It is the policy of this state, and the purpose of this chapter, to promote the reliability of information that is used for guidance in financial transactions or for accounting for or assessing the financial status or performance of commercial, noncommercial, and governmental enterprises. Public interest requires that persons professing special competence in accountancy or offering assurance as to the reliability or fairness of presentation of such information have demonstrated or maintained their qualifications to do so, and that persons who have not demonstrated and maintained such qualifications, including certificate holders not in public practice, not be permitted to hold themselves out as having such special competence or to offer such assurance. Public interest requires that the conduct of persons licensed as having special competence in accountancy be regulated in all aspects of their professional work. Public interest requires that a public authority competent to prescribe and assess the qualifications and to regulate the conduct of practitioners of public accountancy and certificate holders not in public practice be established and that the use of titles which are likely to mislead the public as to the status or competence of the persons using such titles be prohibited.