Legislative intent with respect to integrity of public contracting and purchasing process.

Recognizing that the preservation of the integrity of the public contracting and purchasing process of the state is vital and is a matter of interest to all the people of the state, the Legislature determines and declares that:

(1) The procedures of public entities for determining with whom they transact business exist to secure for the public the benefits of free, fair, and open competition among those persons whose conduct reflects good citizenship.

(2) The opportunity to bid on public entity contracts or to supply goods and services to public entities or to otherwise transact business with public entities is a privilege, not a right.

(3) In order to preserve the integrity of the public contracting and purchasing process, the privilege of transacting business with public entities should be denied to persons involved in certain crimes.

(4) Persons involved in certain crimes should be denied the privilege of transacting business with public entities and the opportunity of obtaining economic benefit through the transaction of business of any kind with public entities.

To these ends, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide sufficient authority to the state, its departments and agencies, and political subdivisions to ensure the integrity of public contracting and purchasing.