# Arkansas SB432: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ACCOUNTANTS; AND TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY FOR THE PRACTICE OF ACCOUNTANCY. Arkansas SB432, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ACCOUNTANTS; AND TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY FOR THE PRACTICE OF ACCOUNTANCY., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jim Petty (Republican), Les Warren (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-07 (Notification that SB432 is now Act 428); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB432-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB432 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ACCOUNTANTS; AND TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY FOR THE PRACTICE OF ACCOUNTANCY. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-03-11 - Last action: 2025-04-07, Notification that SB432 is now Act 428 - Sponsors: Jim Petty (Republican), Les Warren (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (126 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Broader certification route for out-of-state accountants: benefit, medium. Accountants holding another state's certificate, license, or permit have a broader route to Arkansas certification. The Arkansas accountancy board must issue a certificate when the applicant makes the showing required by Arkansas law. This route is no longer limited to applicants who fail to qualif… - Exam fee relief for eligible accountants: benefit, low. Accountancy applicants normally pay exam or retake fees when they apply. Applicants eligible for a board program that waives or pays those fees do not pay the covered charges. The law does not specify fee amounts or program eligibility rules here. - First-time accountants need one year's experience: cost, medium. Applicants for their first Arkansas accountancy certificate must show at least one year of experience. This provision does not specify the type of experience that qualifies. - Board controls out-of-state accountant practice standards: cost, low. The Arkansas accountancy board can set rules for deciding whether out-of-state licensing standards count as equivalent to Arkansas standards. This authority replaces stated provisions granting qualifying out-of-state accountants permission to practice without a separate Arkansas credential. The pro… - Lapsed accountant licenses face renewal deadlines: mixed, medium. The board may reinstate a lapsed accountancy license if it receives the application by July 1 following the lapse. Applicants must pay a board-set fee and meet continuing education and other reinstatement requirements by the application date. Without a timely application, the board must revoke the… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jim Petty (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Les Warren (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-31 | House | House Vote - Monday, March 31, 2025 3:47:05 PM | pass | 92 | 2 | 3 | | 2025-03-17 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, March 17, 2025 3:16:27 PM | pass | 34 | 0 | | ## Actions (15) - 2025-04-07: Notification that SB432 is now Act 428 (Senate) - 2025-04-01: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-03-31: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-03-31: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-03-19: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-03-17: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on INSURANCE & COMMERCE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-03-17: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-03-17: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-03-17: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-13: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB432 - Introduced, 2025-03-11: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB432.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=428.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related bills - HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed) - SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed) - HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed) - HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed) ## Sources - [SB432 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB432.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=428.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related - [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025) - [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025) - [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025) - [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills) - [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB432-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).