Section 43-3-6. Requirements for certificate of "certified public accountant"; disclosure of commissions from sale of insurance or financial products

   (a) The certificate of "certified public accountant" shall be granted by the board to any person:

   (1) Who has attained the age of 18;

   (2) Who is, in the opinion of the board, of good moral character;

   (3) Who meets the following requirements of education and experience:

      (A) (i) Presentation to the board of such evidence as it may require that the applicant has received a baccalaureate degree or completed the requirements therefor, conferred by a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization recognized by the board, with a concentration in accounting or what the board determines to be the substantial equivalent of an accounting concentration, or with a nonaccounting concentration supplemented by what the board determines to be the substantial equivalent of an accounting concentration, including related courses in other areas of business administration.

         (ii) After January 1, 1998, any person who has not previously sat for the uniform written examination for the certificate of certified public accountant must have completed a total of 150 semester hours or 225 quarter hours of college education, including a baccalaureate degree awarded by a college or university accredited by either a national or regional accrediting organization recognized by the board. The total educational program shall include an undergraduate accounting concentration as defined by the board or what the board determines to be the substantial equivalent of an undergraduate accounting concentration; and

      (B) One year of continuous experience in public accountancy immediately preceding the date of application for the certificate or within a reasonable time prior to the date of such application as provided by the board by rule, provided that the board may promulgate rules stating certain circumstances which shall constitute acceptable breaks in the continuity of said experience; and provided, further, that the board may accept, in lieu of such year of experience in public accounting, evidence satisfactory to it of one year of continuous employment in the accounting field in industry, business, government, or college teaching; any combination of the above; or any combination of the above and practice of public accountancy immediately preceding the date of application for the certificate or what the board determines to be the equivalent thereof; and provided, further, that any person certified as a certified public accountant under the laws of this state on July 1, 1977, shall be deemed to have the experience in the practice of public accountancy required by this subparagraph; and

   (4) Who shall have passed an examination approved by the board in such related subjects as the board deems appropriate.

(b) For the purposes of this Code section, "good moral character" means fiscal integrity and a lack of any history of acts involving dishonesty or moral turpitude. For failure to satisfy this requirement, the board may refuse to certify an applicant where it finds that there is a substantial connection between the lack of good moral character of the applicant and the professional responsibilities of a licensee and the finding by the board of a lack of good moral character is supported by clear and convincing evidence. When an applicant is found to be unqualified for a certificate because of lack of good moral character, the board shall furnish the applicant a statement containing the findings of the board and a complete listing of the evidence upon which the determination was based, and the applicant may request a hearing on that determination.

(c) Any person who holds a certificate as a "certified public accountant" and who is engaged in the sale of insurance or financial products for which such person receives commissions must disclose in writing to the client the fact that the person shall receive commissions from the sale to the client of any such insurance or financial products; provided, however, that the person shall not be required to disclose the actual amount of such commissions. A person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Ga. L. 1908, p. 86, § 1; Civil Code 1910, § 1995; Code 1933, § 84-201; Code 1933, §§ 84-207, 84-208, enacted by Ga. L. 1935, p. 85, §§ 7, 8; Ga. L. 1943, p. 363, § 2; Ga. L. 1965, p. 185, § 1; Ga. L. 1972, p. 508, § 1; Code 1933, § 84-204, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 1063, § 1; Ga. L. 1983, p. 559, § 2; Ga. L. 1991, p. 371, § 1; Ga. L. 2002, p. 863, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 1112, § 3/HB 1055.