CPA Member Vote Needed on Proposed NYSSCPA Bylaws Changes

Society CPA members should be on the lookout for a Sept. 1 special issue of The Trusted Professional. It will come in a cellophane wrapper with balloting materials for a membership vote on proposed revisions to the NYSSCPA Code of Professional Conduct and a proposed bylaws change that would create a new associate category of Society membership.

The set of proposed amendments to the Code of Professional Conduct are intended to bring the code in line with the New York State Accountancy Reform Law of 2009. The other proposed change to the bylaws would add a new category of associate membership for non-CPAs working under the supervision of a CPA in industry, government or academia. These changes were unanimously approved by the NYSSCPA Board of Directors on July 13, after receiving approval from the Executive Committee.

The special issue of The Trusted Professional is intended to provide background information for members voting on these proposals. Each is detailed in an article within; in addition, the actual text of the changes is included in this special issue. On those pages, old language is struck through, and new language is underlined.

This issue includes a meeting announcement, a letter from NYSSCPA President Margaret A. Wood, the proposed Code of Conduct changes and the changes to the bylaws that would create the associate membership.

A member may vote to approve all, or reject all, or reject some of the proposed bylaws revisions by checking the appropriate boxes on the ballot form, which also requires a signature and member information.

To become effective, the proposed bylaws amendments must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast. Completed ballots must be received by Oct. 1. A members meeting will be held for those who wish to vote in person on Oct. 8 at the NYSSCPA’s offices.

Coincidentally, the AICPA is currently proposing a change to its own bylaws. That is a separate proposal for a separate organization that has no bearing on the NYSSCPA’s proposal or NYSSCPA bylaws.