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BILL #

CHAPTER #

ISSUE

BILL DESCRIPTION

HB 34

198

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims and authorized treatments

Establishes that an insurance adjuster, case manager, or other person who has authority to request the performance of a service affecting delivery of benefits to an injured employee or who actually performs such a service, including peer reviews, required medical examinations, or case management commits an administrative violation if the person offers to pay, pays, solicits, or receives an improper inducement relating to the delivery of benefits or improperly attempts to influence the delivery of benefits. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 71

269

Motor vehicle insurance - auto equipment issues

Relates to motor vehicle airbags; requires the motor vehicle certificate of title to include airbag deployment history check-boxes; provides the procedures for marking the title certificate by a seller of a motor vehicle; provides for an offense to knowingly sell a motor vehicle that is not equipped with required airbags for the make and model year, with the intent to defraud the buyer by not disclosing the absence of the equipment; provides penalties. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 84

37

Motor vehicle insurance - enforcement issues

Relates to issuance and renewal of a driver's license of an elderly person; relates to the period between issuance and expiration of both personal and commercial drivers licenses for persons over the age of 85. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 90

271

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relates to the acceptance of certain identification for release of a motor vehicle from vehicle storage facilities. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 310

101

Motor vehicle insurance - enforcement issues

Relates to the transfer of registration and removal of license plates for the sale or transfer of used vehicles; relates to the sale of used vehicles to a motor vehicles dealer; relates to transfer of a license plate removed from a persons vehicle when sold to be used on another motor vehicle that is titled in that person's name and a corresponding fee; relates to a temporary permit for a vehicle purchased in a private party transaction. Effective: January 1, 2008.

HB 313

72

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to an exemption from registration for certain foreign commercial motor vehicles; provides that notwithstanding any reciprocity agreement between this state and another state of the United States, a foreign commercial motor vehicle that engages primarily in transportation of cargo across the border into or from a border commercial zone must be registered in this state; provides for an exemption. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 320

102

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Establishes that the prohibition against accessing or using electronically readable information derived from a personal or commercial driver's license, or personal identification certificate does not apply to a financial institution or business if the information is accessed and used only for purposes of identification or check verification for a check purchase, and the prohibition against compiling that data does not apply to a financial institution if the license or certificate holder provides consent. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 323

259

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic safety

Establishes that a school district shall require a student riding a bus operated by or contracted for operation by the district to wear a seat belt if the bus is equipped with seat belts for all passengers on the bus; authorizes a school district to implement a disciplinary policy to enforce the use of seat belts by students; authorizes a person to offer to donate seat belts or money for the purchase of seat belts for a school district's school buses; relates to reporting accidents involving school buses. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 423

74

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relates to requiring that medical examiners and justices of the peace report certain deaths that result from a motor vehicle accident to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 460

1173

Identity theft - personal information

Relates to the offense of fraudulent use or possession of a person's identifying information; provides felony penalties for specified numbers of items obtained, possessed or transferred. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 472

1176

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims & authorized treatments

Relates to the regulation of third-party administrators, including administrators with delegated duties in the workers' compensation system of this state; provides administrative penalties. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 473

1177

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims & authorized treatments

Relates to the benefits provided under the Workers' Compensation System; includes fee guidelines for medical benefits and payment of benefits under interlocutory orders. Effective: varies.

HB 481

75

Motor vehicle insurance - enforcement issues

Relates to the transfer of a used motor vehicle; As an alternative to a written notice of transfer, the department shall establish procedures that permit the transferor of a motor vehicle to electronically submit a notice of transfer to the department through the department's Internet website. A notice of transfer provided through the department's Internet website is not required to bear the signature of the transferor or include the date of signing. Effective: January 1, 2008.

HB 586

829

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to eligibility for dismissal of certain speeding charges on completion of a driving safety course; requires the spouse or dependent child of a member of the military serving on active duty to complete the course under certain circumstances. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 733

105

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relating to the sale of certain used trucks; providing penalties. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 864

216

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relating to a garage keeper's duty to report the abandonment of a motor vehicle. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 886

106

Workers' compensation -- miscellaneous

Relating to an optional preauthorization plan for the workers' compensation return-to-work pilot program for small employers. Effective: May 17, 2007.

HB 916

644

Property insurance

Relates to dog fighting; constitutes a crime if a person knowingly causes a dog to fight another dog, participates in the earnings of or operates a facility used for dog fighting or permits another to use any real estate or other property for dog fighting or attends as a spectator; a conviction may be had upon the uncorroborated testimony of a party to the offense; It is a defense to prosecution that the actor caused a dog to fight to protect livestock, other property, or a person from the other dog. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 922

646

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to the power of a municipality to enforce compliance with speed limits by an automated traffic control system; A municipality may not implement or operate an automated traffic control system with respect to a highway or street under its jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing compliance with posted speed limits. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1003

133

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims & authorized treatments

Relates to professional licensing requirements for independent review of certain medical decisions regarding workers' compensation claims. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1005

459

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims & authorized treatments

Relates to certain exceptions for untimely submissions of a claim by a workers' compensation health care provider. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1006

134

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims & authorized treatments

Relates to physician licensing requirements for utilization review of medical decisions regarding Workers' Compensation claims. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1022

842

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relates to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of a motor vehicle owned by an individual and used in the course of the owner's occupation or profession and also for personal activities of the owner and to the rendition of such vehicles; defines motor vehicle as a passenger car or light truck; excludes a motor vehicle used to transport passengers for hire. Effective:

HB 1049

652

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to the automatic suspension of the driver's license of certain persons convicted of the offense of manslaughter if the holder used a motor vehicle in the commission of the offense. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1052

653

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to requiring warning signs before intersections at which a municipality uses a photographic traffic monitoring system to enforce compliance with a traffic-control signal. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1070

655

Commercial insurance

Relates to the liability insurance requirements for certain amusement rides that operate in a manner similar to a train. Effective: June 15, 2007.

HB 1158

657

Bail bonds

Relates to the address to which notice of the forfeiture of a bail bond is delivered. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1168

1194

State regulation

Relates to the denial, suspension or revocation for a false statement misrepresentation or refusal to provide information to a licensing authority for a business, occupation, professional, and recreational activities to including hunting and fishing; relates to provisions governing the licensure of assisted living facilities; adds the owner or controlling person to the list of those liable for any civil penalty for violations of such licensure provisions by a person who was originally assessed the penalty. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1260

218

Military personnel insurance-related legislation

Relating to exempting certain military personnel from certain state and local governmental fees. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1279

219

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relating to the requirement that a detector for certain traffic-actuated electric traffic-control devices register the presence of a motorcycle. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1355

669

Property insurance

Relates to dog attacks on persons; creates Lillian's Law; provides that a person commits an offense if the person is the owner of a dog and the person with criminal negligence fails to secure the dog and the dog makes an unprovoked attack on another person that occurs at a location other than the owner's real property or in or on the owner's motor vehicle or boat and that causes serious bodily injury or death to another person; provides defenses to the criminal liability. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1522

1021

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Provides that the residents of a residential subdivision may petition a county or municipality in which the subdivision is located for the posting of signs prohibiting the overnight parking of a commercial motor vehicle in the subdivision or on a street adjacent to the subdivision and within a certain distance of the property line of a residence, school, place of worship, or park; provides for posting of signs; provides exemptions for certain vehicles owned by utilities and commercial establishments. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1623

1027

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to offenses, penalties and fees imposed for operating a motor vehicle or vessel in violation of law and to the use of the money collected for photographic traffic signal enforcement systems, traffic safety programs, pedestrian safety programs, intersection improvements, and traffic enforcement; provides that if the license of a person has previously been suspended as the result of an offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated, the offense is a Class B misdemeanor. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1638

1030

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to enforcement of commercial motor vehicle safety standards in certain municipalities. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1741

303

Financial regulation

Relates to investments by insurance companies and related organizations; relates to a low-income community and programs for the allocation and investment of certified capital; relates to vested premium tax credits; provides that the maximum amount of certified capital for which premium tax credit allocation may be allowed on behalf of any one certified investor and its affiliates with respect to Program One or Program Two may not exceed a specified amount. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1798

1209

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to criminal consequences of driving a motor vehicle on certain designated right-of-way of a metropolitan rapid transit authority; provides exceptions. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1840

97

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relating to the punishment for failing to stop following a motor vehicle accident. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 1887

308

Motor vehicle insurance - miscellaneous

Relates to the punishment for and prevention of the offense of burglary of vehicles; establishes the Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority in the Texas Department of Transportation to assess of the scope of the problems of automobile burglary or theft and economic automobile theft, including particular areas of the state where the problems are greatest. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2002

1044

Identity theft - personal information

Relates to requiring a financial institution to notify check verification entities when a customer reports that the customer is a victim of identity theft and the consequences of the notice. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2004

1218

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims & authorized treatments

Relates to the medical quality review panel; requires that a doctor who reviews a workers' compensation case be certified in a professional specialty appropriate to the care received by the injured employee; relates to peer review, utilization review, retrospective review and an independent review; includes a review of dental and chiropractic services. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2077

702

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to police officers eligible to be certified to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety standards in a municipality or a county of a specified size or a municipality in a county bordering the United Mexican States. Effective: June 15, 2007.

HB 2093

1396

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to the issuance and enforcement of motor carrier overweight or oversize permits and motor carrier registrations and related fees. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2094

1046

Motor vehicle insurance - towing issues

Relates to hearings for owners or operators of vehicles that are towed and subsequently stored in a facility; establishes the requirements for a person to be licensed to operate a vehicle storage facility to ensure that the facility maintains adequate standards for the care of stored vehicles. Effective: varies.

HB 2127

242

Motor vehicle insurance - all-terrain vehicles

Authorizes the operator of an all-terrain vehicle to drive the vehicle on a public street, road, or highway that is not an interstate or limited-access highway if the transportation is in connection with utility work performed by a utility. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2163

707

Motor vehicle insurance - salvage title

Relates to the definition of an automotive wrecking and salvage yard. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2219

244

State regulation

Relating to service of process on financial institutions. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2251

475

Internet advertising

Requires that a web page of an insurer's Internet website must include all appropriate disclosures and information required by applicable rules adopted by the commissioner relating to advertising if the web page describes specific policies or coverage available in this state. Effective: September 1, 2005.

HB 2338

476

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to the authority of a municipality to regulate a vehicle operating as a limousine. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2551

484

Tax issues

Relates to refund of an excessive or unfairly discriminatory premium; provides penalties plus interest; provides that an insurer may not claim a premium tax credit to which the insurer is otherwise not entitled unless the insurer complies with specified requirements. Effective: June 16, 2007.

HB 2565

323

Motor vehicle insurance - enforcement issues

Relates to the establishment of an advisory committee on motor vehicle inspections related to safety and emissions. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2569

485

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relates to abolition of fraud reporting requirements regarding motor vehicle insurance. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2636

730

State regulation

Provides nonsubstantive revision of statutes; relates to the Department of Insurance, the business of insurance, certain related businesses, nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in the codified Insurance Code; relates to filing articles of incorporation and payment of fees, premium tax credits for investments in an early stage business, investments by a certified capital company, strategic investments, affiliates, voting securities and promotion by the Economic Development and Tourism Office. Effective: varies.

HB 2667

1248

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims & authorized treatments

Relates to required insurance coverage for volunteer firefighters, emergency services districts and volunteer police force members; relates to audit costs for workers' compensation claims in any year of an abnormally high number of wildfires. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 2931

330

Motor vehicle insurance - miscellaneous

Relates to required notice of and a lien resulting from damage to a fence by a motor vehicle; provides for removal of the abandoned vehicle from the property; provides for covered expenses under the lien. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 3190

923

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relates to minimum standards for school bus operators; relates to previous convictions. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 3225

927

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relates to the scope of authority of the Automobile Theft Prevention Authority; provides the authority's power is over stolen motor vehicles instead of just automobiles. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 3271

930

Title insurance

Relates to the biennial hearing concerning title insurance and related information; revises provisions of existing law related to the filing of annual statistical reports by such insurers and hearing related thereto; provides procedures governing a suits by title insurance agents who contends he or she was aggrieved by the requirement for information. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 3315

932

Tax issues

Relates to the imposition and collection of certain insurance taxes to include premium taxation of home warranty insurers, title insurers, tax collection procedures, entering into a cooperative or reciprocal agreement with another state for collection of insurance premium taxes, maintenance taxes for farm crop, home warranty, and inland marine insurers, and managed care organizations, and a premium tax exemption for issuers of children's health benefit plans. Effective: June 15, 2007.

HB 3358

1096

Rate regulation

Relates to prior approval of property and casualty insurance rates under certain circumstances. Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 3594

1275

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Requires the Department of Transportation to erect and maintain border inspection facilities along a major highway at or near a border crossing from Mexico in the Pharr, Laredo, and El Paso districts for the inspection of motor vehicles for compliance with federal and state commercial motor vehicle regulations; relates to facilities that serve a bridge; relates to implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems for Commercial Vehicle Operations (ITS/CVO). Effective: September 1, 2007.

HB 3692

1113

Bail bonds

Relates to the denial of bail to a person who violates court orders or conditions of bond related to victim or community safety and to the performance of community service by persons charged with certain alcohol-related offenses; relates to court orders and conditions of bond in a family violence case relates to safety of the victim or the safety of the community; provides for weapons, drunk driving and traffic offences; relates to community service. Effective: varies.

HB 3832

942

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic safety

Establishes that a motor vehicle may be equipped with video receiving equipment, including a television, a digital video disc player, a videocassette player, or similar equipment, only if the equipment is located so that the video display is not visible from the operator's seat unless the vehicle's transmission is in park or the vehicle's parking brake is applied. Effective: June 15, 2007.

HB 3849

1280

Motor vehicle insurance - all-terrain vehicles

Prohibits a person from operating an off-highway vehicle on public land over which the Department of Transportation has authority, land purchased or leased by the department, other public land, or on land purchased or developed under certain grants or grant programs operated or administered by the department without having obtained and properly mounted an off-highway vehicle decal; requires the use of specified safety apparel while operating an off-road vehicle. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 153

347

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to the creation of an offense involving the supervision of a vehicle operator holding an instruction permit. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 192

23

State regulation

Specifies, relative to the Insurance Code that the Texas Mutual Insurance Company is not a state agency, executive agency or governmental entity for any purpose; specifies that open meeting and records laws provided for in the code do not apply to the Texas Mutual Insurance Company. Effective: May 4, 2007.

SB 222

1143

Identity theft - security freeze

Revises the provisions of existing law that relate to a security freeze on a consumer file maintained by a consumer reporting agency. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 235

353

Bail bonds

Relates to the composition of a county bail bond board. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 251

357

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relates to parking of a motor vehicle operated by or for the transportation of a veteran with a disability in certain parking spaces; provides a criminal penalty. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 328

367

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to the requirement that the results of an alcohol and drug test taken by certain holders of a commercial driver's license be reported to the Department of Public Safety. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 329

368

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to an object or material placed on or attached to a window of a commercial motor vehicle. Effective: June 15, 2007.

SB 331

83

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to the maximum length for certain vehicles. Effective: May 14, 2007.

SB 332

13

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relating to the responsibility of an employer in relation to a person who drives a commercial motor vehicle; providing a criminal penalty. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 333

499

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to driving a commercial motor vehicle in violation of an out-of-service order; provides a criminal penalty. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 369

30

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic offenses

Relating to an offense involving a motor vehicle with an altered or obscured license plate. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 382

502

Credit regulation

Relates to certain refund requirements regarding credit insurance; provides that a policy of such insurance must contain a written notice regarding refunds and refund requirements of the insurer; provides that in any claim or action asserted by an insured against an insurer for failure to refund any unearned premium, the insurer shall be entitled to indemnity from a holder who failed to provide the notice required. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 458

147

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims and authorized treatments

Relating to workers' compensation medical benefits for certain prosthetic or orthotic devices. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 471

65

Workers' compensation - benefits, claims and authorized treatments

Relating to certain information reporting requirements regarding workers' compensation claims. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 500

162

Towing issues

Relating to the establishment of a tow truck rotation list in certain counties; providing a penalty. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 502

1298

Motor vehicle insurance - financial responsibility

Relates to the minimum insurance coverage amounts to establish evidence of financial responsibility under the state Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act; provides information with regard to compliance with the act. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 545

508

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle safety standards by certain peace officers in municipalities of a specified size; includes a municipality of a specified size in a county that borders two or more states. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 561

1379

Commercial insurance

Relates to the subrogation interests of certain political subdivisions or insurance carriers providing reinsurance for subdivisions. Effective: June 15, 2007.

SB 611

151

Property insurance

Relating to reporting certain information regarding residential property and personal automobile insurance and public Internet access to that information. Effective: May 21, 2007.

SB 699

143

Motor vehicle insurance -- miscellaneous

Relating to the use of only parts of driver's license and social security numbers in certain court documents. Effective- September 1, 2007.

SB 749

393

Tort reform - asbestos and silica reform

Relates to salaries and authority of district judges presiding over multidistrict litigation proceedings in cases involving claims for asbestos-related or silica-related injuries. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 849

47

Farm mutuals

Relating to the submission of annual reports by farm mutual insurance companies. Effective: May 8, 2007.

SB 978

252

Fees

Relating to certain insurance premium surcharges. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1056

412

State regulation

Relates to conversion of a reciprocal or interinsurance exchange to a stock company through creation of a mutual holding company; relates to conversion to a stock insurance company; includes subsidiaries; provides that a mutual holding company is considered an insurer; relates to delinquency proceedings, nonprofits, reorganization, limitation on actions, foreign jurisdiction, sale of securities, capital stock acquisition through a broker-dealer, tax-qualified employee benefit plans and notice requirements. Effective: June 15, 2007.

SB 1119

1149

Motor vehicle insurance - traffic safety

Relates to the authority of a local authority to implement a photographic traffic signal enforcement system; provides for the imposition of civil penalties; provides for use of the money collected to help fund trauma facilities and emergency medical services. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1153

543

Title insurance

Relates to the use of title insurance to insure interests in personal property; relates to filing of statements; regulates premium rates and forms; relates to expenses of title insurance companies and agents in factors for fixing premium rates; requires public hearings on rates; provides for duties of the commissioner of insurance. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1169

1150

Workers' compensation - disputes & settlements

Relates to the reimbursement of an insurance carrier for the overpayment of certain workers' compensation benefits by the Subsequent Injury Fund. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1253

188

State regulation

Relating to the frequency and expenses of certain examinations conducted by the Texas Department of Insurance. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1260

1319

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to the issuance of a nonresident commercial driver's license to individual who do not have a social security number, have a passport, a temporary worker visa, or other arrival/departure record of successor document. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1263

548

Producer licensure - licensing requirements

Relates to regulation and licensing of certain insurance agents; a person who holds a personal lines property and casualty license may write accident and health insurance contracts for individuals and families for personal, family, or household purposes for a property and casualty insurer authorized to sell those insurance products in this state. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1372

424

Motor vehicle insurance - commercial auto

Relates to the requirements of commercial drivers, the operation of motor vehicles and operation of commercial motor vehicles; relates to a driving record check from another state; relates to fees; relates to cancellation of a hazardous materials endorsement; relates to out-of-service orders, vehicles with insufficient undercarriage clearance. Effective: January 1, 2008.

SB 1436

1323

State regulation

Relates to the transfer of responsibility for the National Flood Insurance Program from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to the Texas Water Development Board and the administration and funding of the program. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1542

157

State regulation

Relating to registration statements filed by an insurer that is a member of an insurance company holding system. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1627

429

Workers' compensation - miscellaneous provisions

Relates to the prosecution of workers' compensation insurance fraud. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SB 1723

573

Motor vehicle insurance - financial responsibility

Relates to the collection of surcharges assessed under the driver responsibility program; relates to amnesty and incentives for holders of a driver's license on which a surcharge has been assessed for certain offenses, as determined by the Department of Transportation; provides for alternative or additional collection methods for surcharges receivable. Effective: September 1, 2007.

SCR 60

Resolutions

Urging Congress to maintain the states as the sole regulators of the business of insurance and to oppose the establishment of a federal insurance regulatory system.