CLEAR

West Virginia: elevator workers should be licensed

A recent sunrise report recommends that the West Virginia legislature should consider licensing elevator workers. The occupational duties are defined as assembling, installing and replacing elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters, moving walkways and similar equipment in new and old buildings. Currently, West Virginia licenses only elevator inspectors. The report says that 25 states license elevator workers, most frequently through their Departments of Labor. Read the report.

Florida: DBPR continues to streamline operations

The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability says the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) is making progress in its compliance with earlier recommendations. Among other things, the department has increased its reliance on an online application system, it will conduct a customer satisfaction survey to measure progress in that area, and has implemented an agency-wide electronic document management system. Read the progress report.

Florida: Supreme Court adopts voluntary registration for paralegals

Taking another step in a process that began in 2005, the state Supreme Court has amended the rules regulating the Florida Bar by adopting a voluntary Florida Registered Paralegal Program. The new rules section provides for a disciplinary process and temporary "grandfathering" for persons with paralegal work experience during five of the past eight years.  The program will begin March 1, 2008. Read the court's ruling.

Colorado: sunrise recommendation against regulating massage therapists

The Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform recommends against the state regulation of massage therapists. Its report concludes that "with respect to massage therapists, the harm caused is not a result of incompetence; it is the result of inherently criminal activity. Therefore, there is presently no basis for regulation at any level." A table details training hours, examination(s) accepted, criminal history background check method, and level of regulation in the 38 states with statutes regulating massage therapists. Read the report.

California: report recommends that medical board lower fees or give refunds

The California State Auditor says the state medical board's fund balance is $18.5 million, or between three to four months of agency operating expenses. This is twice the reserve level permitted under state law. The auditor suggests that the board consider either seeking legislative approval to raise or lower licensing fees in order to maintain an appropriate fund balance or giving fee refunds. The medical board responds that it is premature to reduce its fund balance since there are plans for increased program expenditures that will absorb the excess monies by 2012. Read the full audit report.

New Zealand: comments invited on Immigration Advisers licensing standards

Beginning May 2008, persons providing New Zealand immigration advice must obtain an Immigration Advisers license through the Immigration Advisers Authority. The license will be tied to competency standards and a code of conduct. Drafts of both are now available for comment through 21 December 2007. Submit comments.  Read the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007.

Northern Mariana Islands: new Health Care Professions Licensing Board

The Health Care Professions Licensing Act of 2007 (Public Law 15-105) establishes the Health Care Professions Licensing Board of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as an independent regulatory agency. The new board expands the former Medical Profession Licensing Board,giving it authority over 28 health professsions. Nursing and traditional medical professions are not under the new board's authority. Read more.

South Carolina: bar association questions grade changes

The SC Bar Association has asked the state Supreme Court to explain why it threw out the test section on wills, trusts and estates administered during the July examination. This change allowed 20 people who failed the exam, including children of a judge and a legislator, to receive passing scores. Read more.

Accounting: NASBA tells SEC it supports continued convergence of FASB standards with IFRS

The National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) has filed a response to the Concept Release issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) On Allowing U.S. Issuers To Prepare Financial Statements In Accordance With International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The IFRS standards, issued by The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), are required by all publicly traded European Union countries, among others. In the US, its Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) establishes standards for domestic companies and is working with the IFRS to harmonize the two sets of standards. NASBA supports the continued convergence process in part to avoid serious consequences for businesses that do not report to the SEC. Everyone does not agree with NASBA. For example, Deliotte and Touche wrote "we believe that the SEC should develop a comprehensive plan to eventually transition all U.S. users to IFRSs. NASBA's response to the SEC.      Deloitte's response to the SEC.

New Zealand: licensed building practitioners scheme launched

New Zealand has initiated a multi-stage national building competency scheme. Effective now, designers, builders, site supervisors, construction managers and carpenter may apply for voluntary licensing. In 2008, external plasterers, roofers, bricklayers and blocklayers, and specialists in concrete structure, steel structure and building services may also apply. Beginning in November 2010, much of the work in these occupations must be supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). Minister of Building and Construction Clayton Cosgrove says “There will be a public online register of licensed practitioners so the public know they are hiring a competent professional. Cowboy builders who have left us with problems such as leaky buildings will have no place in this new environment.”  Read more.