17100-17107
CORPORATIONS CODE
SECTION 17100-17107
17100. (a) After formation of a limited liability company, a person may become a member: (1) In the case of a person acquiring a membership interest directly from the limited liability company, at the time provided in and upon compliance with the articles of organization or the operating agreement or, if the articles of organization or operating agreement do not so provide, only upon the vote of a majority in interest of the members, excluding the vote of the person acquiring the membership interest, and only when the person becomes a party to the operating agreement. (2) In the case of an assignee of a membership interest, upon compliance with subdivision (a) of Section 17303 and at the time provided in and upon compliance with the articles of organization or the operating agreement or, if the articles of organization or operating agreement do not so provide, when the assignee becomes a party to the operating agreement. (b) In each case under subdivision (a), the person acquiring the membership interest shall be added as a member to the list required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 17058. (c) The operating agreement may provide for the termination in whole or in part of the membership interest or economic interest of a member in the limited liability company. If a member's economic interest in the limited liability company is terminated pursuant to the operating agreement, the member may demand and shall be entitled to receive a return of that member's contribution. Any provision in an operating agreement governing the termination of a member's interest and the return of a member's contribution shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms unless the member seeking to invalidate the provision establishes that the provision was unreasonable under the circumstances existing at the time the agreement was made. Upon any termination of a membership interest, the list required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 17058 shall be amended accordingly. (d) Sections 406 and 407 of the Labor Code shall not apply to membership interests issued by any foreign or domestic limited liability company to the following persons: (1) Any employee of the limited liability company or of any parent or subsidiary thereof, pursuant to a membership interest purchase plan or agreement or membership interest option plan or agreement. (2) In any transaction in connection with securing employment, to a person, who is or is about to become an officer of the limited liability company or a manager (as appointed or elected by the members) of the limited liability company, or of any parent or subsidiary thereof. 17101. (a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 17254 or in subdivision (e), no member of a limited liability company shall be personally liable under any judgment of a court, or in any other manner, for any debt, obligation, or liability of the limited liability company, whether that liability or obligation arises in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being a member of the limited liability company. (b) A member of a limited liability company shall be subject to liability under the common law governing alter ego liability, and shall also be personally liable under a judgment of a court or for any debt, obligation, or liability of the limited liability company, whether that liability or obligation arises in contract, tort, or otherwise, under the same or similar circumstances and to the same extent as a shareholder of a corporation may be personally liable for any debt, obligation, or liability of the corporation; except that the failure to hold meetings of members or managers or the failure to observe formalities pertaining to the calling or conduct of meetings shall not be considered a factor tending to establish that a member or the members have alter ego or personal liability for any debt, obligation, or liability of the limited liability company where the articles of organization or operating agreement do not expressly require the holding of meetings of members or managers. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the liability of a member of a limited liability company (1) to third parties for the member's participation in tortious conduct, or (2) pursuant to the terms of a written guarantee or other contractual obligation entered into by the member, other than an operating agreement. (d) A limited liability company or foreign limited liability company shall carry insurance or provide an undertaking to the same extent and in the same amount as is required by any law, rule, or regulation of this state that would be applicable to the limited liability company or foreign limited liability company were it a corporation organized and existing or duly qualified for the transaction of intrastate business under the General Corporation Law. (e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a member of a limited liability company may agree to be obligated personally for any or all of the debts, obligations, and liabilities of the limited liability company as long as the agreement to be so obligated is set forth in the articles of organization or in a written operating agreement that specifically references this subdivision. 17102. The articles of organization or the operating agreement may provide for the creation of classes of members having those relative rights, powers, and duties as the articles of organization or operating agreement may provide, including rights, powers, and duties senior to other classes of members. 17103. (a) The articles of organization or a written operating agreement may provide to all or certain identified members or a specified class or group of members the right to vote separately or with all or any class or group of members on any matter. Voting by members may be on a per capita, number, financial interest, class, group, or any other basis. If no voting provision is contained in the articles of organization or written operating agreement: (1) The members of a limited liability company shall vote in proportion to their interests in current profits of the limited liability company or, in the case of a member who has assigned his or her or its entire economic interest in the limited liability company to a person who has not been admitted as a member, in proportion to the interest in current profits that the assigning member would have, had the assignment not been made. (2) Any amendment of the articles of organization or operating agreement shall require the unanimous vote of all members. (3) In all other matters in which a vote is required, a vote of a majority in interest of the members shall be sufficient. (b) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the articles of organization or operating agreement, in no event shall the articles of organization be amended by a vote of less than a majority in interest of the members. (c) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the articles of organization or operating agreement, members shall have the right to vote on a dissolution of the limited liability company as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 17350 and on a merger of the limited liability company as provided in Section 17551. 17104. (a) Meetings of members may be held at any place, by electronic video screen communication or by electronic transmission by and to the limited liability company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (o) of Section 17001, either within or without this state, selected by the person or persons calling the meeting or as may be stated in or fixed in accordance with the articles of organization or a written operating agreement. If no other place is stated or so fixed, all meetings shall be held at the principal executive office of the limited liability company. Unless prohibited by the articles of organization of the limited liability company, if authorized by the operating agreement, members not physically present in person or by proxy at a meeting of members may, by electronic transmission by and to the limited liability company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (o) of Section 17001 or by electronic video screen communication, participate in a meeting of members, be deemed present in person or by proxy, and vote at a meeting of members whether that meeting is to be held at a designated place or in whole or in part by means of electronic transmission by and to the limited liability company or by electronic video screen communication, in accordance with subdivision (l). (b) A meeting of the members may be called by any manager or by any member or members representing more than 10 percent of the interests of members for the purpose of addressing any matters on which the members may vote. (c) (1) Whenever members are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each member entitled to vote at the meeting. The notice shall state the place, date, and hour of the meeting, the means of electronic transmission by and to the limited liability company or electronic video screen communication, if any, and the general nature of the business to be transacted. No other business may be transacted at this meeting. (2) Any report or any notice of a members' meeting shall be given personally, by electronic transmission by the limited liability company, or by mail or other means of written communication, addressed to the member at the address of the member appearing on the books of the limited liability company or given by the member to the limited liability company for the purpose of notice, or, if no address appears or is given, at the place where the principal executive office of the limited liability company is located or by publication at least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the principal executive office is located. The notice or report shall be deemed to have been given at the time when delivered personally, delivered by electronic transmission by the limited liability company, deposited in the mail, or sent by other means of written communication. An affidavit of mailing or delivered by electronic transmission by the limited liability company of any notice or report in accordance with this article, executed by a manager, shall be prima facie evidence of the giving of the notice or report. (3) If any notice or report addressed to the member at the address of the member appearing on the books of the limited liability company is returned to the limited liability company by the United States Postal Service marked to indicate that the United States Postal Service is unable to deliver the notice or report to the member at the address, all future notices or reports shall be deemed to have been duly given without further mailing if they are available for the member at the principal executive office of the limited liability company for a period of one year from the date of the giving of the notice or report to all other members. (4) Notice given by electronic transmission by the limited liability company under this subdivision shall be valid only if it complies with paragraph (1) of subdivision (o) of Section 17001. Notwithstanding this condition, notice shall not be given by electronic transmission by the limited liability company under this subdivision after either of the following: (A) The limited liability company is unable to deliver two consecutive notices to the member by that means. (B) The inability to so deliver the notices to the member becomes known to the secretary, any assistant secretary, the transfer agent, or any other person responsible for the giving of the notice. (5) Upon written request to a manager by any person entitled to call a meeting of members, the manager shall immediately cause notice to be given to the members entitled to vote that a meeting will be held at a time requested by the person calling the meeting, not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days after the receipt of the request. If the notice is not given within 20 days after receipt of the request, the person entitled to call the meeting may give the notice or, upon the application of that person, the superior court of the county in which the principal executive office of the limited liability company is located, or if the principal executive office is not in this state, the county in which the limited liability company' s address in this state is located, shall summarily order the giving of the notice, after notice to the limited liability company affording it an opportunity to be heard. The procedure provided in subdivision (c) of Section 305 shall apply to the application. The court may issue any order as may be appropriate, including, without limitation, an order designating the time and place of the meeting, the record date for determination of members entitled to vote, and the form of notice. (d) When a members' meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless the articles of organization or a written operating agreement otherwise require and, except as provided in this subdivision, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time and place thereof or the means of electronic transmission by and to the limited liability company or electronic video screen communication, if any, are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the limited liability company may transact any business that may have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than 45 days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each member of record entitled to vote at the meeting. (e) The actions taken at any meeting of members, however called and noticed, and wherever held, have the same validity as if taken at a meeting duly held after regular call and notice, if a quorum is present either in person or by proxy, and if, either before or after the meeting, each of the members entitled to vote, not present in person or by proxy, provides a waiver of notice or consents to the holding of the meeting or approves the minutes of the meeting in writing. All waivers, consents, and approvals shall be filed with the limited liability company records or made a part of the minutes of the meeting after conversion to the form in which those records or minutes are kept. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except when the person objects, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Attendance at a meeting is not a waiver of any right to object to the consideration of matters required by this title to be included in the notice but not so included, if the objection is expressly made at the meeting. Neither the business to be transacted nor the purpose of any meeting of members need be specified in any written waiver of notice, unless otherwise provided in the articles of organization or operating agreement, except as provided in subdivision (g). (f) Members may participate in a meeting of the limited liability company through the use of conference telephones or electronic video screen communication, as long as all members participating in the meeting can hear one another, or by electronic transmission by and to the limited liability company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (o) of Section 17001. Participation in a meeting pursuant to this provision constitutes presence in person at that meeting. (g) Any action approved at a meeting, other than by unanimous approval of those entitled to vote, shall be valid only if the general nature of the proposal so approved was stated in the notice of meeting or in any written waiver of notice. (h) (1) A majority in interest of the members represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of members. (2) The members present at a duly called or held meeting at which a quorum is present may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the loss of a quorum, if any action taken after loss of a quorum, other than adjournment, is approved by the requisite percentage of interests of members specified in this title or in the articles of organization or a written operating agreement. (3) In the absence of a quorum, any meeting of members may be adjourned from time to time by the vote of a majority of the interests represented either in person or by proxy, but no other business may be transacted, except as provided in paragraph (2). (i) (1) Any action that may be taken at any meeting of the members may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed and delivered to the limited liability company within 60 days of the record date for that action by members having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting at which all members entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. (2) Unless the consents of all members entitled to vote have been solicited in writing, (A) notice of any member approval of an amendment to the articles of organization or operating agreement, a dissolution of the limited liability company as provided in Section 17350, or a merger of the limited liability company as provided in Section 17551, without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given at least 10 days before the consummation of the action authorized by the approval, and (B) prompt notice shall be given of the taking of any other action approved by members without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent, to those members entitled to vote who have not consented in writing. (3) Any member giving a written consent, or the member's proxyholder, may revoke the consent personally or by proxy by a writing received by the limited liability company prior to the time that written consents of members having the minimum number of votes that would be required to authorize the proposed action have been filed with the limited liability company, but may not do so thereafter. This revocation is effective upon its receipt at the office of the limited liability company required to be maintained pursuant to Section 17057. (j) The use of proxies in connection with this section will be governed in the same manner as in the case of corporations formed under the General Corporation Law. (k) In order that the limited liability company may determine the members of record entitled to notices of any meeting or to vote, or entitled to receive any distribution or to exercise any rights in respect of any other lawful action, a manager, or members representing more than 10 percent of the interests of members, may fix, in advance, a record date, that is not more than 60 days nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the meeting and not more than 60 days prior to any other action. If no record date is fixed the following shall apply: (1) The record date for determining members entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of members shall be at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which notice is given or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the business day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. (2) The record date for determining members entitled to give consent to limited liability company action in writing without a meeting shall be the day on which the first written consent is given. (3) The record date for determining members for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the managers adopt the resolution relating thereto, or the 60th day prior to the date of the other action, whichever is later. (4) The determination of members of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of members shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting unless a manager or the members who called the meeting fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting, but the manager or the members who called the meeting shall fix a new record date if the meeting is adjourned for more than 45 days from the date set for the original meeting. (l) A meeting of the members may be conducted, in whole or in part, by electronic transmission by and to the limited liability company or by electronic video screen communication if both of the following requirements are met: (1) The limited liability company implements reasonable measures to provide members, in person or by proxy, a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the members, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with those proceedings. (2) When any member votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of electronic transmission to the limited liability company or electronic video screen communication, a record of that vote or action is maintained by the limited liability company. 17105. (a) The operating agreement may provide that the interest of a member or assignee in a limited liability company may be evidenced by a certificate of interest issued by the limited liability company, and may make other provisions not inconsistent with this title with respect to the transfer of interests represented by those certificates or with respect to the form of those certificates. (b) The operating agreement may provide that the certificate may be signed by a manager or officer of the limited liability company, whose signature may be a facsimile. In case any manager or officer of the limited liability company who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be a manager or officer before the certificate is issued, it may be issued by the limited liability company with the same effect as if the person were a manager or officer at the date of issue. If a certificate is worn out or lost, it may be renewed on production of the worn out or lost certificate or on satisfactory proof of its loss together with such indemnity as may be required by the manager or managers or a resolution of members. 17106. (a) Upon the request of a member or a holder of an economic interest, for purposes reasonably related to the interest of that person as a member or a holder of an economic interest, a manager shall promptly deliver, in writing, to the member or holder of an economic interest, at the expense of the limited liability company, a copy of the information required to be maintained by paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 17058, and any written operating agreement of the limited liability company. (b) Each member, manager, and holder of an economic interest has the right upon reasonable request, for purposes reasonably related to the interest of that person as a member, manager, or holder of an economic interest, to each of the following: (1) To inspect and copy during normal business hours any of the records required to be maintained by Section 17058. (2) To obtain in writing from the limited liability company promptly after becoming available, a copy of the limited liability company's federal, state, and local income tax or information returns for each year. (c) In the case of any limited liability company with more than 35 members: (1) A manager shall cause an annual report to be sent to each of the members not later than 120 days after the close of the fiscal year. That report, which may be sent by electronic transmission by the limited liability company (paragraph (1) of subdivision (o) of Section 17001), shall contain a balance sheet as of the end of the fiscal year and an income statement and a statement of cashflows for the fiscal year. (2) Members representing at least 5 percent of the voting interests of members, or three or more members, may make a written request to a manager for an income statement of the limited liability company for the initial three-month, six-month, or nine-month period of the current fiscal year ended more than 30 days prior to the date of the request, and a balance sheet of the limited liability company as of the end of that period. The statement shall be delivered or mailed to the members within 30 days thereafter. (3) The financial statements referred to in this section shall be accompanied by the report thereon, if any, of the independent accountants engaged by the limited liability company or, if there is no report, the certificate of a manager of the limited liability company that the financial statements were prepared without audit from the books and records of the limited liability company. (d) A manager shall promptly furnish to a member a copy of any amendment to the articles of organization or operating agreement executed by a manager pursuant to a power of attorney from the member. The articles of organization or operating agreement may be sent by electronic transmission by the limited liability company. (e) The limited liability company shall send or cause information to be sent in writing to each member or holder of an economic interest within 90 days after the end of each taxable year the information necessary to complete federal and state income tax or information returns, and, in the case of a limited liability company with 35 or fewer members, a copy of the limited liability company's federal, state, and local income tax or information returns for the year. (f) In addition to any other remedies, a court of competent jurisdiction may enforce the duty of making and mailing or delivering the information and financial statements required by this section and, for good cause shown, may extend the time therefor. (g) In any action under this section, if the court finds the failure of the limited liability company to comply with the requirements of this section is without justification, the court may award an amount sufficient to reimburse the person bringing the action for the reasonable expenses incurred by that person, including attorneys' fees, in connection with the action or proceeding. (h) Any waiver of the rights provided in this section shall be unenforceable. (i) Any request, inspection, or copying by a member or holder of an economic interest may be made by that person or by that person's agent or attorney. 17107. (a) Upon complaint that a limited liability company is failing to comply with the provisions of Section 17106, or to afford to the members rights given to them in the articles of organization or operating agreement, the Attorney General may, in the name of the people of the State of California, send to the office required to be maintained pursuant to Section 17057, notice of the complaint. (b) If the answer of the limited liability company is not received within 30 days of the date the notice was transmitted, or if the answer is not satisfactory, and if the enforcement of the rights of the aggrieved persons by private civil action, by class action, or otherwise, would be so burdensome or expensive as to be impracticable, the Attorney General may institute, maintain, or intervene in any court of competent jurisdiction or before any administrative agency for relief by way of injunction, the dissolution of entities, the appointment of receivers, or any other temporary, preliminary, provisional, or final remedies as may be appropriate to protect the rights of members or to restore the position of the members for the failure to comply with the requirements of Section 17106 or the articles of organization or the operating agreement. In any action, suit, or proceeding, there may be joined as parties all persons and entities responsible for or affected by the activity.