16-10b-106.  Termination of benefit corporation status.

(1)  A benefit corporation may terminate its status as a benefit corporation and cease to be subject to this chapter by amending its articles of incorporation to delete the provision required by Section 16-10b-104 or 16-10b-105 to be stated in the articles of incorporation of a benefit corporation. To be effective, the amendment must be adopted by at least the minimum status vote.

Terms Used In Utah Code 16-10b-106

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Benefit corporation: means a business corporation:
(a) that elects to become subject to this chapter; and
(b) the status of which as a benefit corporation has not been terminated. See Utah Code 16-10b-103
  • Business corporation: means a corporation formed under Chapter 10a, Utah Revised Business Corporation Act, or Chapter 11, Professional Corporation Act. See Utah Code 16-10b-103
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Minimum status vote: means :
    (a) in the case of a business corporation, in addition to any other required approval or vote, the satisfaction of the following conditions:
    (i) the shareholders of every class or series may vote as a separate voting group on the corporate action regardless of a limitation stated in the articles of incorporation or bylaws on the voting rights of a class or series; and
    (ii) the corporate action is required to be approved by vote of the shareholders of each class or series entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes that all shareholders of the class or series are entitled to cast on the action; or
    (b) in the case of a domestic entity other than a business corporation, in addition to any other required approval, vote, or consent, the satisfaction of the following conditions:
    (i) the holders of every class or series of equity interest in the entity that are entitled to receive a distribution of any kind from the entity may vote on or consent to the action regardless of any otherwise applicable limitation on the voting or consent rights of a class or series; and
    (ii) the action must be approved by vote or consent of the holders described in Subsection (12)(b)(i) entitled to cast at least two-thirds of the votes or consents that all of those holders are entitled to cast on the action. See Utah Code 16-10b-103
    (2) 

    (a)  Except as provided in Subsection (2)(b), if a plan of merger or share exchange would have the effect of terminating the status of a business corporation as a benefit corporation, the plan must be adopted by at least the minimum status vote to be effective.

    (b)  Subsection (2)(a) does not apply in the case of a corporation that is a party to a merger if the shareholders of the corporation are not entitled to vote on the merger pursuant to Section 16-10a-1104.

    (3)  A sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of a benefit corporation, unless the transaction is in the usual and regular course of business, is not effective unless the transaction is approved by at least the minimum status vote.

    Enacted by Chapter 394, 2014 General Session