(225 ILCS 450/0.02) (from Ch. 111, par. 5500.02)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-309)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)
    Sec. 0.02. Declaration of public policy. It is the policy of this State and the purpose of this Act:
        (a) to promote the dependability of information which is used for guidance in financial
    
transactions or for accounting for or assessing the status or performance of commercial and noncommercial enterprises, whether public, private, or governmental; and
        (b) to protect the public interest by requiring that persons engaged in the practice of
    
public accounting be qualified; that a public authority competent to prescribe and assess the qualifications of public accountants be established; and
        (c) that preparing, auditing, or examining financial statements and issuing a report
    
expressing or disclaiming an opinion on such statements or expressing assurance on such statements be reserved to persons who demonstrate their ability and fitness to observe and apply the standards of the accounting profession; and that the use of accounting titles likely to confuse the public be prohibited.
(Source: P.A. 98-254, eff. 8-9-13; 99-78, eff. 7-20-15.)
 
    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-309)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2029)
    Sec. 0.02. Declaration of public policy. It is the policy of this State and the purpose of this Act:
        (a) to promote the dependability of information which is used for guidance in financial
    
transactions or for accounting for or assessing the status or performance of commercial and noncommercial enterprises, whether public, private, or governmental; and
        (b) to protect the public interest by requiring that persons engaged in the practice of
    
public accounting be qualified; that a public authority competent to prescribe and assess the qualifications of public accountants be established; and
        (c) that preparing, auditing, or examining financial statements and issuing a report
    
expressing or disclaiming an opinion on such statements or expressing assurance on such statements be reserved to persons who demonstrate the ability and fitness to observe and apply the standards of the accounting profession; and that the use of accounting titles likely to confuse the public be prohibited.
(Source: P.A. 103-309, eff. 1-1-24.)