1. 1. The board shall prescribe rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of sections 326.011 to 326.230; provided, however, nothing herein contained shall be construed as conferring upon the board the authority to issue rules or regulations on any subject affecting the practice of public accountancy by a person previously licensed as a certified public accountant unless specifically authorized by the general assembly. Such rules and regulations may include:

   1. (1) Rules of procedure for governing the conduct of matters before the board;
   2. (2) Rules of professional conduct for establishing and maintaining high standards of competence and integrity in the profession of public accountancy;
   3. (3) Regulations governing educational requirements for issuance of the certificate of "certified public accountant" and prescribing further educational requirements, known as "requirements of continuing education", to be met from time to time by the holders of such certificates and by the holders of public accountant certificates, in order to maintain their professional knowledge and competence, as a condition to continuing in the practice of public accountancy;
   4. (4) Regulations governing corporations practicing public accounting, including but not limited to rules concerning their style, name, title, and affiliation with any other organization; and establishing reasonable standards with respect to professional liability insurance and unimpaired capital, and prescribing joint and several liability for torts relating to professional services for shareholders of any such corporation failing to comply with such standards;
   5. (5) Regulations governing peer review committee accreditation and requirements for registration of an office and issuance of permits;
   6. (6) Regulations prohibiting competitive bidding which is declared to be contrary to the public interest for professional engagement of certified public accountants or public accountants which regulations are not in conflict with other provisions of law.
2. 2. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of this chapter shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024, RSMo.

3. 3. In promulgating rules and regulations in respect to the requirements of continuing education as authorized by the provisions of subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of this section, the board:

   1. (1) May, among other things, use and rely upon guidelines and pronouncements of recognized educational and professional associations;
   2. (2) May prescribe for content, duration and organization of courses;
   3. (3) Shall take into account the accessibility to applicants of such continuing education as the board may require, and any impediments to the interstate practice of public accountancy which may result from differences in such requirements in states;
   4. (4) May provide for relaxation or suspension of such requirements for instances of individual hardship;
   5. (5) Shall not, in establishing requirements for continuing education, require in excess of one hundred twenty hours of continuing education in any three-year period, not more than one-third of which shall be required in any one year, and such requirements of continuing education must be susceptible of being fulfilled in programs or courses reasonably available to certificate holders within the state.
4. 4. The board may by rule require such reports concerning continuing education as it deems necessary from holders of permits granted under the provisions of section 326.210.

(L. 1943 p. 955 § 14911l, A.L. 1977 S.B. 100, A.L. 1981 S.B. 200 merged with S.B. 16, A.L. 1984 S.B. 411, A.L. 1993 S.B. 52, A.L. 1995 S.B. 3)