Board Members
- Lynn V. Hutchinson, CPA, Chair
- Suemarie S. Alizadeh, CPA
- Michael D. Bergeron, CPA
- Grady R. Hazel, CPA
- Letti A. Lowe-Ardoin, CPA
- Desiree’ Honore’ Thomas, CPA
Staff
- Lisa A. Benefield — Executive Director
- Caren L. Singleton — Deputy Director
- Bomani Brown — Director of Compliance
- Rachel Soler — Compliance Investigator
- Betsy Boudreaux — Licensing Analyst
- Jean Palmer — CPE Coordinator
- Ramzey Bunley — Accountant
- Tasha Anders — Administrative Coordinator
Board Meetings and Minutes
Regularly scheduled meetings are usually held quarterly in the latter part of January, April (or early May), July (or early August), and October (or early November).
Future Board meetings scheduled
(Check back for changes closer to meeting dates)
Future Board Meetings:
January 28 – 29, 2025
May 1 – 2, 2025
July 31 – August 1, 2025
Upcoming Board meeting agenda:
January 2025 Agenda (will be posted closer to the meeting date)
Recent Board meeting minutes:
Board Meeting Minutes – October 2024
(minutes not available until approved at next Board meeting)
- October 2022 -Minutes
- July 2022 – Minutes
- April 2022 – Minutes
- January 2022 – Minutes
- October 2021 – Minutes
- July 2021 – Minutes
- April 2021 – Minutes
- January 2021 – Minutes
- October 2020 – Minutes
- July 2020 – Minutes
- April 2020 – Minutes
- Certification & Board Meeting Agenda – April 2020
- January 2020 – Minutes
- November 2019 – Minutes
- July 2019 – Minutes
- April 2019 – Minutes
- January 2019 – Minutes
- October 2018 – Minutes
- July 2018 – Minutes
- May 2018 – Minutes
- January 2018 – Minutes
- November 2017 – Minutes
- August 2017 – Minutes
- April 2017 – Minutes
- January 2017 – Minutes
- November 2016 – Minutes
- July 2016 – Minutes
- April 2016 – Minutes
- January 2016 Minutes
- November 2015 – Minutes
- July 2015 – Minutes
- April 2015 – Minutes
- January 2015 – Minutes
- October 2014 – Minutes
- July 2014 – Minutes
- April 2014 – Minutes
- January 2014 – Minutes
- November 2013 – Minutes
- July 2013 – Minutes
- April 2013 – Minutes
- January 2013 – Minutes
- November 2012 – Minutes
- August 2012 – Minutes
- April 2012 – Minutes
- January 2012 – Minutes
- Nov 2011 – Minutes
- July 2011 – Minutes
- April 2011 – Minutes
- January 2011 – Minutes
- November 2010 – Minutes
- General information about the State Board of CPAs of Louisiana
- The State Board of CPAs of Louisiana is a state agency. CPAs, like most other government licensed professionals, are licensed by state government. The Louisiana legislature has established this Board as its state board of accountancy to act in the public interest. The legislative purpose for the Board is to administer and enforce the Louisiana Accountancy Act. By doing so, the Board acts in the public interest. In order to act effectively, the Board, like other state regulatory boards, has these functions:
- enforcement of statutes and rules
- rulemaking authority
- subpoena power, conducting hearings, imposing sanctions or fines
These functions are conducted in accordance with the Louisiana Administrative Procedures Act.
The State Board of CPAs has seven members including the Chairman who are appointed by the Governor. Appointments are made from a list of three names submitted by the Society of Louisiana CPAs. The Board’s duties and powers are established within Title 37 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. The Board adopts “Rules of Professional Conduct” for Louisiana CPAs, other regulations, and rules that govern the Board’s internal operations. These Rules are promulgated in the Professional and Occupational Standards of the Louisiana Administrative Code. These are commonly referred to as the “Board’s Rules”.
Highlights of the duties and powers of the Board are:
- To issue CPA certificates to persons of good moral character who satisfy the educational, examination and experience requirements.
- To take appropriate administrative action to regulate the conduct of Louisiana CPAs and CPA firms in all aspects of their professional work.
- To adopt and enforce rules, regulations and rules of professional conduct for CPAs as the Board may deem necessary to enforce the accountancy act and to regulate the professional practice of CPAs and firms in Louisiana. Once promulgated, the board’s Rules have the force of law.
- To prescribe and adopt rules, standards, and procedures governing continuing professional education.
- To issue subpoenas to require attendance and testimony, and the production of documents for the purpose of enforcing the accountancy laws and Board rules.
The AICPA and the Society assist their members in staying up-to-date in the profession. The AICPA also promulgates professional accounting and auditing standards for financial accounting and reporting. However, it is state boards of accountancy that have the legal authority to regulate CPAs, and to suspend or revoke the CPA certificate for cause. In Louisiana, such authority rests with the State Board of CPAs of Louisiana.
Here are some dates of significant events which provide more background about the State Board of CPAs of Louisiana:
- 1908 – the Board was created by the Louisiana legislature and the first Louisiana CPA certificate was issued
- 1910 – the first Louisiana CPA certificate based on the CPA exam was issued, since then all by examination
- 1975 – bachelor’s degree requirement to sit for the examination 1980 licensing changed from “one tier” to a “two tier” basis, and mandatory CPE for licensees became effective
- 1983 – modified the experience requirement for licensing
- 1990 – 150 hour requirement passed the legislature to become effective in 1997
- 1994 – CPA exam changed from 2.5 day to 2 day exam with calculators provided
- 1996 – CPA exam became non-disclosed May 1996
- 1997 – 150 college credit hour requirement (as enacted in 1990) was implemented for new CPA exam candidates (at the May 1997 exam)
- 1999 – The Louisiana Accountancy Act was enacted which was modeled upon the “Uniform Accountancy Act” and made significant changes in the existing law
- 2004- Computer based testing (CBT) of the CPA Exam was launched in April 2004
- 2015 – CPE reporting changed effective in 2016 from triennial to annual with minimum hours to be earned each year
- 2016 – 150 hour requirement for exam candidates changed; eligible to sit for exam after bachelor’s degree but must earn 150 hours within 5 years after successfully passing exam or exam scores voided
- 2023 – CPE Reciprocity was adopted by the Louisiana Board
