§ 121-1500. Registered limited liability partnership. (a)(I) Notwithstanding the education law or any other provision of law, (i) a partnership without limited partners each of whose partners is a professional 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 partnership or a predecessor entity, or will engage in the practice of such profession in the registered limited liability partnership within thirty days of the date of the effectiveness of the registration provided for in this subdivision or a partnership without limited partners each of whose partners is a professional, at least one of whom is 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 partnership or a predecessor entity, or will engage in the practice of such profession in the registered limited liability partnership within thirty days of the date of the effectiveness of the registration provided for in this subdivision, (ii) a partnership without limited partners 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, which renders or intends to render professional services within this state, or (iii) a related limited liability partnership may register as a registered limited liability partnership by filing with the department of state a registration which shall set forth:

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(1) the name of the registered limited liability partnership;

(2) the address of the principal office of the partnership without limited partners;

(3) the profession or professions to be practiced by such partnership without limited partners and a statement that it is eligible to register as a registered limited liability partnership pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section;

(4) a designation of the secretary of state as agent of the partnership without limited partners upon whom process against it may be served and the post office address within or without this state to which the secretary of state shall mail a copy of any process against it or served upon it. The partnership without limited partners may include an email address to which the secretary of state shall email a notice of the fact that process against it has been electronically served upon him or her;

(5) if the partnership without limited partners is to have a registered agent, its name and address in this state and a statement that the registered agent is to be the agent of the partnership without limited partners upon whom process against it may be served;

(6) that the partnership without limited partners is filing a registration for status as a registered limited liability partnership;

(7) if the registration of the partnership without limited partners is to be effective on a date later than the time of filing, the date, not to exceed sixty days from the date of such filing, of such proposed effectiveness;

(8) if all or specified partners of the registered limited liability partnership are to be liable in their capacity as partners for all or specified debts, obligations or liabilities of the registered limited liability partnership as authorized pursuant to subdivision (d) of section twenty-six of this chapter, a statement that all or specified partners are so liable for such debts, obligations or liabilities in their capacity as partners of the registered limited liability partnership as authorized pursuant to subdivision (d) of section twenty-six of this chapter; and

(9) any other matters the partnership without limited partners determines to include in the registration.

(II) (A) Within one hundred twenty days after the effective date of the registration, a copy of the same or a notice containing the substance thereof shall be published once in each week for six successive weeks, in two newspapers of the county in which the principal office of the registered limited liability partnership is located in this state, one newspaper printed weekly and one newspaper to be printed daily, to be designated by the county clerk. When such county is located within a city with a population of one million or more, such designation shall be as though the copy or notice were a notice or advertisement of judicial proceedings. Proof of the publication required by this subparagraph, consisting of the certificate of publication of the registered limited liability partnership with the affidavits of publication annexed thereto, must be filed, with a fee of fifty dollars, with the department of state. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the office of the registered limited liability partnership is located in a county wherein a weekly or daily newspaper of the county, or both, has not been so designated by the county clerk, then the publication herein required shall be made in a weekly or daily newspaper of any county, or both, as the case may be, which is contiguous to, such county, provided that any such newspaper meets all the other requirements of this subparagraph. A copy or notice published in a newspaper other than the newspaper or newspapers designated by the county clerk shall not be deemed to be one of the publications required by this paragraph. The notice shall include: (1) the name of the registered limited liability partnership; (2) the date of filing of the registration with the department of state; (3) the county within this state, in which the principal office of the registered limited liability partnership is located; (3-a) the street address of the principal business location, if any; (4) a statement that the secretary of state has been designated as agent of the registered limited liability partnership upon whom process against it may be served and the post office address within or without this state to which the secretary of state shall mail a copy of any process against it served upon him or her; (5) if the registered limited liability partnership is to have a registered agent, his or her name and address within this state and a statement that the registered agent is to be the agent of the registered limited liability partnership upon whom process against it may be served; (6) if the registered limited liability partnership is to have a specific date of dissolution in addition to the events of dissolution set forth in section sixty-two of this chapter, the latest date upon which the registered limited liability partnership is to dissolve; and (7) the character or purpose of the business of such registered limited liability partnership. Where, at any time after completion of the first of the six weekly publications required by this subparagraph and prior to the completion of the sixth such weekly publication, there is a change in any of the information contained in the copy or notice as published, the registered limited liability partnership may complete the remaining publications of the original copy or notice, and the registered limited liability partnership shall not be required to publish any further or amended copy or notice. Where, at any time after completion of the six weekly publications required by this subparagraph, there is a change to any of the information contained in the copy or notice as published, no further or amended publication or republication shall be required to be made. If within one hundred twenty days after its formation, proof of such publication, consisting of the certificate of publication of the registered limited liability partnership with the affidavits of publication of the newspapers annexed thereto has not been filed with the department of state, the authority of such registered limited liability partnership to carry on, conduct or transact any business in this state shall be suspended, effective as of the expiration of such one hundred twenty day period. The failure of a registered limited liability partnership to cause such copy or notice to be published and such certificate of publication and affidavits of publication to be filed with the department of state within such one hundred twenty day period or the suspension of such registered limited liability partnership's authority to carry on, conduct or transact business in this state pursuant to this subparagraph shall not limit or impair the validity of any contract or act of such registered limited liability partnership, or any right or remedy of any other party under or by virtue of any contract, act or omission of such registered limited liability partnership, or the right of any other party to maintain any action or special proceeding on any such contract, act or omission, or right of such registered limited liability partnership to defend any action or special proceeding in this state, or result in any partner or agent of such registered limited liability partnership becoming liable for the contractual obligations or other liabilities of the registered limited liability partnership. If, at any time following the suspension of a registered limited liability partnership's authority to carry on, conduct or transact business in this state pursuant to this subparagraph, such registered limited liability partnership shall cause proof of publication in substantial compliance with the provisions (other than the one hundred twenty day period) of this subparagraph, consisting of the certificate of publication of the registered limited liability partnership with the affidavits of publication of the newspapers annexed thereto, to be filed with the department of state, such suspension of such registered limited liability partnership's authority to carry on, conduct or transact business shall be annulled.

(B)(1) A registered limited liability partnership which was formed prior to the effective date of this subparagraph and which complied with the publication and filing requirements of this paragraph as in effect prior to such effective date shall not be required to make any publication or republication or any filing under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, and shall not be subject to suspension pursuant to this paragraph.

(2) Within twelve months after the effective date of this subparagraph, a registered limited liability partnership which was formed prior to such effective date and which did not comply with the publication and filing requirements of this paragraph as in effect prior to such effective date shall publish a copy of its registration or a notice containing the substance thereof in the manner required (other than the one hundred twenty day period) by this paragraph as in effect prior to such effective date and file proof of such publication, consisting of the certificate of publication of the registered limited liability partnership with the affidavits of publication of the newspapers annexed thereto, with the department of state.

(3) If a registered limited liability partnership that is subject to the provisions of clause two of this subparagraph fails to file the required proof of publication with the department of state within twelve months after the effective date of this subparagraph, its authority to carry on, conduct or transact any business in this state shall be suspended, effective as of the expiration of such twelve month period.

(4) The failure of a registered limited liability partnership that is subject to the provisions of clause two of this subparagraph to fully comply with the provisions of said clause two or the suspension of such registered limited liability partnership's authority to carry on, conduct or transact any business in this state pursuant to clause three of this subparagraph shall not impair or limit the validity of any contract or act of such registered limited liability partnership, or any right or remedy of any other party under or by virtue of any contract, act or omission of such registered limited liability partnership, or the right of any other party to maintain any action or special proceeding on any such contract, act or omission, or right of such registered limited liability partnership to defend any action or special proceeding in this state, or result in any partner or agent of such registered limited liability partnership becoming liable for the contractual obligations or other liabilities of the registered limited liability partnership.

(5) If, at any time following the suspension of a registered limited liability partnership's authority to carry on, conduct or transact business in this state, pursuant to clause three of this subparagraph, such registered limited liability partnership shall cause proof of publication in substantial compliance with the provisions (other than the one hundred twenty day period) of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, consisting of the certificate of publication of the registered limited liability partnership with the affidavits of publication of the newspapers annexed thereto, to be filed with the department of state, such suspension of such registered limited liability partnership's authority to carry on, conduct or transact business shall be annulled.

(6) For the purposes of this subparagraph, a registered limited liability partnership which was formed prior to the effective date of this subparagraph shall be deemed to have complied with the publication and filing requirements of this paragraph as in effect prior to such effective date if (A) the registered limited liability partnership was formed on or after January first, nineteen hundred ninety-nine and prior to such effective date and the registered limited liability partnership filed at least one affidavit of the printer or publisher of a newspaper with the department of state at any time prior to such effective date, or (B) the registered limited liability partnership was formed prior to January first, nineteen hundred ninety-nine, without regard to whether the registered limited liability partnership did or did not file any affidavit of the printer or publisher of a newspaper with the secretary of state.

(C) The information in a notice published pursuant to this paragraph shall be presumed to be in compliance with and satisfaction of the requirements of this paragraph.

(b) The registration shall be executed by one or more partners of the partnership without limited partners.

(c) The registration shall be accompanied by a fee of two hundred dollars.

(d) A partnership without limited partners is registered as a registered limited liability partnership at the time of the payment of the fee required by subdivision (c) of this section and the filing of a completed registration with the department of state or at the later date, if any, specified in such registration, not to exceed sixty days from the date of such filing. A partnership without limited partners that has been registered as a registered limited liability partnership is for all purposes the same entity that existed before the registration and continues to be a partnership without limited partners under the laws of this state. The status of a partnership without limited partners as a registered limited liability partnership shall not be affected by changes in the information stated in the registration after the filing of the registration. If a partnership without limited partners that is a registered limited liability partnership dissolves, a partnership without limited partners which is the successor to such registered limited liability partnership (i) shall not be required to file a new registration and shall be deemed to have filed the registration filed by the registered limited liability partnership pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section, as well as any withdrawal notice filed pursuant to subdivision (f) of this section, any statement or certificate of consent filed pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section or any certificate of amendment filed pursuant to subdivision (j) of this section and (ii) shall be bound by any revocation of registration pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section and any annulment thereof of the dissolved partnership without limited partners that was a registered limited liability partnership. For purposes of this section, a partnership without limited partners is a successor to a partnership without limited partners that was a registered limited liability partnership if a majority of the total interests in the current profits of such successor partnership without limited partners are held by partners of the predecessor partnership without limited partners that was a registered limited liability partnership who were partners of such predecessor partnership immediately prior to the dissolution of such predecessor partnership.

(e) If the signed registration delivered to the department of state for filing complies as to form with the requirements of law and the filing fee required by any statute of this state has been paid, the registration shall be filed and indexed by the department of state.

(f) A registration may be withdrawn by filing with the department of state a written withdrawal notice executed by one or more partners of the registered limited liability partnership, with a filing fee of sixty dollars. A withdrawal notice must include: (i) the name of the registered limited liability partnership (and if it has been changed since registration, the name under which it was registered); (ii) the date the registration was filed with the department of state pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section; (iii) the address of the registered limited liability partnership's principal office; (iv) if the withdrawal of the registered limited liability partnership is to be effective on a date later than the time of filing, the date, not to exceed sixty days from the date of such filing, of such proposed effectiveness; (v) a statement acknowledging that the withdrawal terminates the partnership's status as a registered limited liability partnership; and (vi) any other information determined by the registered limited liability partnership. A withdrawal notice terminates the status of the partnership as a registered limited liability partnership as of the date of filing the notice or as of the later date, if any, specified in the notice, not to exceed sixty days from the date of such filing. The termination of registration shall not be affected by errors in the information stated in the withdrawal notice. If a registered limited liability partnership is dissolved, it shall within thirty days after the winding up of its affairs is completed file a withdrawal notice pursuant to this subdivision.

(g) Each registered limited liability partnership shall, within sixty days prior to the fifth anniversary of the effective date of its registration and every five years thereafter, furnish a statement to the department of state setting forth: (i) the name of the registered limited liability partnership, (ii) the address of the principal office of the registered limited liability partnership, (iii) the post office address within or without this state to which the secretary of state shall mail a copy of any process accepted against it served upon him or her, which address shall supersede any previous address on file with the department of state for this purpose, and (iv) a statement that it is eligible to register as a registered limited liability partnership pursuant to subdivision (a) of this section. The statement shall be executed by one or more partners of the registered limited liability partnership. The statement shall be accompanied by a fee of twenty dollars if submitted directly to the department of state. The commissioner of taxation and finance and the secretary of state may agree to allow registered limited liability partnerships to provide the statement specified in this subdivision on tax reports filed with the department of taxation and finance in lieu of statements filed directly with the secretary of state and in a manner prescribed by the commissioner of taxation and finance. If this agreement is made, starting with taxable years beginning on or after January first, two thousand sixteen, each registered limited liability partnership required to file the statement specified in this subdivision that is subject to the filing fee imposed by paragraph three of subsection (c) of § 658 of the tax law shall provide such statement annually on its filing fee payment form filed with the department of taxation and finance in lieu of filing a statement under this subdivision with the department of state. However, each registered limited liability partnership required to file a statement under this section must continue to file a statement with the department of state as required by this section until the registered limited liability partnership in fact has filed a filing fee payment form with the department of taxation and finance that includes all required information. After that time, the registered limited liability partnership shall continue to provide annually the statement specified in this subdivision on its filing fee payment form in lieu of the statement required by this subdivision. The commissioner of taxation and finance shall deliver the completed statement specified in this subdivision to the department of state for filing. The department of taxation and finance must, to the extent feasible, also include in such delivery the current name of the registered limited liability partnership, department of state identification number for such registered limited liability partnership, the name, signature and capacity of the signer of the statement, name and street address of the filer of the statement, and the email address, if any, of the filer of the statement. If a registered limited liability partnership shall not timely file the statement required by this subdivision, the department of state may, upon sixty days' notice mailed to the address of such registered limited liability partnership as shown in the last registration or statement or certificate of amendment filed by such registered limited liability partnership, make a proclamation declaring the registration of such registered limited liability partnership to be revoked pursuant to this subdivision. The department of state shall file the original proclamation in its office and shall publish a copy thereof in the state register no later than three months following the date of such proclamation. This shall not apply to registered limited liability partnerships that have filed a statement with the department of state through the department of taxation and finance. Upon the publication of such proclamation in the manner aforesaid, the registration of each registered limited liability partnership named in such proclamation shall be deemed revoked without further legal proceedings. Any registered limited liability partnership whose registration was so revoked may file in the department of state a statement required by this subdivision. The filing of such statement shall have the effect of annulling all of the proceedings theretofore taken for the revocation of the registration of such registered limited liability partnership under this subdivision and (1) the registered limited liability partnership shall thereupon have such powers, rights, duties and obligations as it had on the date of the publication of the proclamation, with the same force and effect as if such proclamation had not been made or published and (2) such publication shall not affect the applicability of the provisions of subdivision (b) of section twenty-six of this chapter to any debt, obligation or liability incurred, created or assumed from the date of publication of the proclamation through the date of the filing of the statement with the department of state. If, after the publication of such proclamation, it shall be determined by the department of state that the name of any registered limited liability partnership was erroneously included in such proclamation, the department of state shall make appropriate entry on its records, which entry shall have the effect of annulling all of the proceedings theretofore taken for the revocation of the registration of such registered limited liability partnership under this subdivision and (A) such registered limited liability partnership shall have such powers, rights, duties and obligations as it had on the date of the publication of the proclamation, with the same force and effect as if such proclamation had not been made or published and (B) such publication shall not affect the applicability of the provisions of subdivision (b) of section twenty-six of this chapter to any debt, obligation or liability incurred, created or assumed from the date of publication of the proclamation through the date of the making of the entry on the records of the department of state. Whenever a registered limited liability partnership whose registration was revoked shall have filed a statement pursuant to this subdivision or if the name of a registered limited liability partnership was erroneously included in a proclamation and such proclamation was annulled, the department of state shall publish a notice thereof in the state register.

(h) The filing of a withdrawal notice by a registered limited liability partnership pursuant to subdivision (f) of this section, a revocation of registration pursuant to subdivision (g) of this section and the filing of a certificate of amendment pursuant to subdivision (j) of this section shall not affect the applicability of the provisions of subdivision (b) of section twenty-six of this chapter to any debt, obligation or liability incurred, created or assumed while the partnership was a registered limited liability partnership. After a withdrawal or revocation of registration, the partnership without limited partners shall for all purposes remain the same entity that existed during registration and continues to be a partnership without limited partners under the laws of this state.

(i) The department of state shall remove from its active records the registration of a registered limited liability partnership whose registration has been withdrawn or revoked.

(j) A registration or statement filed with the department of state under this section may be amended or corrected by filing with the department of state a certificate of amendment executed by one or more partners of the registered limited liability partnership. No later than ninety days after (i) a change in the name of the registered limited liability partnership or (ii) a partner of the registered limited liability partnership becomes aware that any statement in a registration or statement was false in any material respect when made or that an event has occurred which makes the registration or statement inaccurate in any material respect, the registered limited liability partnership shall file a certificate of amendment. The filing of a certificate of amendment shall be accompanied by a fee of sixty dollars. The certificate of amendment shall set forth: (i) the name of the limited liability partnership and, if it has been changed, the name under which it was registered and (ii) the date of filing its initial registration or statement.

(j-1) A certificate of change which changes only the post office address to which the secretary of state shall mail a copy of any process against a registered limited liability partnership served upon him or her, and/or the email address to which the secretary of state shall email a notice of the fact that process against it has been electronically served upon the secretary of state, and/or the address of the registered agent, provided such address being changed is the address of a person, partnership or corporation whose address, as agent, is the address to be changed, and/or the email address being changed is the email address of a person, partnership or other corporation whose email address, as agent, is the email address to be changed, and/or who has been designated as registered agent for such registered limited liability partnership shall be signed and delivered to the department of state by such agent. The certificate of change shall set forth: (i) the name of the registered limited liability partnership and, if it has been changed, the name under which it was originally filed with the department of state; (ii) the date of filing of its initial registration or notice statement; (iii) each change effected thereby; (iv) that a notice of the proposed change was mailed to the limited liability partnership by the party signing the certificate not less than thirty days prior to the date of delivery to the department of state and that such limited liability partnership has not objected thereto; and (v) that the party signing the certificate is the agent of such limited liability partnership to whose address the secretary of state is required to mail copies of process, and/or to whose email address the secretary of state is required to mail a notice of the fact that process against it has been electronically served upon the secretary of state, and/or the registered agent, if such be the case. A certificate signed and delivered under this subdivision shall not be deemed to effect a change of location of the office of the limited liability partnership in whose behalf such certificate is filed. The certificate of change shall be accompanied by a fee of five dollars.

(k) The filing of a certificate of amendment pursuant to subdivision (j) of this section with the department of state shall not alter the effective date of the registration being amended or corrected.

(l) Except as otherwise provided in any agreement between the partners, the decision of a partnership without limited partners to file, withdraw or amend a registration pursuant to subdivision (a), (f) or (j), respectively, of this section is an ordinary matter connected with partnership business under subdivision eight of section forty of this chapter.

(m) A registered limited liability partnership, other than a registered limited liability partnership authorized to practice law, shall be under the supervision of the regents of the university of the state of New York and be subject to disciplinary proceedings and penalties in the same manner and to the same extent as is provided with respect to individuals and their licenses, certificates and registrations in title eight of the education law relating to the applicable profession. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision, a registered limited liability partnership authorized to practice medicine shall be subject to the pre-hearing procedures and hearing procedures as are provided with respect to individual physicians and their licenses in title two-A of Article 2 of the public health law. In addition to rendering the professional service or services the partners are authorized to practice in this state, a registered limited liability partnership may carry on, or conduct or transact any other business or activities as to which a partnership without limited partners may be formed. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a registered limited liability partnership (i) authorized to practice law may only engage in another profession or business or activities or (ii) which is engaged in a profession or other business or activities other than law may only engage in the practice of law, to the extent not prohibited by any other law of this state or any rule adopted by the appropriate appellate division of the supreme court or the court of appeals. Any registered limited liability partnership may invest its funds in real estate, mortgages, stocks, bonds or any other types of investments.

(n) No registered limited liability partnership may render a professional service except through individuals authorized by law to render such professional service as individuals, provided, that nothing in this chapter shall authorize a registered limited liability partnership to render a professional service in this state except through individuals authorized by law to render such professional service as individuals in this state.

(o) This section shall not repeal, modify or restrict any provision of the education law or the judiciary law or any rules or regulations adopted thereunder regulating the professions referred to in the education law or the judiciary law except to the extent in conflict herewith.

(p) A certified copy of the registration and of each certificate of amendment shall be filed by the registered limited liability partnership with the licensing authority within thirty days after the filing of such registration or amendment with the department of state.

* (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 article 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 professional engineering, land surveying, 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 partner 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 practice marriage and family therapy in this state. Each partner of a registered 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 pursuant to article 163 of the education law to practice psychoanalysis in this state. Each partner of a registered limited liability partnership 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.

* NB Effective until June 8, 2024

* (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 article 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 as a firm, 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 liability partnership formed to provide professional engineering, land surveying, 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 partner 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 practice marriage and family therapy in this state. Each partner of a registered 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 pursuant to article 163 of the education law to practice psychoanalysis in this state. Each partner of a registered limited liability partnership 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 registered limited liability partnership formed to lawfully engage in the practice of public accountancy as a firm, as such practice is 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 § 7404 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 registered with the education department 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 with the education department 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 or an affiliated entity.

* NB Effective June 8, 2024