Advocacy: Looking Back to Move Forward

Geoffrey Brown, CAE President and CEO, Illinois CPA Society
Insights From Your President and CEO

In a time of great turbulence and polarization, the advocacy efforts of professional organizations like ours are paramount. Among gridlocked legislative bodies, it’s imperative that we keep the lines of communication open and ensure our important advocacy agendas advance, as we have a duty to effectively represent the interests of our constituents and stakeholders before a variety of regulatory agencies. I can assure you that our entire Government Relations team and volunteers take their responsibilities very seriously.

Advocacy is one of our key pillars. We track a wide range of legislative, regulatory, and legal issues to identify policy matters potentially impacting CPAs and their firms, among others. We regularly engage federal and state policymakers to help ensure you have a say in the policies that impact the CPA profession and your business.

I’m proud to look back on 2023 and say that we met our legislative priorities. Our team worked diligently to see that the Illinois Public Accounting Act was successfully and meaningfully updated and extended through 2029 and that the charitable audit threshold was increased from $300,000 to $500,000. These important policy wins have paved the way for future efforts. Some of the issues that are front and center now include:

• Professional licensing processing delays and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s plans for the upcoming CPA license renewal period.
• Local government audit backlogs.
• Compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act and new beneficial ownership information reporting requirements going into effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

While we work with stakeholders on these issues and advocate on your behalf, we also encourage you to get involved in the important issues that the CPA profession is facing. You can support our advocacy initiatives and policy efforts by getting engaged:

• Use your local legislative voice. When called upon, contact your legislators and regulators to amplify our messaging.
• Engage your local media. Media outlets often seek CPAs for their expertise and professional opinions on a wide variety of business and finance topics. Don’t be shy about engaging with media outlets in your area. Even sending a “letter to the editor” can be a surprisingly effective way of raising awareness of important issues and advancing our professional point of view within your local community and among your legislators and policymakers.

At the very least, stay knowledgeable of our advocacy efforts on your behalf by keeping up with our legislative updates, utilize our Advocacy Toolbox, and consider supporting the Illinois CPAs for Political Action Committee (CPA PAC). The CPA PAC is a well-respected nonpartisan political action committee that supports candidates for state offices who support the legislative goals of the profession. The CPA PAC serves as a strong collective voice for CPAs and provides a foundation for successful legislative advocacy.

We represent not only you, our dedicated members, but also every current and prospective CPA throughout our state. Your involvement is integral to the success of our advocacy actions! I encourage you to stay aware, get engaged, and use your voice as a respected CPA in Illinois.

Related Content:

• Looking Forward to Moving Forward: As the society enters a new era in its 120-year history, focusing on enhancing the value of the CPA profession remains a top priority.

• There’s More to DEI Than Race and Gender: Expanding the accounting profession’s dialogue surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion is a business imperative.