(a) If a corporation has issued shares, an amendment to the certificate of incorporation shall be adopted as provided in this section. A proposed amendment must be adopted by the board of directors.

(b) Except as provided in sections 33-796, 33-801, and 33-802, after adopting the proposed amendment, the board of directors must submit the amendment to the shareholders for their approval. The board of directors must also transmit to the shareholders a recommendation that the shareholders approve the amendment, unless (1) the board of directors makes a determination that because of conflicts of interest or other special circumstances it should not make such a recommendation, or (2) § 33-754 applies. If subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection applies, the board of directors must transmit to the shareholders the basis for so proceeding.

(c) The board of directors may condition its submission of the amendment to the shareholders on any basis.

(d) If the amendment is required to be approved by the shareholders, and the approval is to be given at a meeting, the corporation must notify each shareholder, whether or not entitled to vote, of the meeting of shareholders at which the amendment is to be submitted for approval. The notice must state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the amendment and must contain or be accompanied by a copy of the amendment.

(e) Unless sections 33-600 to 33-998, inclusive, the certificate of incorporation or the board of directors acting pursuant to subsection (c) of this section requires a greater vote or a vote by voting groups, and except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, the amendment to be adopted must be approved by: (1) A majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the amendment by any voting group with respect to which the amendment would create appraisal rights; and (2) the votes required by sections 33-709 and 33-710 by every other voting group entitled to vote on the amendment.

(f) Notwithstanding any provision of subsection (e) of this section to the contrary, an amendment to the certificate of incorporation of a corporation which was incorporated under the laws of this state, whether under chapter 599 of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 1995, or any other general law or special act, prior to January 1, 1997, and which at the time of any shareholder vote on such a proposed amendment has less than one hundred shareholders of record, shall, unless the certificate of incorporation of such corporation expressly provides otherwise, be approved by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the voting power of each voting group entitled to vote thereon.