OSCPA leaders support expanded pathways

It was a wonderful occasion for the Oregon CPA community and those aspiring to become CPAs as Oregon Senate Bill 797 was signed by Governor Kotek. The bill takes effect January 1, 2026 and is part of a national effort to expand pathways to CPA licensure and build the pipeline, while protecting CPA mobility.

Oregon’s bill provides three pathway options:

A bachelor’s degree plus two years of experience
A master’s degree plus one year of experience
The current pathway was retained of 150-semester hours with a bachelor’s degree and one year of experience.

Note: all options require passage of the Uniform CPA Examination.

SB 797 was advanced by the Oregon Board of Accountancy (BOA) and supported by the dedication and commitment of OSCPA leaders and volunteers. The Oregon Association of Independent Accountants (OAIA) also supported the bill. The strength of the collaboration by the BOA, OSCPA, and OAIA, was key to the bill’s success. We were so fortunate to have the unanimous support of both the Oregon House and Senate, and to have the bill signed by the Governor.

Special thanks to past Society Board Chairs John Hawkins of REDW LLC and Jason Orme of Talbot Korvola & Warwick LLP for testifying on behalf of this important bill.

The complete bill can be found at: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025r1/Measures/Overview/SB797.