From the Desk of the CEO: Deregulation bill withdrawn; FICPA successfully defends profession
June 05, 2025
By Shelly Weir
FICPA President & CEO
The FICPA is excited to report that we have mounted a successful defense of the CPA profession: The deregulation bill we’ve spent several weeks fighting has been officially withdrawn in the Florida Legislature.
The Florida House and Senate on Thursday came to an agreement that will once again extend Florida’s Legislative Session, this time to June 18.
But the chambers have agreed to only focus on the state budget and a handful of related items, with “all other measures … indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration.”
This means SB 110, the otherwise-unrelated legislative vehicle the Florida House used in attempt to advance a catastrophic deregulation proposal, is no longer in play during the 2025 Session.
As we informed our members on May 3, following the conclusion of the 60-day Regular Session, SB 110 was one of the 16 bills still up for consideration in the Legislature’s initial extension to June 6. Although we were informed by our legislative sources that any further discussion of SB 110 would likely not include the House amendment and instead be limited to the Senate’s original intent – a renaissance of Florida’s rural communities – we remained vigilant over the last month, keeping a close eye on any renewed threats to the profession.
As a reminder, the House amendment to SB 110 would have:
1. Eliminated all professional and occupational licensing boards under DBPR, including the Florida Board of Accountancy, with regulatory responsibilities moving to DBPR staff.
2. Abolished all continuing professional education (CPE) requirements for DBPR-regulated professions, including:
- The 80-hour biennial CPE requirement for CPAs
- All CPE requirements tied to license reactivation
Had the House proposal passed, Florida’s CPAs would have most likely lost their practice privileges in other states, and Florida would have been just one legislative action away from the total elimination of licensure.
Now, with SB 110 officially withdrawn, we can breathe a sigh of relief and take tremendous pride in our successful defense of the CPA profession from the most significant deregulatory threat we’ve ever faced.
We’ve won the day, but we know this battle is far from finished. The 2026 Session starts in January, and the Florida Legislature’s interest in deregulation and licensure is part of a larger trend popping up in state legislatures around the country. With all eyes on Florida, the FICPA is very much at the forefront of the profession, taking the lead and setting an example for other state societies and our national partners.
As we continue to ward off threats to the profession, we also fully intend to reintroduce our own priority legislation, modernizing CPA licensure. The FICPA’s bill, SB 160 by Sen. Joe Gruters, which passed the Florida Senate by a unanimous vote of 39-0 in March, seeks to expand pathways to the profession, introduce automatic mobility for CPAs licensed in other states and streamline licensure-by-endorsement, amongst other reforms. We are very much in alignment with legislative leaders when it comes to reforms that promote efficiency and reduce red tape, and we look forward to working with them again in 2026 to advance this bill.
As we reflect on a tumultuous few months in Tallahassee, I want to be sure to thank all our FICPA members for their support. It’s your membership that empowers us to advocate on your behalf and fight for your license when it matters most. When we issued our call to action in late April, more than 1,000 of you sent letters to members of the Florida House, making your voice heard.
Likewise, I want to draw special attention to the efforts of Sen. Gruters, who played a significant role in protecting the profession on the Senate side. The Senate’s refusal to concur with the House amendment before the end of the 60-day Regular Session was our biggest win. Likewise, we’re grateful to Rep. Mike Caruso for giving CPAs and all licensed professionals a strong voice in the House.
The FICPA will issue further advocacy-focused communications in the weeks ahead and offer our full breakdown of legislative work during MEGA 2025 next week in Orlando.
And over the next several months, I will strongly encourage you to become more involved with advocacy efforts. Your involvement in our Key Person Contact Program is what can quickly put us in touch with individual lawmakers at the most important moments. And your donations to the Florida CPA/PAC help us vet and support the candidates who will stand with us and stand up for the profession.
In closing, I want to highlight the dedication and resiliency of our Governmental Affairs Team – led by Chief External Affairs Officer Jason Harrell – and commend the work of our external lobbyist Jennifer Green and her staff at Liberty Partners of Tallahassee.
As difficult as this Legislative Session proved, I have never been more proud to lead this organization.
You’ve worked hard for your license. We work hard to defend it.