Terms Used In California Codes > Business and Professions Code > Division 9 > Chapter 3 - Licenses and Fees

• Act: means this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Actual benefit: means the amount, if any, realized by the lender upon the disposition of property acquired through foreclosure or its equivalent as a direct result of a removal or remedial action undertaken by another person, not to exceed the amount, if any, by which the disposition proceeds exceed the sum of the balance of all of the following:

  California Health and Safety Code 25548.1

• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
• Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Aquaculture: means that form of agriculture devoted to the propagation, cultivation, maintenance, and harvesting of aquatic plants and animals in marine, brackish, and fresh water. See California Fish and Game Code 17
• Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• at-death transfer: means a transfer that is revocable during the lifetime of the transferor, but does not include a joint tenancy or joint account with right of survivorship. See California Probate Code 21104
• Bailiff: a court officer who enforces the rules of behavior in courtrooms.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Bequest: Property gifted by will.
• Bird: means a wild bird or part of a wild bird. See California Fish and Game Code 22
• board: means the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 20
• Bureau: means the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau within the Department of Consumer Affairs, established pursuant to Section 6510. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• Child: means any individual entitled to take as a child under this code by intestate succession from the parent whose relationship is involved. See California Probate Code 26
• City: includes "city and county" and "incorporated town" but does not include "unincorporated town" or "village. See California Government Code 20
• City: includes city and county. See California Business and Professions Code 18
• Commission: means the Fish and Game Commission, and "commissioner" means a member of the Fish and Game Commission. See California Fish and Game Code 30
• Committee: means the Professional Fiduciaries Advisory Committee, as established pursuant to Section 6511. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Committee membership: Legislators are assigned to specific committees by their party. Seniority, regional balance, and political philosophy are the most prominent factors in the committee assignment process.
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Concurrent resolution: A legislative measure, designated "S. Con. Res." and numbered consecutively upon introduction, generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee. Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the President/Governor and thus do not have the force of law.
• Conduit: includes pipe, millrace, ditch, flume, siphon, tunnel, canal, and any other conduit or diversion used for the purpose of taking or receiving water from any river, creek, stream, or lake. See California Fish and Game Code 5900
• Conservator: includes a limited conservator. See California Probate Code 30
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Controller: means the State Controller. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 21
• County: includes city and county. See California Government Code 19
• County: includes city and county. See California Health and Safety Code 14
• County: includes "city and county. See California Corporations Code 14
• County: includes city and county. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 15
• County: includes city and county. See California Fish and Game Code 32
• Credible science: means the best available scientific information that is not overly prescriptive due to the dynamic nature of science, and includes the evaluation principles of relevance, inclusiveness, objectivity, transparency, timeliness, verification, validation, and peer review of information as appropriate. See California Fish and Game Code 33
• Credit Score: A number, roughly between 300 and 800, that measures an individual's credit worthiness. The most well-known type of credit score is the FICO score. This score represents the answer from a mathematical formula that assigns numerical values to various pieces of information in your credit report. ^{Source: OCC}
• Dam: includes all artificial obstructions. See California Fish and Game Code 5900
• Damages: includes compensatory damages, exemplary damages, punitive damages, and costs of every kind and nature, including, but not limited to, costs of a removal or remedial action. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Day: means calendar day, and "week" means calendar week. See California Fish and Game Code 35
• daytime: means the period between sunrise and sunset, and the word "nighttime" means the period between sunset and sunrise. See California Penal Code 7
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• department: whenever used in this code , unless the context otherwise requires, means the State Department of Education. See California Education Code 89
• Department: means the Department of Consumer Affairs. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Department: means the Department of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 37
• Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
• Direct service contract: means any contract provided by a state agency pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 38030). See California Health and Safety Code 38040
• Director: means "State Director of Health Services. See California Health and Safety Code 21
• Director: means the Director of Fish and Wildlife. See California Fish and Game Code 39
• directors: means natural persons, designated in the articles or bylaws or elected by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons designated, elected, or appointed by any other name or title to act as members of the governing body of the corporation. See California Corporations Code 5047
• Disaster: means any flood, fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm, tidal wave, or other catastrophe occurring on or after January 1, 1996, for which the Governor of the state has certified the need for assistance and which the President of the United States has determined to be a major disaster pursuant to the Robert T. See California Health and Safety Code 34002
• district: means the Desert Healthcare District. See California Health and Safety Code 32499
• district: means the Imperial Valley Healthcare District. See California Health and Safety Code 32499.5
• District: means fish and game district. See California Fish and Game Code 41
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• escrow agent: as used in this division includes joint control agents and Internet escrow agents. See California Financial Code 17005.6
• Evidence of an interest: includes , but is not limited to, all of the following:

  California Health and Safety Code 25548.1

• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
• Extradition: The formal process of delivering an accused or convicted person from authorities in one state to authorities in another state.
• Fair Credit Reporting Act: A federal law, established in 1971 and revised in 1997, that gives consumers the right to see their credit records and correct any mistakes. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fee simple: Absolute title to property with no limitations or restrictions regarding the person who may inherit it.
• Fiduciary: means personal representative, trustee, guardian, conservator, attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney, custodian under the California Uniform Transfer To Minors Act (Part 9 (commencing with Section 3900) of Division 4), or other legal representative subject to this code. See California Probate Code 39
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiduciary: means a person who is acting in any of the following capacities:

  California Health and Safety Code 25548.1

• Finance lease: means a transaction with respect to which both of the following apply:

  California Health and Safety Code 25548.1

• Financial and compliance audit: means a systematic review or appraisal to determine each of the following:

  California Health and Safety Code 38040

• Fish: means a wild fish, mollusk, crustacean, invertebrate, amphibian, or part, spawn, or ovum of any of those animals. See California Fish and Game Code 45
• Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Foreclosure or its equivalent: means the acquisition of property by a lender through any of the following:

  California Health and Safety Code 25548.1

• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Generally accepted auditing standards: means the auditing standards set forth in the financial and compliance element of the "Standards for Audit of Governmental Organizations, Programs, Activities, and Functions" issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and incorporating the audit standards of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. See California Health and Safety Code 38040
• Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
• Gross estate: The total fair market value of all property and property interests, real and personal, tangible and intangible, of which a decedent had beneficial ownership at the time of death before subtractions for deductions, debts, administrative expenses, and casualty losses suffered during estate administration.
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Hazardous material: means any of the following materials:

  California Health and Safety Code 25411

• Heir: means any person, including the surviving spouse, who is entitled to take property of the decedent by intestate succession under this code. See California Probate Code 44
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Independent auditors: means public accountants who have no direct or indirect relationship with the functions or activities being audited or with the business conducted by any of the officials or contractors being audited. See California Health and Safety Code 38040
• Indicia of ownership: means evidence of a security interest, evidence of an interest in a security interest, or evidence of an interest in real or personal property securing a loan or other obligation, including, but not limited to, any legal or equitable title to real or personal property acquired incident to foreclosure or its equivalent. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Instrument: means a will, a document establishing or modifying a trust, a deed, or any other writing that designates a beneficiary or makes a donative transfer of property. See California Probate Code 45
• Inter vivos: Transfer of property from one living person to another living person.
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• item: includes , but is not limited to, any paper, document, book, map, artifact, or other type of record. See California Government Code 12220
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• Joint tenancy: A form of property ownership in which two or more parties hold an undivided interest in the same property that was conveyed under the same instrument at the same time. A joint tenant can sell his (her) interest but not dispose of it by will. Upon the death of a joint tenant, his (her) undivided interest is distributed among the surviving joint tenants.
• landholder: means any person who owns, leases, or has a possessory interest in land. See California Fish and Game Code 3402
• Lawsuit: A legal action started by a plaintiff against a defendant based on a complaint that the defendant failed to perform a legal duty, resulting in harm to the plaintiff.
• Lender: includes either of the following persons:

  California Health and Safety Code 25548.1

• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Licensee: means a person who is licensed under this chapter as a professional fiduciary. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Loan or obligation: means a loan, revolving or nonrevolving line of credit, finance lease, sale-leaseback that provides for a purchase option in favor of the lessee, installment sale contract, sale on account, or other credit sale, letter of credit, forbearance or guaranty, collateral pledge, or other suretyship obligation, and any extension, renewal, or modification thereof. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Local public entity: means any county, city, city and county, the duly constituted governing body of an Indian reservation or rancheria, redevelopment agency organized pursuant to Part 1 (commencing with Section 33000) of this division, or housing authority organized pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 34200) of this division, which is authorized to engage in or assist in the development or operation of housing for persons and families of low or moderate income. See California Health and Safety Code 36002
• Mammal: means a wild or feral mammal or part of a wild or feral animal, but not a wild, feral, or undomesticated burro. See California Fish and Game Code 54
• mandatory supervision: shall mean the portion of a defendant's sentenced term during which time he or she is supervised by the county probation officer pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (h) of Section 1170. See California Penal Code 19.9
• Mile: means either a statute mile (5,280 feet) or a nautical mile (6,077 feet) depending on the application. See California Fish and Game Code 55
• month: means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed. See California Penal Code 7
• Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
• newspaper: means a newspaper of general circulation. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 36.5
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Nonprofit organization: means an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of that code or any nonprofit, scientific or educational organization qualified under Section 23701d of the Revenue and Taxation Code. See California Health and Safety Code 38040
• Nonresident: means a person who is not a resident as defined in Section 70. See California Fish and Game Code 57
• Notice: includes all papers and orders required to be served in any proceedings before any court, board, or officer, or when required by law to be served independently of such proceeding. See California Government Code 26660
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Open season: means that period of time during which the taking of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, or amphibians is allowed as prescribed in this code and regulations adopted by the commission. See California Fish and Game Code 62
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Owner: includes the United States (except that for the purpose of Sections 5901, 5931, 5933, and 5938, "owner" does not include the United States as to any dam in the condition the dam existed on September 15, 1945), the State, a person, political subdivision, or district (other than a fish and game district) owning, controlling or operating a dam or pipe. See California Fish and Game Code 5900
• Parent: means any individual entitled to take as a parent under this code by intestate succession from the child whose relationship is involved. See California Probate Code 54
• Person: means an individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, or other entity. See California Probate Code 56
• Person: includes , but is not limited to, any city, county, district, the state, or the federal government, or any department, subdivision, or agency thereof. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Corporations Code 18
• Person: includes any person, firm, partnership, general partner of a partnership, limited liability company, registered limited liability partnership, foreign limited liability partnership, association, corporation, company, syndicate, estate, trust, business trust, or organization of any kind. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 19
• Person: includes any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, limited liability company, syndicate, estate, trust, business trust, or organization of any kind. See California Financial Code 18
• Person: means any natural person or any partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, or other type of association. See California Fish and Game Code 67
• Personal representative: means executor, administrator, administrator with the will annexed, special administrator, successor personal representative, public administrator acting pursuant to Section 7660, or a person who performs substantially the same function under the law of another jurisdiction governing the person's status. See California Probate Code 58
• Persons of low income: means persons and families who lack the amount of income which is necessary (as determined by the local public entity) to enable them, without financial assistance, to live in decent, safe and sanitary dwellings without overcrowding. See California Health and Safety Code 36002
• persons of low income: as used in this part have the same meaning as in Article XXXIV. See California Health and Safety Code 37000
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. ^Source:
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Predominantly urbanized: means that not less than 80 percent of the land in the project area meets the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 33320. See California Health and Safety Code 34002
• Preliminary hearing: A hearing where the judge decides whether there is enough evidence to make the defendant have a trial.
• Primarily to protect a security interest: means that the indicia of ownership of a lender are held primarily for the purpose of securing payment or performance of an obligation. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Probate: Proving a will
• Probation officers: Screen applicants for pretrial release and monitor convicted offenders released under court supervision.
• Process: includes all writs, warrants, summons, and orders of courts of justice, or judicial officers. See California Government Code 26660
• Professional fiduciary: means either of the following:

  California Business and Professions Code 6501

• Program: means a program for an agricultural employee to be granted parole. See California Government Code 12092
• Project area: is a n area that meets both of the following requirements:

  California Health and Safety Code 34002

• Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership and includes both real and personal property and any interest therein. See California Probate Code 62
• property: includes any real or personal property in which the obligor has or had an ownership, leasehold, or possessory interest, whether or not it was the subject of a security interest for the loan or obligation. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Public accountants: means certified public accountants, or state licensed public accountants. See California Health and Safety Code 38040
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Purchase: means "buy" as defined in Section 24. See California Fish and Game Code 68
• Real property: includes a leasehold interest in real property. See California Probate Code 68
• Redevelopment agency: means any agency provided for and authorized to function pursuant to the Community Redevelopment Law or this part. See California Health and Safety Code 34002
• related: means related by blood, adoption, marriage, or registered domestic partnership. See California Business and Professions Code 6501
• Release: means any spilling, leaking, pumping, pouring, emitting, emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping, leaching, dumping, or disposing into the environment. See California Health and Safety Code 25411
• Removal: means the cleanup or removal of released hazardous materials from the environment or the taking of other actions that may be necessary to prevent, minimize, or mitigate damages that may otherwise result from a release or threatened release, as further defined in Section 101(23) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
• Resident: means any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior to the date of application for a license or permit, any person on active military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or auxiliary branch thereof, or any person enrolled in the Job Corps established pursuant to former Section 2883 of Title 29 of the United States Code. See California Fish and Game Code 70
• Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
• Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
• Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
• season: means "open season. See California Fish and Game Code 62
• Secretary: means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. See California Food and Agricultural Code 35
• Security: includes any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in an oil, gas, or mining title or lease or in payments out of production under such a title or lease, collateral trust certificate, transferable share, voting trust certificate or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a security, or any certificate of interest or participation, any temporary or interim certificate, receipt, or certificate of deposit for, or any warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing. See California Probate Code 70
• Security interest: means an interest in a property created or established for the purpose of securing a loan or obligation. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Sell: includes offer or possess for sale, barter, exchange, or trade. See California Fish and Game Code 75
• Sequester: To separate. Sometimes juries are sequestered from outside influences during their deliberations.
• Spouse: includes domestic partner, as defined in Section 37 of this code, as required by §. See California Probate Code 72
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Corporations Code 12.2
• Spouse: includes "registered domestic partner" as required by §. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 12.2
• State: includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession subject to the legislative authority of the United States. See California Probate Code 74
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Education Code 77
• state: means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, and the District of Columbia. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 13810.1
• state: means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, and the District of Columbia. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 13820.10 v2
• State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Fish and Game Code 83
• Subdivision: means a subdivision of the section in which that term occurs unless some other section is expressly mentioned. See California Fish and Game Code 73
• subscription: includes mark. See California Revenue and Taxation Code 18
• Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
• Take: means hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill. See California Fish and Game Code 86
• Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Transferee: means the beneficiary, donee, or other recipient of an interest transferred by an instrument. See California Probate Code 81.5
• Transferor: means the testator, settlor, grantor, owner, or other person who executes an instrument. See California Probate Code 81
• Transport: includes offer or receive for transportation. See California Fish and Game Code 88
• Trust: includes the following:

  California Probate Code 82

• Trustee: includes an original, additional, or successor trustee, whether or not appointed or confirmed by a court. See California Probate Code 84
• Uniform Commercial Code: A set of statutes enacted by the various states to provide consistency among the states' commercial laws. It includes negotiable instruments, sales, stock transfers, trust and warehouse receipts, and bills of lading. ^{Source: OCC}
• United States: means the United States of America, and in relation to any particular matter includes the officers, agents, employees, agencies, or instrumentalities authorized to act in relation thereto. See California Fish and Game Code 5900
• Uphold: The decision of an appellate court not to reverse a lower court decision.
• Usury: Charging an illegally high interest rate on a loan. ^{Source: OCC}
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• veteran: means any person who has served in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force, or as an active nurse in the service of the American Red Cross, or in the Army and Navy Nurse Corps in time of war, or in any expedition of the Armed Forces of the United States, or who served in one of these services during the period September 16, 1940, to December 7, 1941, and received a discharge under conditions other than dishonorable. See California Business and Professions Code 23450
• wild pigs: has the meaning set forth in Section 4650. See California Fish and Game Code 4180.2
• Wildlife: means and includes all wild animals, birds, plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and related ecological communities, including the habitat upon which the wildlife depends for its continued viability. See California Fish and Game Code 89.5
• Will: includes codicil and any testamentary instrument which merely appoints an executor or revokes or revises another will. See California Probate Code 88
• Work out: means those actions by which a lender, at any time prior to foreclosure or its equivalent, seeks to prevent, cure, or mitigate a default by the borrower, or to preserve or prevent the diminution of the value of the property, security interest, or loan or obligation. See California Health and Safety Code 25548.1
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.