§ 7401-a. Definitions. As used in this article:

1. "Attest" means providing the following public accountancy services
which all require the independence of licensees:

a. any audit to be performed in accordance with generally accepted
auditing standards or other similar standards, developed by a federal
governmental agency, commission or board or a recognized international
or national professional accountancy organization, that are acceptable
to the department in accordance with the commissioner's regulations;

b. any review of a financial statement to be performed in accordance
with standards, developed by a federal governmental agency, commission
or board or a recognized international or national professional
accountancy organization, that are acceptable to the department in
accordance with the commissioner's regulations;

c. any examination to be performed in accordance with attestation
standards developed by a federal governmental agency, commission or
board or a recognized international or national professional accountancy
organization, that are acceptable to the department in accordance with
the commissioner's regulations; or

d. any engagement to be performed in accordance with the auditing
standards of the public company accounting oversight board.

2. "Certified public accountant" or "CPA" means any person who has
received a license from the department or any other state as a certified
public accountant for the practice of public accountancy.

3. "Compilation" means providing a service that presents, in the form
of financial statements, information that is the representation of the
management or owners of the client without undertaking to express any
assurance of the accuracy of the information in the statements, to be
performed in accordance with standards, developed by a federal
governmental agency, commission or board or a recognized international
or national professional accountancy organization, that are acceptable
to the department in accordance with the commissioner's regulations.

4. "Firm" means a domestic or foreign entity organized as a sole
proprietorship, a professional service corporation, a partnership, a
professional service limited liability company, a foreign professional
service limited liability company, a registered limited liability
partnership, a foreign registered limited liability partnership, or any
other form of organization that is established for the business purpose
of lawfully engaging in the practice of public accountancy.

5. "Principal place of business" means the office location designated
by the licensee from which the person directs, controls, and coordinates
his or her professional services.

6. "Public accountant" or "PA" means any person who has received a
license from the department as a public accountant for the practice of
public accountancy.

7. "State" means any state of the United States, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam.