116 STAT. 748 PUBLIC LAW 107-204-^ULY 30, 2002 (i) shares in the profits of, or receives compensation in any other form from, that firm; or (ii) participates as agent or otherwise on behalf of such accounting firm in any activity of that firm. (B) EXEMPTION AUTHORITY.—The Board may, by rule, exempt persons engaged only in ministerial tasks from the definition in subparagraph (A), to the extent that the Board determines that any such exemption is consistent with the purposes of this Act, the public interest, or the protection of investors. (10) PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS.— The term "professional standards" means— (A) accounting principles that are— (i) established by the standard setting body described in section 19(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended by this Act, or prescribed by the Commission under section 19(a) of that Act (15 U.S.C. 17a(s)) or section 13(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a(m)); and (ii) relevant to audit reports for particular issuers, or dealt with in the quality control system of a particular registered public accounting firm; and (B) auditing standards, stsindards for attestation engagements, quality control policies and procedures, ethic^ and competency standards, and independence standards (including rules implementing title II) that the Board or the Commission determines— (i) relate to the preparation or issuance of audit reports for issuers; and (ii) are established or adopted by the Board under section 103(a), or are promulgated as rules of the Commission. (11) PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.—The term "public accounting firm" means— (A) a proprietorship, partnership, incorporated association, corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity that is engaged in the practice of public accounting or preparing or issuing audit reports; and (B) to the extent so designated by the rules of the Board, any associated person of any entity described in subparagraph (A). (12) REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM.—The term "registered public accounting firm" means a public accounting firm registered with the Board in accordance with this Act. (13) RULES OF THE BOARD.— The term "rules of the Board" means the bylaws and rules of the Board (as submitted to, and approved, modified, or amended by the Commission, in accordance with section 107), and those stated policies, practices, and interpretations of the Board that the Commission, by rule, may deem to be rules of the Board, as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. (14) SECURITY. —The term "security" has the same meaning as in section 3(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)).
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