing Supervisor Comments.

The meeting agenda focused on reviewing individual course requests for initial licensure and examination applications from candidates, as well as reviewing courses submitted by universities. Individual course reviews included requests from Sadis Alvarenga, Paul Celaya, Justin Willis Ecker, Sarah Lea Gonser, and Roxana Perez concerning various accounting courses. University course reviews addressed requests from Purdue Global University regarding a tax research course, and Upper Iowa University concerning Accounting Ethics for Florida and Auditing courses. Administrative matters included informational updates on Laws and Rules and comments from the Executive Director/Licensing Supervisor, noting a proposed bill that could alter educational requirements for licensure. Future meeting dates were set.

The meeting agenda includes several procedural and substantive items for the Board of Accountancy. Key topics involve the approval of the November 21, 2025, minutes. The agenda covers final actions by the Office of General Counsel, including entry of final orders and informal hearings for several licensees, as well as motions for waiver. The board will also address petitions for variance or waiver, exam considerations for numerous applicants, endorsement considerations, military endorsements, and maintenance/reactivation requests for null and void licenses. Administrative items include reports from the Chief Attorney and Board Counsel regarding December 2025 rules, committee reports from the Educational Advisory Committee and CPE Committee, and discussions on 2026 committee appointments and delegation of authority memoranda. The session will conclude with reports from the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and public comments.