(a) A social purpose corporation that desires to convert to a domestic other business entity shall approve a plan of conversion. The plan of conversion shall state all of the following:
(1) The terms and conditions of the conversion.
(2) The jurisdiction of the organization of the converted entity and of the converting social purpose corporation and the name of the converted entity after conversion.
(3) The manner of converting the shares of each of the shareholders of the converting social purpose corporation into securities of, or interests in, the converted entity.
(4) The provisions of the governing documents for the converted entity, including the articles and bylaws, partnership agreement or limited liability company articles of organization and operating agreement, to which the holders of interests in the converted entity are to be bound.
(5) Any other details or provisions that are required by the laws under which the converted entity is organized, or that are desired by the converting social purpose corporation.
(b) The plan of conversion shall be approved by the board of the converting social purpose corporation, and the principal terms of the plan of the conversion shall be approved by at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of each class, or a greater vote if required in the articles, regardless of whether that class is entitled to vote thereon by the provisions of the articles of the converting social purpose corporation. The approval of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares may be given before or after approval by the board. If the plan is approved, shareholders with dissenting shares, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1300, may exercise dissenters’ rights pursuant to Section 3305 and Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 1300) of Division 1.
(c) If the social purpose corporation is converting into a general or limited partnership or into a limited liability company, then in addition to the approval of the shareholders set forth in subdivision (b), the plan of conversion shall be approved by each shareholder who will become a general partner or manager, as applicable, of the converted entity pursuant to the plan of conversion unless the shareholders have dissenters’ rights pursuant to Section 3305 and Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 1300) of Division 1.
(d) Upon the effectiveness of the conversion, all shareholders of the converting social purpose corporation, except those that exercise dissenters’ rights as provided in Section 3305 and Chapter 13 (commencing with Section 1300) of Division 1, shall be deemed parties to any agreement or agreements constituting the governing documents for the converted entity adopted as part of the plan of conversion, regardless of whether a shareholder has executed the plan of conversion or those governing documents for the converted entity. Any adoption of governing documents made pursuant thereto shall be effective at the effective time or date of the conversion.
(e) Notwithstanding its prior approval by the board and the outstanding shares, or either of them, a plan of conversion may be amended before the conversion takes effect if the amendment is approved by the board and, if it changes any of the principal terms of the plan of conversion, by the shareholders of the converting social purpose corporation in the same manner and to the same extent as was required for approval of the original plan of conversion.
(f) A plan of conversion may be abandoned by the board of a converting social purpose corporation, or by the shareholders of a converting social purpose corporation if the abandonment is approved by the outstanding shares, in each case in the same manner as required for approval of the plan of conversion, subject to the contractual rights of third parties, at any time before the conversion is effective.
(g) The converted entity shall keep the plan of conversion at the principal place of business of the converted entity if the converted entity is a domestic partnership, or at the office at which records are to be kept under Section 15901.14 if the converted entity is a domestic limited partnership, or at the office at which records are to be kept under Section 17701.13 if the converted entity is a domestic limited liability company. Upon the request of a shareholder of a converting social purpose corporation, the authorized person on behalf of the converted entity shall promptly deliver to the shareholder, at the expense of the converted entity, a copy of the plan of conversion. A waiver by a shareholder of the rights provided in this subdivision shall be unenforceable.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 694, Sec. 57. (SB 1301) Effective January 1, 2015.)