Governmental Representation

The FICPA serves as your liaison with various governmental entities on the federal, state and local level. Located in Tallahassee, the FICPA Governmental Affairs staff constantly monitors legislation and other activities of the Florida Legislature and U.S. Congress to determine their impact on the accounting profession. The Institute stays in close contact with state and federal legislators and other officials and works closely with other professional associations and business groups in monitoring and influencing governmental proposals of common interest.

FICPA committee members and staff have frequent contacts with the governmental bodies whose regulations have an impact on CPAs. Members and staff provide input to those organizations that set performance standards for the profession. This input often results in changes to regulations for the betterment of the profession and public sector.

The Governmental Affairs Department coordinates and implements all governmental activities and legislative programming of the FICPA. It provides oversight of the Florida CPA Political Action Committee, Inc., administers the FICPA Key Person Contact Program and keeps members up to date through legislative bulletins. Please refer to the addendum section of this handbook for the FICPA legislative and regulatory policies.

FICPA members are encouraged to contact the Governmental Affairs Department at (800) 342-3197 or (850) 224-2727 with any questions concerning the FICPA’s legislative activities.

Florida CPA Political Action Committee, Inc.

Professionals in Florida and across the U.S. recognize the need to develop and maintain strong working relationships with elected officials whose decisions affect the public, their business and their livelihoods. However, building relationships with and advocating issue positions to legislators and the general public can often overwhelm even the most concerned, civic-minded individual.

Founded in 1977, the Florida CPA/PAC was established to influence the selection, nomination and election of individuals to state public office. Few professionals can afford the time to fully analyze every potential candidate and issue. Nor can they make contributions substantial enough to be effective in most candidate and issue campaigns. By combining their financial resources, members of the Florida CPA/PAC make a more significant impact on the elections than each would individually.

To better coordinate the political contributions of CPAs, the FICPA has created a dual purpose political action committee. Originally organized as a candidate-based political action committee, in June 1990, the Florida CPA/PAC was expanded to include public issues. The objective of the Florida CPA/PAC is to help support candidates and issues that reflect the public accounting profession’s concern for maintaining the high standards of the profession.

Florida Statute currently provides that the Governor, Cabinet and Legislature are term limited to serve eight years in office. During the elections of 1998, 2000 and 2002, it is assumed under this law over 100 of the 120 state House seats and over 30 of the 40 state Senate seats will change from the present incumbents.

During the 1998 election cycle, the CPA/PAC played a pivotal role in the outcome of the elections by contributing over $230,000 to more than 135 individual candidates as well as Republican and Democratic state parties. Of the candidates supported by the CPA/PAC in the general election, 100 percent won in the Florida Senate, 87 percent won in the Florida House of Representatives, and 100 percent won in the Florida Cabinet.

Help us continue to ensure the strong presence of the CPA profession in legislative and regulatory activities by supporting the Florida CPA/PAC in one of the following five membership categories:

• Pacesetter: A contribution of $200 or more
• Committee of 100: A contribution of $100 or more
• Sustaining: A contribution of $50 or more
• Active: A contribution of $25 or more

The CPA/PAC is supported solely from the voluntary contributions of members. Currently, each FICPA member is asked to make a minimum voluntary contribution of $50 per year. This contribution is included with the annual dues statement. However, any member of the general public may apply for membership in the Florida CPA/PAC. Contributions or dues to the Florida CPA/PAC are voluntary and are not a requirement for membership in the FICPA. Contributions to the CPA/PAC are political contributions and are not deductible for federal income tax purposes.

To become a member of or for more information on the Florida CPA/PAC, e-mail the FICPA’s Member Service Center at msc@ficpa.org, or call (800) 342-3197 or (850) 224-2727.

Key Person Contact Program

Over the years and through the course of practice in the CPA profession, many of our members begin and develop close personal relationships with state and federal legislators. The FICPA Key Person Contact Program (KPC) is designed to tap into and enhance these personal relationships and foster increased receptiveness of legislators and government officials to the ideas and concerns of the CPA community in Florida. As an adjunct of the FICPA Governmental Affairs Department, the KPC Program plays a vital role in the success of the FICPA’s legislative policies and activities.

The purpose of the KPC Program is twofold. First, to transmit information on key issues to legislative and regulatory leaders and report information about proposed or pending state and federal legislation to the FICPA. Further, the program provides the ability for governmental leaders to express their ideas and concerns directly to FICPA members. This kind of communication with legislators assures the FICPA of a strong voice on critical issues concerning the accounting profession.

Participants in the KPC Program, receive an FICPA Key Person Contact Guide to provide a ready reference of information including: Florida government, the federal government, legislative policies of the FICPA and other helpful pieces of information on communicating with government officials.

For more information on the FICPA KPC Program, contact the Governmental Affairs Department at (800) 342-3197 or (850) 224-2727, or visit the Governmental Affairs Web site.