Purpose: WAC 4-25-620 requires Washington certified public accountants (CPAs) to be free of conflicts of interest. This requirement is a rule of professional conduct necessary to establish and maintain high standards of ethics of certified public accountants (CPAs) to protect the public interest.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 4-25-620 When must I comply with the rules of conduct requiring integrity and objectivity?.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.04.055(2).

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 98-01-229 on December 24, 1997.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

May 27, 1998

Cheryl M. Sexton

Confidential Secretary

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 93-22-046, filed 10/28/93, effective 11/28/93)

WAC 4-25-620  ((Integrity and objectivity.)) When must I comply with the rules of conduct requiring integrity and objectivity? ((In the performance of professional services a person using the CPA title shall be honest, objective, free of conflicts of interest unless such conflicts are specifically permitted by board rule or professional standards, and shall not misrepresent facts or subordinate his or her judgment to others.)) If you use the title CPA when performing professional services you must remain honest and objective. You must not misrepresent facts or subordinate your judgment to others.

Also, you must remain free of conflicts of interest unless such conflicts are specifically permitted by board rule or professional standards. If professional standards differ from board rule, board rule prevails.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.40.055. 93-22-046, § 4-25-620, filed 10/28/93, effective 11/28/93.]