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Corporations Code Section 7816. Contents of Certificate of Amendment.

The certificate of amendment shall establish the wording of the amendment or amended articles by one or more of the following means:

(a) By stating that the articles shall be amended to read as therein set forth in full.

(b) By stating that any provision of the articles, which shall be identified by the numerical or other designation given it in the articles or by stating the wording thereof, shall be stricken from the articles or shall be amended to read as set forth in the certificate.

(c) By stating that the provisions set forth therein shall be added to the articles. If the purpose of the amendment is to reclassify, cancel, exchange, or otherwise change outstanding memberships the amended articles shall state the effect thereof on outstanding memberships.

Corporations Code Section 7815. Certificate of Amendment for Incorporator Amendments.

In the case of amendments adopted by the incorporators under Section 7811, the corporation shall file a certificate of amendment signed and verified by a majority of the incorporators which shall state that the signers thereof constitute at least a majority of the incorporators, that directors were not named in the original articles and have not been elected, that the corporation has no members and that they adopt the amendment or amendments therein set forth.

Corporations Code Section 7814. Certificate of Amendment.

(a) Except for amendments adopted by the incorporators pursuant to Section 7811, upon adoption of an amendment, the corporation shall file a certificate of amendment, which shall consist of an officers’ certificate stating:

(1) The wording of the amendment or amended articles in accordance with Section 7816;

(2) That the amendment has been approved by the board;

(3) If the amendment is one for which the approval of the members (Section 5034) or the approval of 100 percent of the voting power is required, that the amendment was approved by the required vote of members; and

(4) If the amendment is one which may be adopted with approval by the board alone, a statement of the facts entitling the board alone to adopt the amendment.

(5) If the amendment is one for which the approval of a person or persons other than the incorporators, directors or members is required, that the approval of such person or persons has been obtained.

(b) In the event of an amendment of the articles pursuant to a merger, the filing of the officers’ certificate and agreement pursuant to Section 8014 shall be in lieu of any filing required under this chapter.

Corporations Code Section 7813.5. Amendment to Change Corporate Status.

(a) A mutual benefit corporation may amend its articles to change its status to that of a public benefit corporation, a religious corporation, a business corporation, or a cooperative corporation by complying with this section and the other sections of this chapter.

(b) Except as authorized by Section 7811 or unless the corporation has no members, an amendment to change its status to a public benefit corporation or religious corporation shall: (i) be approved by the members (Section 5034), and the fairness of the amendment to the members shall be approved by the Commissioner of Corporations pursuant to Section 25142; (ii) be approved by the members (Section 5034) in an election conducted by written ballot pursuant to Section 7513 in which no negative votes are cast; or (iii) be approved by 100 percent of the voting power.

(c) Amended articles authorized by this section shall include the provisions which would have been required (other than the name of the initial agent for service of process if a statement has been filed pursuant to Section 8210), and may in addition only include those provisions which would have been permitted, in original articles filed by the type of corporation (public benefit, religious, business, or cooperative) into which the mutual benefit corporation is changing its status.

(d) At the time of filing a certificate of amendment to change status to a public benefit corporation, a corporation shall furnish an additional copy of the certificate of amendment to the Secretary of State who shall forward that copy to the Attorney General.

(e) In the case of a change of status to a business corporation or a cooperative corporation, if the Franchise Tax Board has issued a determination exempting the corporation from tax as provided in Section 23701 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the corporation shall be subject to Section 23221 of the Revenue and Taxation Code upon filing the certificate of amendment.

Corporations Code Section 7813. Amendments Affecting Membership Class Rights.

An amendment must also be approved by the members (Section 5034) of a class, whether or not such class is entitled to vote thereon by the provisions of the articles or bylaws, if the amendment would:

(a) Materially and adversely affect the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of that class as to voting, dissolution, redemption or transfer in a manner different than such action affects another class;

(b) Materially and adversely affect such class as to voting, dissolution, redemption or transfer by changing the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of another class;

(d) Increase the number of memberships authorized for another class;

(e) Effect an exchange, reclassification or cancellation of all or part of the memberships of such class; or

(f) Authorize a new class of memberships.

Corporations Code Section 7812. Approval Requirements for Amendments.

(a) Except as provided in this section or Section 7813, amendments may be adopted if approved by the board and approved by the members (Section 5034) and approved by such other person or persons, if any, as required by the articles. The approval by the members or other person or persons may be before or after the approval by the board.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the following amendments may be adopted by approval of the board alone:

(1) An amendment extending the corporate existence or making the corporate existence perpetual, if the corporation was organized prior to August 14, 1929.

(2) An amendment deleting the names and addresses of the first directors or the name and address of the initial agent.

(3) Any amendment, at a time the corporation has no members; provided, however, that if the articles require approval by any person for an amendment, an amendment may not be adopted without such approval.

(4) An amendment adopted pursuant to Section 9913.

(c) Whenever the articles require for corporate action the approval of a particular class of members or of a larger proportion of, or all of, the votes of any class, or of a larger proportion of, or all of, the directors, than is otherwise required by this part, the provision in the articles requiring such greater vote shall not be altered, amended or repealed except by such class or such greater vote, unless otherwise provided in the articles.

Corporations Code Section 7811. Amendments by Incorporators.

Any amendment of the articles may be adopted by a writing signed by a majority of the incorporators, so long as:

(a) No directors were named in the original articles;

(b) No directors have been elected; and

Corporations Code Section 7810. Amendments to Articles of Incorporation.

(a) By complying with the provisions of this chapter, a corporation may amend its articles from time to time, in any and as many respects as may be desired, so long as its articles as amended contain only such provisions as it would be lawful to insert in original articles filed at the time of the filing of the amendment or as authorized by Section 7813.5 and, if a change in the rights of members or an exchange, reclassification or cancellation of memberships is to be made, such provisions as may be necessary to effect such change, exchange, reclassification or cancellation. It is the intent of the Legislature in adopting this section to exercise to the fullest extent the reserve power of the state over corporations and to authorize any amendment of the articles covered by the preceding sentence regardless of whether any provision contained in the amendment was permissible at the time of the original incorporation of the corporation.

(b) A corporation shall not amend its articles to alter any statement which may appear in the original articles of the names and addresses of the first directors, nor the name and address of the initial agent, except to correct an error in the statement or to delete either after the corporation has filed a statement under Section 8210.

Corporations Code Section 7616. Court Action to Determine Validity of Election.

(a) Upon the filing of an action therefor by any director or member or by any person who had the right to vote in the election at issue, the superior court of the proper county shall determine the validity of any election or appointment of any director of any corporation.

(b) In the case of a corporation holding assets in charitable trust, any person bringing an action under this section shall give notice of the action to the Attorney General, who may intervene.

(c) Upon the filing of the complaint, and before any further proceedings are had, the court shall enter an order fixing a date for the hearing, which shall be within five days unless for good cause shown a later date is fixed, and requiring notice of the date for the hearing and a copy of the complaint to be served upon the corporation and upon the person whose purported election or appointment is questioned and upon any person (other than the plaintiff) whom the plaintiff alleges to have been elected or appointed, in the manner in which a summons is required to be served, or, if the court so directs, by registered mail; and the court may make such further requirements as to notice as appear to be proper under the circumstances.

(d) The court, consistent with the provisions of this part and in conformity with the articles and bylaws to the extent feasible, may determine the person entitled to the office of director or may order a new election to be held or appointment to be made, may determine the validity, effectiveness and construction of voting agreements and voting trusts, the validity of the issuance of memberships and the right of persons to vote and may direct such other relief as may be just and proper.

Corporations Code Section 7615. Cumulative Voting.

(a) If the articles or bylaws authorize cumulative voting, but not otherwise, every member entitled to vote at any election of directors may cumulate the member’s votes and give one candidate a number of votes equal to the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of votes to which the member is entitled, or distribute the member’s votes on the same principle among as many candidates as the member thinks fit. An article or bylaw provision authorizing cumulative voting may be repealed or amended only by approval of the members (Section 5034), except that the governing article or bylaw provision may require the vote of a greater proportion of the members, or of the members of any class, for its repeal.

(b) No member shall be entitled to cumulate votes for a candidate or candidates unless the candidate’s name or candidates’ names have been placed in nomination prior to the voting and the member has given notice at the meeting prior to the voting of the member’s intention to cumulate votes. If any one member has given this notice, all members may cumulate their votes for candidates in nomination.

(c) In any election of directors by cumulative voting, the candidates receiving the highest number of votes are elected, subject to any lawful provision specifying election by classes.

(d) In any election of directors not governed by subdivision (c), unless otherwise provided in the articles or bylaws, the candidates receiving the highest number of votes are elected.

(e) Elections for directors need not be by ballot unless a member demands election by ballot at the meeting and before the voting begins or unless the bylaws so require.

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