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94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006 HB5376
Introduced 1/26/2006, by Rep. Terry R. Parke SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: |
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805 ILCS 5/6.15 |
from Ch. 32, par. 6.15 |
805 ILCS 5/8.75 |
from Ch. 32, par. 8.75 |
805 ILCS 5/11.70 |
from Ch. 32, par. 11.70 |
805 ILCS 5/12.56 |
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805 ILCS 180/15-5 |
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805 ILCS 180/15-6 new |
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Amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983. Requires that fair value (instead of just value) be paid for a fractional share that is paid in cash. Defines "fair value". Provides that, in the list of those who can make a determination for purposes of indemnification of a present or former
director, officer,
employee or agent in a particular case, the determination shall be by a committee of the
directors who are not parties to such action, suit, or proceeding, even though less than a quorum, designated by a majority vote of the directors (instead of a committee of directors designated by a majority vote of the directors). Amends the Limited Liability Company Act. Provides that the operating agreement may not contain any provision inconsistent with the voting provisions in the listed Section. Limits situations in which a person may vote to ratify or approve matters.
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A BILL FOR
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| AN ACT concerning business.
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| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| represented in the General Assembly:
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| Section 5. The Business Corporation Act of 1983 is amended |
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| by changing Sections 6.15, 8.75, 11.70, and 12.56 as follows:
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| (805 ILCS 5/6.15) (from Ch. 32, par. 6.15)
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| Sec. 6.15. Issuance of fractional shares or scrip. A |
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| corporation may, but shall not be obliged to, issue a |
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| certificate for
a fractional share, and, by action of its board |
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| of directors, may in lieu
thereof, pay cash equal to the fair
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| value of said fractional share, or issue
scrip in registered or |
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| bearer form which shall entitle the holder to receive
a |
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| certificate for a full share upon the surrender of such scrip |
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| aggregating
a full share. A certificate for a fractional share |
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| shall, but scrip shall
not unless otherwise provided therein, |
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| entitle the holder to exercise fractional
voting rights, to |
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| receive dividends thereon and to participate in any of
the |
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| assets of the corporation in the event of liquidation. The |
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| board of
directors may cause such scrip to be issued subject to |
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| the condition that
it shall become void if not exchanged for |
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| certificates representing full
shares before a specified date, |
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| or subject to the condition that the shares
for which such |
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| scrip is exchangeable may be sold by the corporation or by
an |
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| agent on behalf of the holder thereof and the proceeds thereof |
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| distributed
to the holders of such scrip or subject to any |
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| other conditions which the
board of directors may deem
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| advisable.
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| For purposes of this Section, "fair value", with respect to |
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| the cashout of a fractional share, means the proportionate |
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| interest of the fractional share in the corporation, without |
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| any discount for minority status or, absent extraordinary |
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| circumstance, lack of marketability.
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| (Source: P.A. 83-1025.)
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| (805 ILCS 5/8.75) (from Ch. 32, par. 8.75)
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| Sec. 8.75. Indemnification of officers, directors, |
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| employees and agents;
insurance.
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| (a) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a |
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| party,
or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, |
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| pending or completed
action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, |
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| criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an |
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| action by or in the right of the corporation)
by reason of the |
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| fact that he or she is or was a director, officer, employee
or |
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| agent of the corporation, or who is or was serving at the |
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| request of the
corporation as a director, officer, employee or |
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| agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, |
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| trust or other enterprise, against expenses
(including |
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| attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in |
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| settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by such person in |
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| connection with such action,
suit or proceeding, if such person |
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| acted in good faith and in a manner he or
she reasonably |
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| believed to be in, or not opposed to the best interests of the
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| corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or |
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| proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his or her |
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| conduct was unlawful. The termination
of any action, suit or |
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| proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction,
or upon |
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| a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of |
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| itself,
create a presumption that the person did not act in |
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| good faith and in a manner
which he or she reasonably believed |
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| to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the |
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| corporation or, with respect to any criminal action or
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| proceeding, that the person had reasonable cause to believe |
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| that his or her
conduct was unlawful.
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| (b) A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is
a |
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| party, or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened,
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| pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the
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| corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason
of the |
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| fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the |
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| request
of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or |
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| agent
of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, |
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| trust or other
enterprise, against expenses (including |
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| attorneys' fees) actually
and reasonably incurred by such |
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| person in connection with the defense
or settlement of such |
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| action or suit, if such person acted in good faith
and in a |
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| manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not
opposed |
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| to, the best interests of the corporation, provided that no
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| indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue, |
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| or matter as to
which such person has been adjudged to have |
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| been liable to the corporation,
unless, and only to the extent |
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| that the court in which such action or suit was
brought shall |
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| determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of
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| liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case, |
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| such person is
fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for |
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| such expenses as the court
shall deem proper.
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| (c) To the extent that a present or former director, |
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| officer or employee
of a corporation has been successful, on |
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| the merits or otherwise,
in the defense of any action, suit or |
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| proceeding referred to in
subsections (a) and (b), or in |
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| defense of any claim, issue or matter
therein, such person |
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| shall be indemnified against expenses (including
attorneys' |
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| fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in |
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| connection
therewith, if the person acted in good faith and in |
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| a manner he or she
reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed |
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| to, the best interests of the
corporation.
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| (d) Any indemnification under subsections (a) and (b) |
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| (unless ordered
by a court) shall be made by the corporation |
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| only as authorized in the specific
case, upon a determination |
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| that indemnification of the present or former
director, |
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| officer,
employee or agent is proper in the circumstances |
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| because he or she has met
the applicable standard of conduct |
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| set forth in subsections (a) or (b). Such
determination shall |
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| be made with respect to a person who is a director or
officer |
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| at the time of the determination: (1) by the majority vote of |
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| the
directors who are not parties to such action, suit or
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| proceeding, even though less than a quorum, (2) by a committee |
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| of the
directors who are not parties to such action, suit, or |
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| proceeding, even though less than a quorum, designated by a |
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| majority vote of the directors, even though less
than a quorum,
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| (3) if there are no such directors, or if the directors so
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| direct, by independent legal
counsel
in a written opinion, or |
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| (4) by the shareholders.
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| (e) Expenses (including attorney's fees) incurred by an |
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| officer or
director in defending a civil or criminal action, |
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| suit or
proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of |
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| the final disposition
of such action, suit or proceeding upon |
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| receipt of an undertaking by or on
behalf of the director or |
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| officer to repay
such amount if it
shall ultimately be |
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| determined that such person is not
entitled to be indemnified
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| by the corporation as authorized in this Section.
Such expenses |
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| (including attorney's fees) incurred by former directors and
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| officers or other employees and agents may be so paid on such |
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| terms and
conditions, if any, as the corporation deems |
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| appropriate.
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| (f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses |
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| provided by or
granted under the other subsections of this |
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| Section shall not be
deemed exclusive of any other rights to |
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| which those seeking
indemnification or advancement of expenses |
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| may be entitled under any
by-law, agreement, vote of |
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| shareholders or disinterested directors, or
otherwise, both as |
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| to action in his or her official capacity and as to action
in |
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| another capacity while holding such office.
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| (g) A corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on |
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| behalf of
any person who is or was a director, officer, |
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| employee or agent of the
corporation, or who is or was serving |
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| at the request of the corporation as a
director, officer, |
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| employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint |
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| venture, trust or other enterprise, against any liability |
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| asserted
against such person and incurred by such person in any |
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| such capacity, or
arising out of his or her status as such, |
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| whether or not the corporation would
have the power to |
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| indemnify such person against such liability under the
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| provisions of this Section.
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| (h) If a corporation indemnifies or advances expenses to a
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| director or officer under subsection (b) of this Section, the |
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| corporation shall report the
indemnification or advance in |
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| writing to the shareholders with or before the
notice of the |
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| next shareholders meeting.
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| (i) For purposes of this Section, references to "the |
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| corporation" shall
include, in addition to the surviving |
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| corporation, any merging corporation
(including any |
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| corporation having merged with a merging corporation) absorbed
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| in a merger which, if its separate existence had continued, |
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| would have had
the power and authority to indemnify its |
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| directors, officers, and employees
or agents, so that any |
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| person who was a director, officer, employee or agent
of such |
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| merging corporation, or was serving at the request of such |
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| merging
corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent |
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| of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust or |
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| other enterprise, shall stand in the
same position under the |
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| provisions of this Section with respect to
the surviving |
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| corporation as such person would have with respect to such
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| merging corporation if its separate existence had continued.
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| (j) For purposes of this Section, references to "other |
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| enterprises" shall
include employee benefit plans; references |
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| to "fines" shall include any
excise taxes assessed on a person |
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| with respect to an employee benefit plan;
and references to |
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| "serving at the request of the corporation" shall include
any |
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| service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the |
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| corporation
which imposes duties on, or involves services by |
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| such director, officer,
employee, or agent with respect to an |
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| employee benefit plan, its participants,
or beneficiaries. A |
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| person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or
she |
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| reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the |
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| participants
and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan |
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| shall be deemed to have acted
in a manner "not opposed to the |
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| best interest of the corporation" as referred
to in this |
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| Section.
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| (k) The indemnification and advancement of expenses |
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| provided by or granted
under this Section shall, unless |
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| otherwise provided when authorized or
ratified, continue as to |
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| a person who has ceased to be a director, officer,
employee, or |
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| agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, |
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| and
administrators of that person.
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| (l) The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act |
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| of the 92nd
General Assembly apply only to actions commenced on |
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| or after the
effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd |
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| General Assembly.
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| (Source: P.A. 91-464, eff. 1-1-00; 92-33, eff. 7-1-01.)
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| (805 ILCS 5/11.70) (from Ch. 32, par. 11.70)
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| Sec. 11.70. Procedure to Dissent.
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| (a) If the corporate action giving rise to the right to
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| dissent is to be approved at a meeting of shareholders, the |
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| notice of meeting
shall inform the shareholders of their right |
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| to dissent and the procedure
to dissent. If, prior to the |
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| meeting, the corporation furnishes to the
shareholders |
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| material information with respect to the transaction that
will |
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| objectively enable a shareholder to vote on the transaction and |
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| to
determine whether or not to exercise dissenters' rights, a |
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| shareholder may
assert dissenters' rights only if the |
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| shareholder delivers to the corporation
before the vote is |
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| taken a written demand for payment for his or her shares
if the |
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| proposed action is consummated, and the shareholder does not
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| vote in favor of the proposed action.
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| (b) If the corporate action giving rise to the right to |
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| dissent is not
to be approved at a meeting of shareholders, the |
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| notice to shareholders
describing the action taken under |
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| Section 11.30 or Section 7.10 shall inform
the shareholders of |
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| their right to dissent and the procedure to dissent.
If, prior |
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| to or concurrently with the notice, the corporation furnishes
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| to the shareholders material information with respect to the |
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| transaction
that will objectively enable a shareholder to |
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| determine whether or not to
exercise dissenters' rights, a |
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| shareholder may assert dissenter's rights
only if he or she |
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| delivers to the corporation within 30 days from the date
of |
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| mailing the notice a written demand for payment for his or her |
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| shares.
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| (c) Within 10 days after the date on which the corporate |
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| action giving
rise to the right to dissent is effective or 30 |
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| days after the shareholder
delivers to the corporation the |
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| written demand for payment, whichever is
later, the corporation |
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| shall send each shareholder who has delivered a written
demand |
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| for payment a statement setting forth the opinion of the |
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| corporation
as to the estimated fair value of the shares, the |
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| corporation's latest balance
sheet as of the end of a fiscal |
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| year ending not earlier than 16 months
before the delivery of |
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| the statement, together with the statement of income
for that |
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| year and the latest available interim financial statements, and
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| either a commitment to pay for the shares of the dissenting |
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| shareholder
at the estimated fair value thereof upon |
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| transmittal to the corporation of the
certificate or |
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| certificates, or other evidence of ownership, with respect
to |
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| the shares, or instructions to the dissenting shareholder to |
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| sell
his or her shares within 10 days after delivery of the |
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| corporation's statement
to the shareholder. The corporation |
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| may instruct the shareholder to sell
only if there is a public |
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| market for the shares at which the shares may
be readily sold. |
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| If the shareholder does not sell within that 10 day
period |
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| after being so instructed by the corporation, for purposes of |
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| this
Section the shareholder shall be deemed to have sold his |
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| or her shares at
the average closing price of the shares, if |
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| listed on a national exchange,
or the average of the bid and |
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| asked price with respect to the shares quoted
by a principal |
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| market maker, if not listed on a national exchange, during
that |
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| 10 day period.
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| (d) A shareholder who makes written demand for payment |
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| under this
Section retains all other rights of a shareholder |
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| until those rights are
cancelled or modified by the |
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| consummation of the proposed corporate action.
Upon |
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| consummation of that action, the corporation shall pay to each
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| dissenter who transmits to the corporation the certificate or |
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| other
evidence of ownership of the shares the amount the |
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| corporation estimates to
be the fair value of the shares, plus |
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| accrued interest, accompanied by a
written explanation of how |
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| the interest was calculated.
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| (e) If the shareholder does not agree with the opinion of |
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| the
corporation as to the estimated fair value of the shares or |
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| the amount of
interest due, the shareholder, within 30 days |
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| from the delivery of the
corporation's statement of value, |
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| shall notify the corporation in writing
of the shareholder's |
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| estimated fair value and amount of interest due and
demand |
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| payment for the difference between the shareholder's estimate |
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| of
fair value and interest due and the amount of the payment by |
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| the
corporation or the proceeds of sale by the shareholder, |
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| whichever is
applicable because of the procedure for which the |
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| corporation opted
pursuant to subsection (c).
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| (f) If, within 60 days from delivery to the corporation of |
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| the
shareholder notification of estimate of fair value of the |
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| shares and
interest due, the corporation and the dissenting |
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| shareholder have not
agreed in writing upon the fair value of |
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| the shares and interest due, the
corporation shall either pay |
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| the difference in value demanded by the
shareholder, with |
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| interest, or file a petition in the circuit court of the
county |
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| in which either the registered office or the principal office |
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| of the
corporation is located, requesting the court to |
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| determine the fair value of
the shares and interest due. The |
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| corporation shall make all dissenters,
whether or not residents |
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| of this State, whose demands remain unsettled
parties to the |
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| proceeding as an action against their shares and all parties
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| shall be served with a copy of the petition. Nonresidents may |
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| be served by
registered or certified mail or by publication as |
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| provided by law. Failure
of the corporation to commence an |
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| action pursuant to this Section shall not
limit or affect the |
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| right of the dissenting shareholders to otherwise
commence an |
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| action as permitted by law.
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| (g) The jurisdiction of the court in which the proceeding |
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| is commenced
under subsection (f) by a corporation is plenary |
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| and exclusive. The court
may appoint one or more persons as |
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| appraisers to receive evidence and
recommend decision on the |
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| question of fair value. The appraisers have the
power described |
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| in the order appointing them, or in any amendment to it.
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| (h) Each dissenter made a party to the proceeding is |
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| entitled to
judgment for the amount, if any, by which the court |
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| finds that the fair
value of his or her shares, plus interest, |
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| exceeds the amount paid by the
corporation or the proceeds of |
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| sale by the shareholder, whichever amount
is applicable.
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| (i) The court, in a proceeding commenced under subsection
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| (f), shall determine all costs of the proceeding, including the |
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| reasonable
compensation and expenses of the appraisers, if any, |
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| appointed by the
court under subsection (g), but shall exclude |
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| the fees and expenses of
counsel and experts for the respective |
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| parties. If the fair value of the
shares as determined by the |
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| court materially exceeds the amount which the
corporation |
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| estimated to be the fair value of the shares or if no estimate
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| was made in accordance with subsection (c), then all or any |
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| part of the
costs may be assessed against the corporation. If |
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| the amount which any
dissenter estimated to be the fair value |
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| of the shares materially exceeds
the fair value of the shares |
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| as determined by the court, then all or any
part of the costs |
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| may be assessed against that dissenter. The court may
also |
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| assess the fees and expenses of counsel and experts for the |
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| respective
parties, in amounts the court finds equitable, as |
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| follows:
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| (1) Against the corporation and in favor of any or all |
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| dissenters if
the court finds that the corporation did not |
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| substantially comply with the
requirements of subsections |
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| (a), (b), (c), (d), or (f).
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| (2) Against either the corporation or a dissenter and |
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| in favor of any
other party if the court finds that the |
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HB5376 |
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LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
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| party against whom the fees and
expenses are assessed acted |
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| arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith
with respect |
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| to the rights provided by this Section.
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| If the court finds that the services of counsel for any |
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| dissenter were of
substantial benefit to other dissenters |
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| similarly situated and that the
fees for those services should |
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| not be assessed against the corporation, the
court may award to |
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| that counsel reasonable fees to be paid out of the
amounts |
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| awarded to the dissenters who are benefited. Except as |
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| otherwise
provided in this Section, the practice, procedure, |
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| judgment and costs shall
be governed by the Code of Civil |
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| Procedure.
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| (j) As used in this Section:
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| (1) "Fair value", with respect to a dissenter's shares, |
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| means the
proportionate interest of the shareholder in the |
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| corporation, without discount for minority status or, |
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| absent extraordinary circumstance, lack of marketability,
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| value of the shares immediately before the consummation of |
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| the corporate
action to which the dissenter objects |
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| excluding any appreciation or
depreciation in anticipation |
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| of the corporate action, unless exclusion
would be |
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| inequitable.
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| (2) "Interest" means interest from the effective date |
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| of the corporate
action until the date of payment, at the |
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| average rate currently paid by the
corporation on its |
26 |
| principal bank loans or, if none, at a rate that is fair
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| and equitable under all the circumstances.
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28 |
| (Source: P.A. 86-1156.)
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| (805 ILCS 5/12.56)
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30 |
| Sec. 12.56. Shareholder remedies: non-public corporations.
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31 |
| (a) In an action by a shareholder in a corporation that has
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32 |
| no shares listed on a national securities exchange or regularly
|
33 |
| traded in a market maintained by one or more members of a
|
34 |
| national or affiliated securities association, the Circuit |
35 |
| Court
may order one or more of the remedies listed in |
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 11 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| subsection (b) if
it is established that:
|
2 |
| (1) The directors are deadlocked, whether because of
|
3 |
| even division in the number of directors or because of |
4 |
| greater than
majority voting requirements in the articles |
5 |
| of incorporation or
the by-laws or otherwise, in the |
6 |
| management of the corporate
affairs; the shareholders are |
7 |
| unable to break the deadlock; and
either irreparable injury |
8 |
| to the corporation is thereby caused or
threatened or the |
9 |
| business of the corporation can no longer be
conducted to |
10 |
| the general advantage of the shareholders; or
|
11 |
| (2) The shareholders are deadlocked in voting power
and |
12 |
| have failed, for a period that includes at least 2
|
13 |
| consecutive annual meeting dates, to elect successors to
|
14 |
| directors whose terms have expired and either irreparable |
15 |
| injury
to the corporation is thereby caused or threatened |
16 |
| or the
business of the corporation can no longer be |
17 |
| conducted to the
general advantage of the shareholders; or
|
18 |
| (3) The directors or those in control of the
|
19 |
| corporation have acted, are acting, or will act in a manner |
20 |
| that
is illegal, oppressive, or fraudulent with respect to |
21 |
| the
petitioning shareholder whether in his or her capacity |
22 |
| as a
shareholder, director, or officer; or
|
23 |
| (4) The corporation assets are being misapplied or
|
24 |
| wasted.
|
25 |
| (b) The relief which the court may order in an action under
|
26 |
| subsection (a) includes but is not limited to the following:
|
27 |
| (1) The performance, prohibition, alteration, or
|
28 |
| setting aside of any action of the corporation or of its
|
29 |
| shareholders, directors, or officers of or any other party |
30 |
| to the
proceedings;
|
31 |
| (2) The cancellation or alteration of any provision in
|
32 |
| the corporation's articles of incorporation or by-laws;
|
33 |
| (3) The removal from office of any director or
officer;
|
34 |
| (4) The appointment of any individual as a director or
|
35 |
| officer;
|
36 |
| (5) An accounting with respect to any matter in
|
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 12 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| dispute;
|
2 |
| (6) The appointment of a custodian to manage the
|
3 |
| business and affairs of the corporation to serve for the |
4 |
| term and
under the conditions prescribed by the court;
|
5 |
| (7) The appointment of a provisional director to serve
|
6 |
| for the term and under the conditions prescribed by the |
7 |
| court;
|
8 |
| (8) The submission of the dispute to mediation or
other |
9 |
| forms of non-binding alternative dispute resolution;
|
10 |
| (9) The payment of dividends;
|
11 |
| (10) The award of damages to any aggrieved party;
|
12 |
| (11) The purchase by the corporation or one or more
|
13 |
| other shareholders of all, but not less than all, of the |
14 |
| shares
of the petitioning shareholder for their fair value |
15 |
| and on the
terms determined under subsection (e); or
|
16 |
| (12) The dissolution of the corporation if the court
|
17 |
| determines that no remedy specified in subdivisions (1) |
18 |
| through
(11) or other alternative remedy is sufficient to |
19 |
| resolve the
matters in dispute. In determining whether to |
20 |
| dissolve the
corporation, the court shall consider among |
21 |
| other relevant
evidence the financial condition of the |
22 |
| corporation but may not
refuse to dissolve the corporation |
23 |
| solely because it has
accumulated earnings or current |
24 |
| operating profits.
|
25 |
| (c) The remedies set forth in subsection (b) shall not be
|
26 |
| exclusive of other legal and equitable remedies which the court
|
27 |
| may impose.
|
28 |
| (d) In determining the appropriate relief to order pursuant
|
29 |
| to this Section, the court may take into consideration the
|
30 |
| reasonable expectations of the corporation's shareholders as |
31 |
| they
existed at the time the corporation was formed and |
32 |
| developed
during the course of the shareholders' relationship |
33 |
| with the
corporation and with each other.
|
34 |
| (e) If the court orders a share purchase,
it shall:
|
35 |
| (i) Determine the fair value of the shares, with or
|
36 |
| without the assistance of appraisers, taking into |
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 13 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| account any
impact on the value of the shares resulting |
2 |
| from the actions
giving rise to a petition under this |
3 |
| Section;
|
4 |
| (ii) Consider any financial or legal constraints |
5 |
| on the
ability of the corporation or the purchasing |
6 |
| shareholder to
purchase the shares;
|
7 |
| (iii) Specify the terms of the purchase, |
8 |
| including, if
appropriate, terms for installment |
9 |
| payments, interest at the rate
and from the date |
10 |
| determined by the court to be equitable,
subordination |
11 |
| of the purchase obligation to the rights of the
|
12 |
| corporation's other creditors, security for a deferred |
13 |
| purchase
price, and a covenant not to compete or other |
14 |
| restriction on the
seller;
|
15 |
| (iv) Require the seller to deliver all of his or |
16 |
| her
shares to the purchaser upon receipt of the |
17 |
| purchase price or the
first installment of the purchase |
18 |
| price; and
|
19 |
| (v) Retain jurisdiction to enforce the purchase |
20 |
| order
by, among other remedies, ordering the |
21 |
| corporation to be
dissolved if the purchase is not |
22 |
| completed in accordance with the
terms of the purchase |
23 |
| order.
|
24 |
| For purposes of this subsection (e), "fair value", with |
25 |
| respect to a petitioning shareholder's shares, means the |
26 |
| proportionate interest of the shareholder in the corporation, |
27 |
| without any discount for minority status or, absent |
28 |
| extraordinary circumstances, lack of marketability.
|
29 |
| The purchase ordered pursuant to this subsection (e) shall
|
30 |
| be consummated within 20 days after the date the order becomes
|
31 |
| final unless before that time the corporation files with the
|
32 |
| court a notice of its intention to dissolve and articles of
|
33 |
| dissolution are properly filed with the Secretary of State |
34 |
| within
50 days after filing the notice with the court.
|
35 |
| After the purchase order is entered and before the
purchase |
36 |
| price is fully paid, any party may petition the court to
modify |
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 14 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| the terms of the purchase and the court may do so if it
finds |
2 |
| that such changes are equitable.
|
3 |
| Unless the purchase order is modified by the court, the
|
4 |
| selling shareholder shall have no further rights as a |
5 |
| shareholder
from the date the seller delivers all of his or her |
6 |
| shares to the
purchaser or such other date specified by the |
7 |
| court.
|
8 |
| If the court orders shares to be purchased by one or
more |
9 |
| other shareholders, in allocating the shares to be purchased
by |
10 |
| the other shareholders, unless equity requires otherwise, the
|
11 |
| court shall attempt to preserve the existing distribution of
|
12 |
| voting rights and other designations, preferences,
|
13 |
| qualifications, limitations, restrictions and special or |
14 |
| relative
rights among the holders of the class or classes and |
15 |
| may direct
that holders of a specific class or classes shall |
16 |
| not participate
in the purchase.
|
17 |
| (f) When the relief requested by the petition includes the |
18 |
| purchase of the petitioner's shares, then at any time within 90 |
19 |
| days after the filing of the
petition under this Section, or at |
20 |
| such time determined by the
court to be equitable, the |
21 |
| corporation or one or more
shareholders may elect to purchase |
22 |
| all, but not less than all, of
the shares owned by the |
23 |
| petitioning shareholder for their fair
value. An election |
24 |
| pursuant to this Section shall state in
writing the amount |
25 |
| which the electing party will pay for the
shares.
|
26 |
| (1) The election shall be irrevocable unless the court
|
27 |
| determines that it is equitable to set aside or modify the
|
28 |
| election.
|
29 |
| (2) If the election to purchase is filed by one or
more |
30 |
| shareholders, the corporation shall, within 10 days
|
31 |
| thereafter, give written notice to all shareholders. The |
32 |
| notice
must state: (i) the name and number of shares owned |
33 |
| by the
petitioner; (ii) the name and number of shares owned |
34 |
| by each
electing shareholder; and (iii) the amount which |
35 |
| each electing
party will pay for the shares and must advise |
36 |
| the recipients of
their right to join in the election to |
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 15 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| purchase shares.
Shareholders who wish to participate must |
2 |
| file notice of their
intention to join in a purchase no |
3 |
| later than 30 days after the
date of the notice to them or |
4 |
| at such time as the court in its
discretion may allow. All |
5 |
| shareholders who have filed an
election or notice of their |
6 |
| intention to participate in the
election to purchase |
7 |
| thereby become parties to the proceeding and
shall |
8 |
| participate in the purchase in proportion to their
|
9 |
| ownership of shares as of the date the first election was |
10 |
| filed,
unless they otherwise agree or the court otherwise |
11 |
| directs.
|
12 |
| (3) The court in its discretion may allow the
|
13 |
| corporation and all non-petitioning shareholders to file |
14 |
| an
election to purchase the petitioning shareholder's |
15 |
| shares at a
higher price. If the court does so, it shall |
16 |
| allow other
shareholders an opportunity to join in the |
17 |
| purchase at the higher
price in accordance with their |
18 |
| proportionate ownership interest.
|
19 |
| (4) After an election has been filed by the
corporation |
20 |
| or one or more shareholders, the proceeding filed
under |
21 |
| this Section may not be discontinued or settled, nor may
|
22 |
| the petitioning shareholder sell or otherwise dispose of |
23 |
| his or
her shares, unless the court determines that it |
24 |
| would be
equitable to the corporation and the shareholders, |
25 |
| other than the
petitioner, to permit the discontinuance, |
26 |
| settlement, sale, or
other disposition. In considering |
27 |
| whether equity exists to
approve any settlement, the court |
28 |
| may take into consideration the
reasonable expectations of |
29 |
| the shareholders as set forth in
subsection (d), including |
30 |
| any existing agreement among the
shareholders.
|
31 |
| (5) If, within 30 days of the filing of the latest
|
32 |
| election allowed by the court, the parties reach agreement |
33 |
| as to
the fair value and terms of purchase of the |
34 |
| petitioner's shares,
the court shall enter an order |
35 |
| directing the purchase of
petitioner's shares upon the |
36 |
| terms and conditions agreed to by
the parties.
|
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 16 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| (6) If the parties are unable to reach an agreement as
|
2 |
| provided for in paragraph (5) of this subsection (f), the |
3 |
| court,
upon application of any party, shall stay the
|
4 |
| proceeding under subsection (a) and shall determine the |
5 |
| fair value of the
petitioner's
shares pursuant to |
6 |
| subsection (e) as of the day before the date
on which the |
7 |
| petition under subsection (a) was filed or as of
such other |
8 |
| date as the court deems appropriate under the
|
9 |
| circumstances.
|
10 |
| (g) In any proceeding under this Section, the court shall
|
11 |
| allow reasonable compensation to the custodian, provisional
|
12 |
| director, appraiser, or other such person appointed by the |
13 |
| court
for services rendered and reimbursement or direct payment |
14 |
| of
reasonable costs and expenses, which amounts shall be paid |
15 |
| by the
corporation.
|
16 |
| (Source: P.A. 94-394, eff. 8-1-05.)
|
17 |
| Section 10. The Limited Liability Company Act is amended by |
18 |
| changing Section 15-5 and by adding Section 15-6 as follows:
|
19 |
| (805 ILCS 180/15-5)
|
20 |
| Sec. 15-5. Operating agreement.
|
21 |
| (a) All
members of a
limited liability company may enter |
22 |
| into an operating agreement to
regulate the affairs of the |
23 |
| company and the conduct of its business and to
govern relations |
24 |
| among the members, managers, and company. To the extent
the |
25 |
| operating agreement does not otherwise provide, this Act |
26 |
| governs relations
among the members, managers, and company.
|
27 |
| Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Section, an |
28 |
| operating agreement
may modify any provision or provisions of |
29 |
| this Act governing relations among
the members, managers, and |
30 |
| company.
|
31 |
| (b) The operating agreement may not:
|
32 |
| (1) unreasonably restrict a right to information or |
33 |
| access to records
under
Section 10-15;
|
34 |
| (2) vary the right to expel a member in an event |
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 17 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| specified in subdivision
(6) of Section
35-45;
|
2 |
| (3) vary the requirement to wind up the limited |
3 |
| liability company's
business
in a case specified in |
4 |
| subdivisions (3) or (4) of Section 35-1;
|
5 |
| (4) restrict rights of a person, other than a manager, |
6 |
| member, and
transferee of a member's distributional |
7 |
| interest, under this Act;
|
8 |
| (5) restrict the power of a member to dissociate under |
9 |
| Section 35-50,
although an operating agreement may
|
10 |
| determine whether a dissociation is wrongful under Section |
11 |
| 35-50, and it may
eliminate or vary the obligation of the |
12 |
| limited
liability company to purchase the dissociated |
13 |
| member's distributional interest
under Section
35-60;
|
14 |
| (6) eliminate or reduce a member's fiduciary duties, |
15 |
| but may;
|
16 |
| (A) identify specific types or categories of |
17 |
| activities that do not
violate these duties, if not |
18 |
| manifestly unreasonable; and
|
19 |
| (B) specify the number or percentage of members or |
20 |
| disinterested
managers that may authorize or ratify, |
21 |
| after full disclosure of all materials
facts, a |
22 |
| specific act or transaction that otherwise would |
23 |
| violate these duties;
or
|
24 |
| (7) eliminate or reduce the obligation of good faith |
25 |
| and fair dealing
under
subsection (d) of Section 15-3, but |
26 |
| the operating agreement may determine the
standards by |
27 |
| which the performance of the obligation is to be measured, |
28 |
| if the
standards are not manifestly unreasonable ; or |
29 |
| (8) contain any provision inconsistent with Section |
30 |
| 15-6 of this Act .
|
31 |
| |
32 |
| (c) In a limited liability company with only one member, |
33 |
| the operating
agreement
includes any of the following:
|
34 |
| (1) Any writing, without regard to whether the writing |
35 |
| otherwise
constitutes an
agreement, as to the company's |
36 |
| affairs signed by the sole
member.
|
|
|
|
HB5376 |
- 18 - |
LRB094 18006 LCT 53310 b |
|
|
1 |
| (2) Any written agreement between the member and the |
2 |
| company as to the
company's
affairs.
|
3 |
| (3) Any agreement, which need not be in writing, |
4 |
| between the member and
the
company as to a company's |
5 |
| affairs, provided that the company is managed by
a manager |
6 |
| who is a person other than the member.
|
7 |
| (Source: P.A. 92-33, eff. 7-1-01.)
|
8 |
| (805 ILCS 180/15-6 new) |
9 |
| Sec. 15-6. Voting to approve in certain situations. |
10 |
| Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act: |
11 |
| (1) No person may vote to approve or ratify the person's |
12 |
| own misconduct or breach of fiduciary duty. |
13 |
| (2) A person who or which has no fiduciary duty or |
14 |
| managerial power with respect to a matter may vote to approve |
15 |
| or ratify the matter in which the person has the self-interest |
16 |
| or conflict of interest.
|