S. 2473 2
ENTITIES. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE" MEANS
TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CLIENTS OR TO OTHERWISE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE PART IN
THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM. SUCH A FIRM SHALL
HAVE ATTACHED TO ITS CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION A CERTIFICATE OR
CERTIFICATES DEMONSTRATING THE FIRM'S COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PARAGRAPH, IN
LIEU OF THE CERTIFICATE OR CERTIFICATES REQUIRED BY SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF
PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION.
§ 2. Section 1507 of the business corporation law is amended by adding
a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:
(C) ANY FIRM ESTABLISHED FOR THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF INCORPORATING AS
A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (H) OF SECTION
FIFTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE MAY ISSUE SHARES TO INDIVIDUALS
WHO ARE AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO PRACTICE IN THIS STATE THE PROFESSION WHICH
SUCH CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PRACTICE AND WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN
ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF SUCH PROFESSION IN SUCH CORPORATION OR A
PREDECESSOR ENTITY, OR WHO WILL ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICE OF SUCH PROFES-
SION IN SUCH CORPORATION WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF THE DATE SUCH SHARES ARE
ISSUED AND MAY ALSO ISSUE SHARES TO EMPLOYEES OF THE CORPORATION NOT
LICENSED AS CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS, PROVIDED THAT:
(I) AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF STOCK OF
THE CORPORATION ARE OWNED BY CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS,
(II) AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE DIRECTORS ARE CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS,
(III) AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE OFFICERS ARE CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS,
(IV) THE PRESIDENT, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR OFFICERS ARE CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS.
NO SHAREHOLDER OF A FIRM ESTABLISHED FOR THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF INCOR-
PORATING AS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (H)
OF SECTION FIFTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL ENTER INTO A
VOTING TRUST AGREEMENT, PROXY OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF AGREEMENT VESTING IN
ANOTHER PERSON, OTHER THAN ANOTHER SHAREHOLDER OF THE SAME CORPORATION,
THE AUTHORITY TO EXERCISE VOTING POWER OF ANY OR ALL OF HIS OR HER
SHARES. ALL SHARES ISSUED, AGREEMENTS MADE OR PROXIES GRANTED IN
VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE VOID.
§ 3. Section 1508 of the business corporation law is amended by adding
a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:
(C) THE DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF ANY FIRM ESTABLISHED FOR THE BUSI-
NESS PURPOSE OF INCORPORATING AS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION
PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (H) OF SECTION FIFTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTI-
CLE MAY INCLUDE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT LICENSED TO PRACTICE PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANCY, PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE
DIRECTORS, AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE OFFICERS AND THE PRESIDENT,
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFI-
CER OR OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED BY LAW TO PRACTICE IN ANY STATE THE
PROFESSION WHICH SUCH CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED TO PRACTICE, AND ARE
EITHER SHAREHOLDERS OF SUCH CORPORATION OR ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF
THEIR PROFESSIONS IN SUCH CORPORATION.
§ 4. Section 1509 of the business corporation law, as amended by chap-
ter 550 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
§ 1509. Disqualification of shareholders, directors, officers and
employees.
If any shareholder, director, officer or employee of a professional
service corporation, including a design professional service corpo-
ration, who has been rendering professional service to the public
becomes legally disqualified to practice his OR HER profession within
S. 2473 3
this state, he OR SHE shall sever all employment with, and financial
interests (other than interests as a creditor) in, such corporation
forthwith or as otherwise provided in section 1510 of this article. All
provisions of law regulating the rendering of professional services by a
person elected or appointed to a public office shall be applicable to a
shareholder, director, officer and employee of such corporation in the
same manner and to the same extent as if fully set forth herein. Such
legal disqualification to practice his OR HER profession within this
state shall be deemed to constitute an irrevocable offer by the disqual-
ified shareholder to sell his OR HER shares to the corporation, pursuant
to the provisions of section 1510 of this article or of the certificate
of incorporation, by-laws or agreement among the corporation and all
shareholders, whichever is applicable. Compliance with the terms of such
offer shall be specifically enforceable in the courts of this state. A
professional service corporation's failure to enforce compliance with
this provision shall constitute a ground for forfeiture of its certif-
icate of incorporation and its dissolution.
§ 5. Paragraph (a) of section 1511 of the business corporation law, as
amended by chapter 550 of the laws of 2011, is amended and a new para-
graph (c) is added to read as follows:
(a) No shareholder of a professional service corporation [or], INCLUD-
ING a design professional service corporation, may sell or transfer his
OR HER shares in such corporation except to another individual who is
eligible to have shares issued to him OR HER by such corporation or
except in trust to another individual who would be eligible to receive
shares if he OR SHE were employed by the corporation. Nothing herein
contained shall be construed to prohibit the transfer of shares by oper-
ation of law or by court decree. No transferee of shares by operation
of law or court decree may vote the shares for any purpose whatsoever
except with respect to corporate action under sections 909 and 1001 of
this chapter. The restriction in the preceding sentence shall not apply,
however, where such transferee would be eligible to have shares issued
to him OR HER if he OR SHE were an employee of the corporation and, if
there are other shareholders, a majority of such other shareholders
shall fail to redeem the shares so transferred, pursuant to section 1510
of this article, within sixty days of receiving written notice of such
transfer. Any sale or transfer, except by operation of law or court
decree or except for a corporation having only one shareholder, may be
made only after the same shall have been approved by the board of direc-
tors, or at a shareholders' meeting specially called for such purpose by
such proportion, not less than a majority, of the outstanding shares as
may be provided in the certificate of incorporation or in the by-laws of
such professional service corporation. At such shareholders' meeting the
shares held by the shareholder proposing to sell or transfer his OR HER
shares may not be voted or counted for any purpose, unless all share-
holders consent that such shares be voted or counted. The certificate of
incorporation or the by-laws of the professional service corporation, or
the professional service corporation and the shareholders by private
agreement, may provide, in lieu of or in addition to the foregoing
provisions, for the alienation of shares and may require the redemption
or purchase of such shares by such corporation at prices and in a manner
specifically set forth therein. The existence of the restrictions on the
sale or transfer of shares, as contained in this article and, if appli-
cable, in the certificate of incorporation, by-laws, stock purchase or
stock redemption agreement, shall be noted conspicuously on the face or
back of every certificate for shares issued by a professional service
S. 2473 4
corporation. Any sale or transfer in violation of such restrictions
shall be void.
(C) A FIRM ESTABLISHED FOR THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF INCORPORATING AS A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (H) OF SECTION
FIFTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE, SHALL PURCHASE OR REDEEM THE
SHARES OF A NON-LICENSED PROFESSIONAL SHAREHOLDER IN THE CASE OF HIS OR
HER TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER SUCH TERMINATION.
A FIRM ESTABLISHED FOR THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF INCORPORATING AS A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (H) OF SECTION
FIFTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE, SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE
OR REDEEM THE SHARES OF A TERMINATED NON-LICENSED PROFESSIONAL SHARE-
HOLDER IF SUCH SHARES, WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER SUCH TERMINATION, ARE
SOLD OR TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE OF THE CORPORATION PURSUANT TO
THIS ARTICLE.
§ 6. Section 1514 of the business corporation law is amended by adding
a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:
(C) EACH FIRM ESTABLISHED FOR THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF INCORPORATING AS
A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (H) OF SECTION
FIFTEEN HUNDRED THREE OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL, AT LEAST ONCE EVERY THREE
YEARS ON OR BEFORE THE DATE PRESCRIBED BY THE LICENSING AUTHORITY,
FURNISH A STATEMENT TO THE LICENSING AUTHORITY LISTING THE NAMES AND
RESIDENCE ADDRESSES OF EACH SHAREHOLDER, DIRECTOR AND OFFICER OF SUCH
CORPORATION AND CERTIFY AS THE DATE OF CERTIFICATION AND AT ALL TIMES
OVER THE ENTIRE THREE YEAR PERIOD THAT:
(I) AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF STOCK OF
THE CORPORATION ARE AND WERE OWNED BY CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS,
(II) AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE DIRECTORS ARE AND WERE CERTI-
FIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS,
(III) AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OF THE OFFICERS ARE AND WERE CERTI-
FIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS,
(IV) THE PRESIDENT, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OR OFFICERS ARE AND WERE CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS.
THE STATEMENT SHALL BE SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT OR ANY CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANT VICE-PRESIDENT AND ATTESTED TO BY THE SECRETARY OR ANY
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE CORPORATION.
§ 7. Paragraph (d) of section 1525 of the business corporation law, as
added by chapter 505 of the laws of 1983, is amended to read as follows:
(d) "Foreign professional service corporation" means a professional
service corporation, whether or not denominated as such, organized under
the laws of a jurisdiction other than this state, all of the sharehold-
ers, directors and officers of which are authorized and licensed to
practice the profession for which such corporation is licensed to do
business; except that all shareholders, directors and officers of a
foreign professional service corporation which provides health services
in this state shall be licensed in this state. A FOREIGN PROFESSIONAL
SERVICE CORPORATION FORMED TO LAWFULLY ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANCY, AS SUCH PRACTICE IS DEFINED UNDER ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED
FORTY-NINE OF THE EDUCATION LAW, OR EQUIVALENT STATE LAW, SHALL BE
REQUIRED TO SHOW (1) THAT A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THE
FIRM, IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS, AND VOTING RIGHTS HELD BY THE
FIRM'S OWNERS, BELONGS TO INDIVIDUALS LICENSED TO PRACTICE PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANCY IN SOME STATE, AND (2) THAT ALL SHAREHOLDERS OF A FOREIGN
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CORPORATION WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IS IN
THIS STATE, AND WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN
THIS STATE, HOLD A VALID LICENSE ISSUED UNDER SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR
S. 2473 5
HUNDRED FOUR OF THE EDUCATION LAW. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS PARAGRAPH,
"FINANCIAL INTEREST" MEANS CAPITAL STOCK, CAPITAL ACCOUNTS, CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS, CAPITAL INTEREST, OR INTEREST IN UNDISTRIBUTED EARNINGS
OF A BUSINESS ENTITY. ALTHOUGH FIRMS MAY INCLUDE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS,
THE FIRM AND ITS OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH RULES PROMULGATED BY THE STATE
BOARD OF REGENTS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, A FIRM REGISTERED
UNDER THIS SECTION MAY NOT HAVE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS IF THE FIRM'S NAME
INCLUDES THE WORDS "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT," OR "CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS," OR THE ABBREVIATIONS "CPA" OR "CPAS". EACH NON-LICENSEE
OWNER OF A FIRM THAT IS OPERATING UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE A NATURAL
PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE BUSINESS OF THE FIRM OR ITS
AFFILIATED ENTITIES, PROVIDED EACH BENEFICIAL OWNER OF AN EQUITY INTER-
EST IN SUCH ENTITY IS A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE
BUSINESS CONDUCTED BY THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES. FOR PURPOSES
OF THIS PARAGRAPH, "ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE" MEANS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO
CLIENTS OR TO OTHERWISE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE PART IN THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSI-
NESS OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM.
§ 8. Subdivision (q) of section 121-1500 of the partnership law, as
amended by chapter 475 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as
follows:
(q) Each partner of a registered limited liability partnership formed
to provide medical services in this state must be licensed pursuant to
article 131 of the education law to practice medicine in this state and
each partner of a registered limited liability partnership formed to
provide dental services in this state must be licensed pursuant to arti-
cle 133 of the education law to practice dentistry in this state. Each
partner of a registered limited liability partnership formed to provide
veterinary services in this state must be licensed pursuant to article
135 of the education law to practice veterinary medicine in this state.
EACH PARTNER OF A REGISTERED LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP FORMED TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES, WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS
IS IN THIS STATE AND WHO PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES, MUST BE
LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW TO PRACTICE PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANCY IN THIS STATE. Each partner of a registered limited liabil-
ity partnership formed to provide professional engineering, land survey-
ing, geological services, architectural and/or landscape architectural
services in this state must be licensed pursuant to article 145, article
147 and/or article 148 of the education law to practice one or more of
such professions in this state. Each partner of a registered limited
liability partnership formed to provide licensed clinical social work
services in this state must be licensed pursuant to article 154 of the
education law to practice clinical social work in this state. Each part-
ner of a registered limited liability partnership formed to provide
creative arts therapy services in this state must be licensed pursuant
to article 163 of the education law to practice creative arts therapy in
this state. Each partner of a registered limited liability partnership
formed to provide marriage and family therapy services in this state
must be licensed pursuant to article 163 of the education law to prac-
tice marriage and family therapy in this state. Each partner of a regis-
tered limited liability partnership formed to provide mental health
counseling services in this state must be licensed pursuant to article
163 of the education law to practice mental health counseling in this
state. Each partner of a registered limited liability partnership formed
to provide psychoanalysis services in this state must be licensed pursu-
ant to article 163 of the education law to practice psychoanalysis in
this state. Each partner of a registered limited liability partnership
S. 2473 6
formed to provide applied behavior analysis service in this state must
be licensed or certified pursuant to article 167 of the education law to
practice applied behavior analysis in this state. A LIMITED LIABILITY
PARTNERSHIP FORMED TO LAWFULLY ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUN-
TANCY, AS SUCH PRACTICE IS RESPECTIVELY DEFINED UNDER ARTICLE 149 OF THE
EDUCATION LAW, SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW (1) THAT A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF
THE OWNERSHIP OF THE FIRM, IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS, AND VOTING
RIGHTS HELD BY THE FIRM'S OWNERS, BELONGS TO INDIVIDUALS LICENSED TO
PRACTICE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN SOME STATE, AND (2) THAT ALL PARTNERS OF
A LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IS IN
THIS STATE, AND WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN
THIS STATE, HOLD A VALID LICENSE ISSUED UNDER SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR
HUNDRED FOUR OF THE EDUCATION LAW. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION,
"FINANCIAL INTEREST" MEANS CAPITAL STOCK, CAPITAL ACCOUNTS, CAPITAL
CONTRIBUTIONS, CAPITAL INTEREST, OR INTEREST IN UNDISTRIBUTED EARNINGS
OF A BUSINESS ENTITY. ALTHOUGH FIRMS MAY INCLUDE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS,
THE FIRM AND ITS OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH RULES PROMULGATED BY THE STATE
BOARD OF REGENTS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, A FIRM REGISTERED UNDER
THIS SECTION MAY NOT HAVE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS IF THE FIRM'S NAME
INCLUDES THE WORDS "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT," OR "CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTS," OR THE ABBREVIATIONS "CPA" OR "CPAS". EACH NON-LICENSEE OWNER
OF A FIRM THAT IS FORMED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE (1) A NATURAL
PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE BUSINESS OF THE FIRM OR ITS
AFFILIATED ENTITIES, OR (2) AN ENTITY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A
PARTNERSHIP OR PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, PROVIDED EACH BENEFICIAL OWNER
OF AN EQUITY INTEREST IN SUCH ENTITY IS A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY
PARTICIPATES IN THE BUSINESS CONDUCTED BY THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED
ENTITIES. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE" MEANS
TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO CLIENTS OR TO OTHERWISE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE PART IN
THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM.
§ 9. Subdivision (q) of section 121-1502 of the partnership law, as
amended by chapter 475 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as
follows:
(q) Each partner of a foreign limited liability partnership which
provides medical services in this state must be licensed pursuant to
article 131 of the education law to practice medicine in the state and
each partner of a foreign limited liability partnership which provides
dental services in the state must be licensed pursuant to article 133 of
the education law to practice dentistry in this state. Each partner of a
foreign limited liability partnership which provides veterinary service
in the state shall be licensed pursuant to article 135 of the education
law to practice veterinary medicine in this state. Each partner of a
foreign limited liability partnership which provides professional engi-
neering, land surveying, geological services, architectural and/or land-
scape architectural services in this state must be licensed pursuant to
article 145, article 147 and/or article 148 of the education law to
practice one or more of such professions. EACH PARTNER OF A FOREIGN
REGISTERED LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP FORMED TO PROVIDE PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES, WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IS IN THIS STATE
AND WHO PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES, MUST BE LICENSED PURSUANT
TO ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW TO PRACTICE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN
THIS STATE. Each partner of a foreign limited liability partnership
which provides licensed clinical social work services in this state must
be licensed pursuant to article 154 of the education law to practice
licensed clinical social work in this state. Each partner of a foreign
limited liability partnership which provides creative arts therapy
S. 2473 7
services in this state must be licensed pursuant to article 163 of the
education law to practice creative arts therapy in this state. Each
partner of a foreign limited liability partnership which provides
marriage and family therapy services in this state must be licensed
pursuant to article 163 of the education law to practice marriage and
family therapy in this state. Each partner of a foreign limited liabil-
ity partnership which provides mental health counseling services in this
state must be licensed pursuant to article 163 of the education law to
practice mental health counseling in this state. Each partner of a
foreign limited liability partnership which provides psychoanalysis
services in this state must be licensed pursuant to article 163 of the
education law to practice psychoanalysis in this state. Each partner of
a foreign limited liability partnership which provides applied behavior
analysis services in this state must be licensed or certified pursuant
to article 167 of the education law to practice applied behavior analy-
sis in this state. A FOREIGN LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP FORMED TO
LAWFULLY ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY, AS SUCH PRACTICE
IS RESPECTIVELY DEFINED UNDER ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW, SHALL BE
REQUIRED TO SHOW (1) THAT A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THE
FIRM, IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS, AND VOTING RIGHTS HELD BY THE
FIRM'S OWNERS, BELONGS TO INDIVIDUALS LICENSED TO PRACTICE PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANCY IN SOME STATE, AND (2) THAT ALL PARTNERS OF A FOREIGN LIMIT-
ED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IS IN THIS
STATE, AND WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN THIS
STATE, HOLD A VALID LICENSE ISSUED UNDER SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR HUNDRED
FOUR OF THE EDUCATION LAW. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "FINANCIAL
INTEREST" MEANS CAPITAL STOCK, CAPITAL ACCOUNTS, CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS,
CAPITAL INTEREST, OR INTEREST IN UNDISTRIBUTED EARNINGS OF A BUSINESS
ENTITY. ALTHOUGH FIRMS MAY INCLUDE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS, THE FIRM AND
ITS OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH RULES PROMULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF
REGENTS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, A FIRM REGISTERED UNDER THIS
SECTION MAY NOT HAVE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS IF THE FIRM'S NAME INCLUDES THE
WORDS "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT," OR "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS,"
OR THE ABBREVIATIONS "CPA" OR "CPAS". EACH NON-LICENSEE OWNER OF A FIRM
THAT IS FORMED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE (1) A NATURAL PERSON WHO
ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE BUSINESS OF THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED
ENTITIES, OR (2) AN ENTITY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A PARTNERSHIP
OR PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, PROVIDED EACH BENEFICIAL OWNER OF AN EQUITY
INTEREST IN SUCH ENTITY IS A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN
THE BUSINESS CONDUCTED BY THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES. FOR
PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE" MEANS TO PROVIDE
SERVICES TO CLIENTS OR TO OTHERWISE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE PART IN THE DAY-
TO-DAY BUSINESS OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM.
§ 10. Subdivision (h) of section 121-101 of the partnership law, as
added by chapter 950 of the laws of 1990, is amended to read as follows:
(h) "Limited partnership" and "domestic limited partnership" mean,
unless the context otherwise requires, a partnership (i) formed by two
or more persons pursuant to this article or which complies with subdivi-
sion (a) of section 121-1202 of this article and (ii) having one or more
general partners and one or more limited partners. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY
OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OR DOMESTIC LIMITED PART-
NERSHIP FORMED TO LAWFULLY ENGAGE IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY,
AS SUCH PRACTICE IS RESPECTIVELY DEFINED UNDER ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCA-
TION LAW SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW (1) THAT A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE
OWNERSHIP OF THE FIRM, IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL INTERESTS, INCLUDING OWNER-
SHIP-BASED COMPENSATION, AND VOTING RIGHTS HELD BY THE FIRM'S OWNERS,
S. 2473 8
BELONGS TO INDIVIDUALS LICENSED TO PRACTICE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN SOME
STATE, AND (2) THAT ALL PARTNERS OF A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OR DOMESTIC
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IS IN THIS STATE,
AND WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN THIS STATE,
HOLD A VALID LICENSE ISSUED UNDER SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR HUNDRED FOUR OF
THE EDUCATION LAW OR ARE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS LICENSED UNDER SECTION
SEVENTY-FOUR HUNDRED FIVE OF THE EDUCATION LAW. ALTHOUGH FIRMS MAY
INCLUDE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS, THE FIRM AND ITS OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH
RULES PROMULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE
FOREGOING, A FIRM REGISTERED UNDER THIS SECTION MAY NOT HAVE NON-LICEN-
SEE OWNERS IF THE FIRM'S NAME INCLUDES THE WORDS "CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANT," OR "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS," OR THE ABBREVIATIONS
"CPA" OR "CPAS". EACH NON-LICENSEE OWNER OF A FIRM THAT IS REGISTERED
UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE (1) A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTIC-
IPATES IN THE BUSINESS OF THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES, OR (2) AN
ENTITY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A PARTNERSHIP OR PROFESSIONAL
CORPORATION, PROVIDED EACH BENEFICIAL OWNER OF AN EQUITY INTEREST IN
SUCH ENTITY IS A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE BUSI-
NESS CONDUCTED BY THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES. FOR PURPOSES OF
THIS SUBDIVISION, "ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE" MEANS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO
CLIENTS OR TO OTHERWISE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE PART IN THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSI-
NESS OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM.
§ 11. Subdivision (b) of section 1207 of the limited liability company
law, as amended by chapter 475 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read
as follows:
(b) With respect to a professional service limited liability company
formed to provide medical services as such services are defined in arti-
cle 131 of the education law, each member of such limited liability
company must be licensed pursuant to article 131 of the education law to
practice medicine in this state. With respect to a professional service
limited liability company formed to provide dental services as such
services are defined in article 133 of the education law, each member of
such limited liability company must be licensed pursuant to article 133
of the education law to practice dentistry in this state. With respect
to a professional service limited liability company formed to provide
veterinary services as such services are defined in article 135 of the
education law, each member of such limited liability company must be
licensed pursuant to article 135 of the education law to practice veter-
inary medicine in this state. With respect to a professional service
limited liability company formed to provide professional engineering,
land surveying, architectural, landscape architectural and/or geological
services as such services are defined in article 145, article 147 and
article 148 of the education law, each member of such limited liability
company must be licensed pursuant to article 145, article 147 and/or
article 148 of the education law to practice one or more of such
professions in this state. WITH RESPECT TO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FORMED TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES
AS SUCH SERVICES ARE DEFINED IN ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW EACH
MEMBER OF SUCH LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSI-
NESS IS IN THIS STATE AND WHO PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES, MUST
BE LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW TO PRACTICE
PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN THIS STATE. With respect to a professional service
limited liability company formed to provide licensed clinical social
work services as such services are defined in article 154 of the educa-
tion law, each member of such limited liability company shall be
licensed pursuant to article 154 of the education law to practice
S. 2473 9
licensed clinical social work in this state. With respect to a profes-
sional service limited liability company formed to provide creative arts
therapy services as such services are defined in article 163 of the
education law, each member of such limited liability company must be
licensed pursuant to article 163 of the education law to practice crea-
tive arts therapy in this state. With respect to a professional service
limited liability company formed to provide marriage and family therapy
services as such services are defined in article 163 of the education
law, each member of such limited liability company must be licensed
pursuant to article 163 of the education law to practice marriage and
family therapy in this state. With respect to a professional service
limited liability company formed to provide mental health counseling
services as such services are defined in article 163 of the education
law, each member of such limited liability company must be licensed
pursuant to article 163 of the education law to practice mental health
counseling in this state. With respect to a professional service limited
liability company formed to provide psychoanalysis services as such
services are defined in article 163 of the education law, each member of
such limited liability company must be licensed pursuant to article 163
of the education law to practice psychoanalysis in this state. With
respect to a professional service limited liability company formed to
provide applied behavior analysis services as such services are defined
in article 167 of the education law, each member of such limited liabil-
ity company must be licensed or certified pursuant to article 167 of the
education law to practice applied behavior analysis in this state. A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FORMED TO LAWFULLY ENGAGE
IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY, AS SUCH PRACTICE IS RESPECTIVELY
DEFINED UNDER ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW
(1) THAT A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THE FIRM, IN TERMS OF
FINANCIAL INTERESTS, AND VOTING RIGHTS HELD BY THE FIRM'S OWNERS,
BELONGS TO INDIVIDUALS LICENSED TO PRACTICE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN SOME
STATE, AND (2) THAT ALL MEMBERS OF A LIMITED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LIMIT-
ED LIABILITY COMPANY, WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IS IN THIS
STATE, AND WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN THIS
STATE, HOLD A VALID LICENSE ISSUED UNDER SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR HUNDRED
FOUR OF THE EDUCATION LAW. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "FINANCIAL
INTEREST" MEANS CAPITAL STOCK, CAPITAL ACCOUNTS, CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS,
CAPITAL INTEREST, OR INTEREST IN UNDISTRIBUTED EARNINGS OF A BUSINESS
ENTITY. ALTHOUGH FIRMS MAY INCLUDE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS, THE FIRM AND
ITS OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH RULES PROMULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF
REGENTS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, A FIRM REGISTERED UNDER THIS
SECTION MAY NOT HAVE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS IF THE FIRM'S NAME INCLUDES THE
WORDS "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT," OR "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS,"
OR THE ABBREVIATIONS "CPA" OR "CPAS". EACH NON-LICENSEE OWNER OF A FIRM
THAT IS REGISTERED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE (1) A NATURAL PERSON WHO
ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE BUSINESS OF THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED
ENTITIES, OR (2) AN ENTITY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A PARTNERSHIP
OR PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION, PROVIDED EACH BENEFICIAL OWNER OF AN EQUITY
INTEREST IN SUCH ENTITY IS A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN
THE BUSINESS CONDUCTED BY THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES. FOR
PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE" MEANS TO PROVIDE
SERVICES TO CLIENTS OR TO OTHERWISE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE PART IN THE DAY-
TO-DAY BUSINESS OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM.
§ 12. Subdivision (a) of section 1301 of the limited liability company
law, as amended by chapter 475 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read
as follows:
S. 2473 10
(a) "Foreign professional service limited liability company" means a
professional service limited liability company, whether or not denomi-
nated as such, organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than
this state, (i) each of whose members and managers, if any, is a profes-
sional authorized by law to render a professional service within this
state and who is or has been engaged in the practice of such profession
in such professional service limited liability company or a predecessor
entity, or will engage in the practice of such profession in the profes-
sional service limited liability company within thirty days of the date
such professional becomes a member, or each of whose members and manag-
ers, if any, is a professional at least one of such members is author-
ized by law to render a professional service within this state and who
is or has been engaged in the practice of such profession in such
professional service limited liability company or a predecessor entity,
or will engage in the practice of such profession in the professional
service limited liability company within thirty days of the date such
professional becomes a member, or (ii) authorized by, or holding a
license, certificate, registration or permit issued by the licensing
authority pursuant to, the education law to render a professional
service within this state; except that all members and managers, if any,
of a foreign professional service limited liability company that
provides health services in this state shall be licensed in this state.
With respect to a foreign professional service limited liability company
which provides veterinary services as such services are defined in arti-
cle 135 of the education law, each member of such foreign professional
service limited liability company shall be licensed pursuant to article
135 of the education law to practice veterinary medicine. With respect
to a foreign professional service limited liability company which
provides medical services as such services are defined in article 131 of
the education law, each member of such foreign professional service
limited liability company must be licensed pursuant to article 131 of
the education law to practice medicine in this state. With respect to a
foreign professional service limited liability company which provides
dental services as such services are defined in article 133 of the
education law, each member of such foreign professional service limited
liability company must be licensed pursuant to article 133 of the educa-
tion law to practice dentistry in this state. With respect to a foreign
professional service limited liability company which provides profes-
sional engineering, land surveying, geologic, architectural and/or land-
scape architectural services as such services are defined in article
145, article 147 and article 148 of the education law, each member of
such foreign professional service limited liability company must be
licensed pursuant to article 145, article 147 and/or article 148 of the
education law to practice one or more of such professions in this state.
WITH RESPECT TO A FOREIGN PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
WHICH PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES AS SUCH SERVICES ARE DEFINED
IN ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW, EACH MEMBER OF SUCH FOREIGN PROFES-
SIONAL SERVICE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSI-
NESS IS IN THIS STATE AND WHO PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES,
SHALL BE LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW TO PRAC-
TICE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN THIS STATE. With respect to a foreign profes-
sional service limited liability company which provides licensed clin-
ical social work services as such services are defined in article 154 of
the education law, each member of such foreign professional service
limited liability company shall be licensed pursuant to article 154 of
the education law to practice clinical social work in this state. With
S. 2473 11
respect to a foreign professional service limited liability company
which provides creative arts therapy services as such services are
defined in article 163 of the education law, each member of such foreign
professional service limited liability company must be licensed pursuant
to article 163 of the education law to practice creative arts therapy in
this state. With respect to a foreign professional service limited
liability company which provides marriage and family therapy services as
such services are defined in article 163 of the education law, each
member of such foreign professional service limited liability company
must be licensed pursuant to article 163 of the education law to prac-
tice marriage and family therapy in this state. With respect to a
foreign professional service limited liability company which provides
mental health counseling services as such services are defined in arti-
cle 163 of the education law, each member of such foreign professional
service limited liability company must be licensed pursuant to article
163 of the education law to practice mental health counseling in this
state. With respect to a foreign professional service limited liability
company which provides psychoanalysis services as such services are
defined in article 163 of the education law, each member of such foreign
professional service limited liability company must be licensed pursuant
to article 163 of the education law to practice psychoanalysis in this
state. With respect to a foreign professional service limited liability
company which provides applied behavior analysis services as such
services are defined in article 167 of the education law, each member of
such foreign professional service limited liability company must be
licensed or certified pursuant to article 167 of the education law to
practice applied behavior analysis in this state. A FOREIGN PROFESSIONAL
SERVICE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FORMED TO LAWFULLY ENGAGE IN THE PRAC-
TICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY, AS SUCH PRACTICE IS RESPECTIVELY DEFINED
UNDER ARTICLE 149 OF THE EDUCATION LAW SHALL BE REQUIRED TO SHOW (1)
THAT A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE OWNERSHIP OF THE FIRM, IN TERMS OF FINAN-
CIAL INTERESTS, AND VOTING RIGHTS HELD BY THE FIRM'S OWNERS, BELONGS TO
INDIVIDUALS LICENSED TO PRACTICE PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN SOME STATE, AND
(2) THAT ALL MEMBERS OF A FOREIGN LIMITED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE LIMITED
LIABILITY COMPANY, WHOSE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS IS IN THIS STATE,
AND WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY IN THIS STATE,
HOLD A VALID LICENSE ISSUED UNDER SECTION SEVENTY-FOUR HUNDRED FOUR OF
THE EDUCATION LAW. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "FINANCIAL INTER-
EST" MEANS CAPITAL STOCK, CAPITAL ACCOUNTS, CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS, CAPI-
TAL INTEREST, OR INTEREST IN UNDISTRIBUTED EARNINGS OF A BUSINESS ENTI-
TY. ALTHOUGH FIRMS MAY INCLUDE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS, THE FIRM AND ITS
OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH RULES PROMULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, A FIRM REGISTERED UNDER THIS SECTION MAY
NOT HAVE NON-LICENSEE OWNERS IF THE FIRM'S NAME INCLUDES THE WORDS
"CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT," OR "CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS," OR THE
ABBREVIATIONS "CPA" OR "CPAS". EACH NON-LICENSEE OWNER OF A FIRM THAT IS
REGISTERED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE (1) A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY
PARTICIPATES IN THE BUSINESS OF THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES, OR
(2) AN ENTITY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, A PARTNERSHIP OR PROFES-
SIONAL CORPORATION, PROVIDED EACH BENEFICIAL OWNER OF AN EQUITY INTEREST
IN SUCH ENTITY IS A NATURAL PERSON WHO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN THE
BUSINESS CONDUCTED BY THE FIRM OR ITS AFFILIATED ENTITIES. FOR PURPOSES
OF THIS SUBDIVISION, "ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE" MEANS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO
CLIENTS OR TO OTHERWISE INDIVIDUALLY TAKE PART IN THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSI-
NESS OR MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRM.
S. 2473 12
§ 13. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
there is hereby established a fee for each non-licensee owner of a firm
that is registered in this state to lawfully engage in the practice of
public accountancy. Such non-licensee owner shall pay a fee of nine
hundred dollars to the department of education on a triennial basis.
§ 14. This act shall take effect immediately.
