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Regulatory Roundup: December 12-18

By:
S.J. Steinhardt
Published Date:
Dec 18, 2023

AICPA

AICPA Releases Guidance for CPAs to Comply with State Laws If a State Changes its Licensure Requirements
Dec 14, 2023

CBO

Report
CBO’s Current View of the Economy and the Implications for the Federal Budget and for Workers

December 15, 2023
CBO responds to questions about the agency's current view of economic growth and interest rates and the implications of that view for the federal budget—as well as about the implications of inflation for workers.

Report
CBO’s Current View of the Economy From 2023 to 2025
December 15, 2023
CBO provides details about the agency's most recent projections of the economy through 2025, which reflect economic developments as of December 5, 2023.

Cost Estimate
H.R. 3415, Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act
December 15, 2023
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on October 26, 2023

Cost Estimate
H.R. 533, Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act
December 15, 2023
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on November 29, 2023

Cost Estimate
H.R. 5532, Russia-North Korea Cooperation Sanctions Act
December 15, 2023
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on November 29, 2023

Report
The Accuracy of CBO’s Budget Projections for Fiscal Year 2023
December 15, 2023
In its May 2022 projections for fiscal year 2023, CBO overestimated revenues by 11 percent and underestimated outlays by 9 percent. CBO’s projection of the federal deficit for 2023 was less than the actual amount by 3.9 percent of GDP.

Report
Income of Working-Age Veterans Receiving Disability Compensation
December 14, 2023
CBO compared the earnings, personal income, and household income of working-age male veterans who received disability payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs with those of veterans who did not receive such payments.

Report
Carbon Capture and Storage in the United States
December 13, 2023
CBO examines the status, federal support, and future potential of carbon capture and storage—a process that removes carbon dioxide from the emissions of power plants and industrial facilities and stores it permanently underground.

Cost Estimate
Estimated Changes in Direct Spending of the Conference Report for H.R. 2670, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
December 13, 2023
As Posted on the Website of the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives on December 6, 2023

Presentation
Exploring the Effects of Medicaid During Childhood on the Economy and the Budget
December 13, 2023
Presentation by Elizabeth Ash, William Carrington, Rebecca Heller, and Grace Hwang of CBO’s Labor, Income Security, and Long-Term Analysis and Health Analysis divisions to the Children’s Health Group, American Academy of Pediatrics.

Cost Estimate
H.R. 1103, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act
December 11, 2023
As ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on November 29, 2023

FAF

Financial Accounting Foundation Trustees Name Five New and Ten Reappointed Members to the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC)
December 18, 2023

Financial Accounting Foundation Appoints Eleven New Members to the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council
December 12, 2023

FASB

FASB Issues Standard That Enhances Income Tax Disclosures
December 14, 2023

FASB Issues Standard to Improve the Accounting for and Disclosure of Certain Crypto Assets
December 13, 2023

Financial Accounting Foundation Appoints Eleven New Members to the Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council
December 12, 2023

GAO

Farm Credit System:
Policy Considerations for a Potential Grant Program for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers

GAO-24-106646
Published:
Publicly Released: Minorities and women may have trouble getting loans to buy and run farms. According to lending industry representatives, these socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers are more likely to operate smaller, lower-revenue farms; have weaker credit histories; or lack clear title to their agricultural land. The Farm Credit System provides low-cost credit to farmers and ranchers. Establishing a grant program for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers...

U.S. Postal Service:
Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Workforce Diversity Efforts

GAO-24-105732
Published:
Publicly Released: he U.S. Postal Service's workforce has become more diverse in recent years, but it's had challenges ensuring its leadership reflects the diversity of its workers. White employees are still more likely to be promoted to some management positions than non-White employees. And managers from historically disadvantaged groups are generally paid less than their White counterparts. USPS's executives have made commitments to supporting diversity, and USPS...

GAO Agile Assessment Guide:
Best Practices for Adoption and Implementation [Reissued with revisions on Dec. 15, 2023]

GAO-24-105506
Published:
Publicly Released:  
Agile is an approach to software development in which software is developed incrementally and is continuously evaluated for functionality, quality, and customer satisfaction. Agile can reduce the risks of funding a program that fails or produces outdated technology. This updated guide presents federal auditors and others with best practices to assess the adoption and use of Agile processes in federal agencies and elsewhere. The federal...

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit:
Opportunities to Improve Oversight

GAO-24-107064
Published:
Publicly Released: In this Snapshot we review our prior work on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit—the largest source of federal assistance for developing affordable rental housing. We've found that the cost of projects using the tax credit varies widely and that there's minimal federal oversight. We discuss ways to address these issues—for example, by collecting better data on project costs. Currently no federal agency has the authority...

National Institute of Standards and Technology:
Strengthening Disclosure Requirements and Assessing Training Could Improve Research Security

GAO-24-106074
Published:
Publicly Released: Some foreign governments try to acquire U.S. research and technology dishonestly. Protecting federally funded research from such threats is critical. The National Institute of Standards and Technology collaborates with foreign and domestic researchers—requiring them to disclose potential conflicts of interest. But NIST doesn't require domestic researchers to disclose as much information as foreign nationals. NIST needs to ensure it can identify research security risks posed...

Medicaid Managed Care:
Rapid Spending Growth in State Directed Payments Needs Enhanced Oversight and Transparency

GAO-24-106202
Published:
Publicly Released: States and the federal government pay managed care plans based on the number of Medicaid beneficiaries. The managed care plans then pay health care providers for services. Since 2017, states have been allowed to steer additional payments to providers to help the state achieve certain Medicaid goals. State directed payments should have been exceptions to the regular payment process, but they now comprise a significant...

COVID-19 Relief:
Treasury Could Improve Its Administration and Oversight of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds

GAO-24-106027
Published:
Publicly Released: In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act appropriated $350 billion in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to help with the COVID-19 pandemic . Treasury is responsible for administering and monitoring these funds. Officials in selected states and localities identified challenges with how Treasury administers these funds. For example, Treasury has a contact center to respond to recipients' questions. Some state and local officials...

VA Health Care:
Actions Needed to Improve Information Reported on Mobile Medical Units

GAO-24-106331
Published:
Publicly Released: The Department of Veterans Affairs uses mobile medical units to provide primary and specialty care to veterans with limited access to health care, such as those in rural areas. The units can help reduce veterans' travel burdens and address provider shortages. Each year, VA reports to Congress about the units, but the reports contain inaccuracies and lack context. For example, some units reported as active...

Artificial Intelligence:
Actions Needed to Improve DOD's Workforce Management

GAO-24-105645
Published:
Publicly Released: The Department of Defense has invested billions of dollars to integrate artificial intelligence into its operations. This includes analyzing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data, and operating deadly autonomous weapon systems. We found, however, that DOD can't fully identify who is part of its AI workforce or which positions require personnel with AI skills. As a result, DOD can't effectively assess the state of its AI...

Special Operations Forces:
DOD Should Slow Acquisition of Armed Overwatch Aircraft Until It Conducts Needed Analysis

GAO-24-106283
Published:
Publicly Released: The Department of Defense is buying 75 new airplanes to support special operations missions. DOD plans to acquire the planes in stages through FY 2029. Special operations forces are supposed to analyze their operational requirements to ensure that purchases like these planes meet mission needs. But this analysis wasn't completed before DOD decided to buy the planes. DOD's special operations mission requirements have also changed...

Grants Management:
HHS Has Taken Steps to Modernize Government-wide Grants Management

GAO-24-106008
Published:
Publicly Released: Health and Human Services is the largest grantmaking agency in the federal government and oversees grants management tools used by other agencies. It has been streamlining grants management processes through the following programs: Relnvent Grants Management , an effort to improve grants administration within HHS via 7 initiatives, such as a grants management training and certification program Recipient Data Insights , a tool that helps...

Small Business Contracting:
SBA Could Improve Oversight of Individual Waiver Requests to the Nonmanufacturer Rule

GAO-24-106196
Published:
Publicly Released: The federal government aims to award 23% of its contracts to small businesses, including manufacturers. If no small manufacturer exists for a product, agencies can request a waiver from the Small Business Administration to allow any sized manufacturer to supply the product instead. Recent SBA data indicated that agencies submitted about 670 waiver requests, roughly 80% of which SBA approved. But its waiver data is...

Artificial Intelligence in Natural Hazard Modeling:
Severe Storms, Hurricanes, Floods, and Wildfires

GAO-24-106213
Published:
Publicly Released:

Economic Sanctions:
Agency Efforts Help Mitigate Some of the Risks Posed by Digital Assets

GAO-24-106178
Published:
Publicly Released: Economic sanctions can include denying a company access to the U.S. financial system or freezing a person's assets under U.S. jurisdiction. However, Bitcoin and other virtual currencies—which enable users to rapidly transfer funds across countries' borders—could be used to evade such sanctions. We found that federal agencies have taken some actions to mitigate this risk. For example, Treasury and the Departments of State and Justice...

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter:
More Actions Needed to Explain Cost Growth and Support Engine Modernization Decision

GAO-24-107177
Published:
Publicly Released: DOD's effort to modernize its F-35 aircraft continues to face challenges that we identified in our prior work. We testified that: The program's cost estimate for modernization grew by billions of dollars, and DOD didn't fully report what caused this increase The program hasn't fully installed the hardware and software needed for future aircraft upgrades because of delays developing the needed technologies Issues with...

Work Arrangements:
Improved Collaboration Could Enhance Labor Force Data

GAO-24-105651
Published:
Publicly Released: Millions of U.S. workers are in nonstandard and contract work arrangements—that is, work that is not permanent, year-round, and full-time employment with predictable hours. Policymakers want to understand such work arrangements and how workers fare in terms of wages, benefits, and workplace safety. However, federal agencies define and measure these arrangements in various ways, so it's hard to know their prevalence and outcomes. We recommended...

Private Health Insurance:
Roll out of Independent Dispute Resolution Process for Out-Of-Network Claims Has Been Challenging

GAO-24-106335
Published:
Publicly Released: Individuals with private health insurance can receive "surprise bills" for the difference between what a provider charged and what their insurance paid. A 2021 law prohibits surprise billing for some services, and directed the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury to give providers and insurers a forum to resolve disputes about how much insurers should pay for out-of-network care. But the rollout...

GAOverview:
Understanding Abuse of Federal Programs: Challenges Identifying and Determining Abuse of Federal Programs
GAO-24-106458
Published:
Publicly Released: This GAOverview is part of our series aimed at helping officials better prevent and detect fraud , waste, and abuse. Abuse of federal resources occurs when someone behaves improperly or unreasonably, or misuses a position or authority. We found 3 key challenges to identifying abuse of federal resources: Officials don't always know what counts as abusive behavior based on program policies Some programs and operations...

Technology Modernization Fund:
Although Planned Amounts Are Substantial, Projects Have Thus Far Achieved Minimal Savings

GAO-24-106575
Published:
Publicly Released: The Technology Modernization Fund awards federal agencies money to replace aging IT systems. Since the program's creation, Congress has appropriated over $1.23 billion, and the Office of Management and Budget and the General Services Administration have awarded funds to 37 federal IT modernization projects. Of these 37 projects: 8 have saved a total of $14.8 million; 5 of which anticipate saving an additional $2.6 million...

Information Technology:
Federal Agencies Are Making Progress in Implementing GAO Recommendations

GAO-24-106693
Published:
Publicly Released: Due to longstanding issues, the federal government's management of IT acquisitions and operations has been on our High Risk List since 2015. For FY 2024, 26 agencies plan to spend approximately $95 billion on IT—$74 billion to operate and maintain existing systems, and $21 billion to pay for new development and modernization projects. As of October 2023, agencies have implemented 88% of our nearly 400...

Health Care Funding:
Federal Funding for Certain Organizations Providing Health-Related Services, 2019 through 2022

GAO-24-106215
Published:
Publicly Released: We reviewed federal funding for various organizations, including certain health centers, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and International Planned Parenthood Federation. The organizations included in our review provide health care and related services, such as family planning and sexual and reproductive health services. These organizations received federal funds through cooperative agreements, public health coverage programs, and grants—including COVID-19 related funding. For example, health centers received...

Artificial Intelligence:
Agencies Have Begun Implementation but Need to Complete Key Requirements

GAO-24-105980
Published:
Publicly Released:

GASB

Financial Accounting Foundation Trustees Name Five New and Ten Reappointed Members to the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC)
December 18, 2023

IASB

December 2023 IASB Update now available and work plan updated
Update
18 December 2023

Join the staff—AV Technician
Careers
18 December 2023

December 2023 ISSB Update and podcast now available
Update
18 December 2023

Join the staff—IT Support Technician
Careers
15 December 2023

New and updated resources to help companies apply IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 from 2024
Announcement
14 December 2023

IFRS Accounting Taxonomy 2023 now available in Ukrainian and Spanish
Translated Content
14 December 2023

New webcast: A regulator’s perspective of the forthcoming IFRS Accounting Standard for subsidiaries
Webcast
13 December 2023

IRS

Transformation work continues: IRS expands business tax account access to S corporations, partnerships; adds ability to view business tax transcripts
IR-2023-243, Dec. 18, 2023 — As part of continuing transformation work, the Internal Revenue Service today announced the launch of the second phase of a new online self-service tool for businesses that expands the business tax account capabilities and eligible entity types.

IRS reminds taxpayers, Jan. 16 due date for final 2023 quarterly estimated tax payments
IR-2023-242, Dec. 15, 2023 — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers who didn’t pay enough tax in 2023 to make a fourth quarter tax payment on or before Jan. 16 to avoid a possible penalty or tax bill when filing in 2024.

IRS clarifies rules for corporate alternative minimum tax
IR-2023-241, Dec. 15, 2023 — The Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service today issued Notice 2024-10 to provide additional interim guidance on the new corporate alternative minimum tax.

Treasury, IRS issue guidance on Sustainable Aviation Fuel Credit
IR-2023-240, Dec. 15, 2023 — The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service today issued Notice 2024-06 for the new Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

IRS issues standard mileage rates for 2024; mileage rate increases to 67 cents a mile, up 1.5 cents from 2023
IR-2023-239, Dec. 14, 2023 — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2024 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.

Treasury, IRS issue guidance for the advanced manufacturing production credit
IR-2023-238, Dec. 14, 2023 — The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service today issued proposed regulations to provide guidance for the advanced manufacturing production credit established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

IRS announces plans for new leadership structure; adjustments align with new priorities, agency transformation work IR-2023-237, Dec. 13, 2023 — Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Danny Werfel today announced plans for a new leadership structure at the agency, a step designed to reflect new transformation goals and update the top of the organization chart for the first time in two decades.

IRS: Free Dec. 14 webinar to focus on tax year 2023 Form 1099-K reporting rules; designed to help reporting income through payment apps and online marketplaces
IR-2023-236, Dec. 12, 2023 — The Internal Revenue Service will hold a free webinar, designed primarily for tax professionals whose clients receive income typically reported to them on Form 1099-K, including those who often use popular payment apps and online marketplaces.

NYS

DFS Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris Statement on FSOC Annual Report
December 15, 2023

PCAOB

Chair Williams’ Statement Before the SEC Open Commission Meeting on the PCAOB’s Proposed 2024 Budget
Dec. 13, 2023

Chair Williams’ Testimony Before U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets
Dec. 12, 2023

SEC

SEC Issues Staff Report on Accredited Investor Definition
2023-253
Washington D.C., Dec. 15, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued a staff report on the accredited investor definition. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act directs the Commission to review the accredited investor definition as it relates to natural persons every four years to determine whether the definition should be modified or adjusted.  The Staff previously reviewed the definition in 2015 and in 2019 (as part of the Concept Release on Harmonization of Securities Offering Exemptions). Staff from the Divisions of Corporation Finance and Economic and Risk Analysis prepared the report in connection with this third review of the definition.

SEC Small Business Advocacy Office Delivers Report to Congress on Capital Raising from Startups to Small Public Companies
2023-252
Washington D.C., Dec. 14, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation issued its 2023 Annual Report today to Congress and the Commission. The report details how entrepreneurs and investors are building companies together, from startups to small public companies.

SEC Charges Titanium Capital and Founder Henry Abdo with Operating Ponzi Scheme
2023-251
Washington D.C., Dec. 14, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged Florida-based Titanium Capital LLC and its founder Henry Abdo with operating a Ponzi scheme that raised at least $5.3 million from more than 160 retail investors in the United States and abroad. The SEC also charged Titanium representative Carol Ann Barsh for her role soliciting investors.

SEC Obtains Emergency Relief to Halt $191 Million Cattle Ponzi Scheme
2023-250
Washington D.C., Dec. 14, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it obtained a temporary restraining order, asset freeze, the appointment of a receiver, and other emergency relief to halt an ongoing $191 million cattle Ponzi scheme being perpetrated by Fort Worth, Texas company Agridime LLC, which claims to specialize in meat sales, distribution, and animal supply chain management, and its owners, Josh Link of Gilbert, Arizona, and Jed Wood of Fort Worth. The SEC alleges that the defendants diverted millions of dollars of investor funds to make Ponzi payments and to pay undisclosed sales commissions to themselves and others.

Credit Suisse Entities to Pay $10 Million for Providing Prohibited Mutual Fund Services
2023-249
Washington D.C., Dec. 13, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and two affiliated Credit Suisse entities (collectively, the Credit Suisse Entities) agreed to pay more than $10 million to settle the SEC’s charges that they provided prohibited underwriting and advising services to mutual funds.

SEC Approves 2024 PCAOB Budget and Accounting Support Fee
2023-248
Washington D.C., Dec. 13, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today approved the 2024 budget of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and the related annual accounting support fee. The 2024 PCAOB budget totals $384.7 million, and the accounting support fee totals $358.8 million, of which $331.0 million will be assessed on public company issuers and $27.8 million will be assessed on registered broker-dealers.

SEC Adopts Rules to Improve Risk Management in Clearance and Settlement and Facilitate Additional Central Clearing for the U.S. Treasury Market
2023-247
Washington D.C., Dec. 13, 2023 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today adopted rule changes to enhance risk management practices for central counterparties in the U.S. Treasury market and facilitate additional clearing of U.S. Treasury securities transactions. The rule changes update the membership standards required of covered clearing agencies for the U.S. Treasury market with respect to a member’s clearance and settlement of specified secondary market transactions. Additional rule changes are designed to reduce the risks faced by a clearing agency and incentivize and facilitate additional central clearing in the U.S. Treasury market.

 

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