(a) Every covered entity shall have and maintain in this state a resident agent, which agent may be either:

(1) The covered entity itself;

(2) an individual resident in this state;

(3) a domestic corporation, a domestic limited partnership, a domestic limited liability partnership, a domestic limited liability company or a domestic business trust; or

(4) a foreign corporation, a foreign limited partnership, a foreign limited liability partnership, a foreign limited liability company or a foreign business trust.

(b) Every resident agent for a covered entity shall:

(1) If a domestic entity, maintain a business office identical with the registered office which is generally open, or if an individual, be generally present at a designated location in this state at sufficiently frequent times to accept service of process and otherwise perform the functions of a resident agent;

(2) if a foreign entity, be authorized to transact business in this state;

(3) accept service of process and other communications directed to the covered entity for which it serves as resident agent and forward the same to the covered entity to which the service or communication is directed; and

(4) forward to the covered entity for which it serves as a resident agent documents sent by the secretary of state.

(c) Unless the context otherwise requires, whenever the term “resident agent” or “registered agent” or “resident agent in charge of a (applicable covered entity’s) principal office or place of business in this state,” or other term of like import which refers to a covered entity’s agent required by statute to be located in this state, is or has been used in a covered entity’s public organic documents, or in any other document, or in any statute, it shall be deemed to mean and refer to the covered entity’s resident agent required by this section, and it shall not be necessary for any covered entity to amend its public organic documents, or any other document, to comply with this section.