HB 333 modernizes CPA licensure as Florida economy keeps growing

For more than 30 years, Florida has ranked No. 1 nationally for business relocation. That trend has accelerated since 2020, driven by an unprecedented wave of personal and professional migration to the Sunshine State.

Florida is already a political and economic powerhouse, and it is growing even larger. To support and sustain that growth, the state needs more certified public accountants to serve businesses, communities, and taxpayers.

Policymakers routinely review Florida’s regulatory structure to reduce unnecessary burdens and improve efficiency, a process often referred to as “deregulation.” At its best, deregulation means eliminating needless paperwork, outdated procedures, and bureaucratic delays. On those goals, we agree.

But deregulation can also unintentionally undermine the professional standards that protect the public and ensure trust in critical industries. That risk is real, particularly in professions where expertise, ethics, and accountability matter.

CPAs are not here to block progress. As with our clients, we aim to be productive partners. That is why we proactively brought forward HB 333, Public Accountancy, sponsored by Rep. Omar Blanco and Sen. Joe Gruters, a targeted efficiency reform that strikes the right balance and places Florida at the forefront of modern licensure policy.

CPAs are trained to create efficiencies not by cutting corners, but by redesigning systems so resources work harder, longer, and with greater accountability. Efficiency does not happen by accident. It is built with intention.

HB 333 reflects that approach. It is the right kind of reform at the right time. Florida’s CPAs have done what we do best: identify a problem, adapt, and reform ourselves.

The bill reduces red tape, streamlines the licensure process so CPAs can get to work in Florida faster, and creates additional pathways to licensure that emphasize relevant work experience rather than unnecessary classroom requirements.

This is a good bill for Florida’s CPAs. It is a good bill for accounting students. And it is a great bill for the businesses and communities that rely on our profession in both good times and challenging ones.

More than 30 states have already adopted new pathways to CPA licensure. HB 333 goes further by focusing on practical, common-sense reforms that strengthen Florida’s workforce while maintaining professional standards.

HB 333 will help keep Florida competitive, reduce bureaucracy, and ensure the state has the CPA workforce it needs to thrive. Florida has an opportunity to lead. We should seize it.

That is why I urge lawmakers to support HB 333.

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Shelly Weir is the president and CEO of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.