ENROLLED Page 1 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. Regular Session, 2014 HOUSE BILL NO. 841 BY REPRESENTATIVE LEGER AN ACT1 To amend and reenact R.S. 12:1301(A)(18) and 1316 and to enact R.S. 12:1318(E) and2 1370, relative to limited liability companies; to provide for the definition of person3 as it relates to limited liability companies; to provide relative to voting of managers;4 to provide relative to voting by proxy; and to provide for related matters.5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6 Section 1. R.S. 12:1301(A)(18) and 1316 are hereby amended and reenacted and7 R.S. 12:1318(E) and 1370 are hereby enacted to read as follows: 8 §1301. Definitions9 A. As used in this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:10 * * *11 (18) "Person" means a natural person, corporation, partnership, limited12 partnership, domestic or foreign limited liability company, joint venture, trust13 including a common law trust, business trust, statutory trust, voting trust, or any14 other form of trust, estate, or association.15 * * *16 §1316. Voting by managers 17 Except as otherwise provided in the articles of organization or an operating18 agreement, if the limited liability company has more than one manager, each19 manager shall be entitled to a single vote on all matters properly brought before the20 managers, and all decisions of the managers shall be made by majority vote of the21 managers. In the absence of such a provision in the articles or operating agreement,22 no manager shall have the right to vote by proxy.23 * * *24 §1318. Voting rights of members 25 * * *26 ENROLLEDHB NO. 841 Page 2 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. E.(1) A member shall have the right to cast his vote either in person or,1 subject to the following provisions, by proxy duly authorized in writing, signed by2 the member and filed in the registered office of the limited liability company at or3 before the meeting.4 (2) The authority of the holder of a proxy to act shall not be revoked by the5 death of the member who executed the proxy unless, before the authority is6 exercised, written notice of such death is received by the registered office of the7 limited liability company.8 (3)(a) A proxy shall be revocable at will, unless otherwise validly provided9 by agreement or by any provision of the proxy. The validity of every unrevoked10 proxy shall cease eleven months after the date of its execution, unless some other11 definite period of validity is expressly provided. In no case shall an outstanding12 proxy be valid for longer than three years.13 (b) The revocation of a proxy, if revocable, shall not be effective until14 written notice has been given to the office of the limited liability company, or unless15 a proxy of later date is filed with the office at or before the meeting.16 (4) A proxy regular on its face and signed in the name of a member entitled17 to vote at the meeting shall be deemed valid unless challenged before it is voted, and18 the burden of proving invalidity shall be on the challenger.19 (5) When shares are registered in the names of two or more persons, other20 than trustees, a proxy signed by any one or more of them shall be deemed valid21 unless the limited liability company receives written notice to the contrary from a22 nonsigning member before the proxy is voted.23 (6) Except as otherwise provided in the articles or bylaws, without limiting24 the manner in which a member may authorize another person or persons to act for25 him as proxy, pursuant to this Subsection, the following shall constitute a valid26 means by which a member may grant such authority:27 (a) A member may execute a writing authorizing another person or persons28 to act for him as proxy. Execution may be accomplished by the member or his29 authorized officer, director, employee, or agent signing such writing or causing his30 ENROLLEDHB NO. 841 Page 3 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. signature to be affixed to such writing by any reasonable means, including but not1 limited to facsimile signature.2 (b)(i) A member may authorize another person or persons to act for him as3 proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a telegram, cablegram, or4 other means of electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the5 proxy, or to a proxy solicitation firm, proxy support service organization, or like6 agent duly authorized by the person who will be the holder of the proxy to receive7 such transmission.8 (ii) Any such telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission9 shall be submitted with information from which it can be determined that the10 telegram, cablegram, or other electronic transmission was authorized by the member.11 If it is determined that such telegrams, cablegrams, or other electronic transmissions12 are valid, the inspectors or other such persons making that determination shall13 specify the information upon which they relied.14 (c) Any copy, facsimile telecommunication, or other reliable reproduction15 of the writing or transmission, created pursuant to this Subsection may be substituted16 or used in lieu of the original writing or transmission for all purposes for which the17 original writing or transmission could be used. Such copy, facsimile18 telecommunication, or other reliable reproduction shall be a complete reproduction19 of the entire original writing or transmission.20 * * *21 §1370. Voting trusts22 A. One or more members of a limited liability company may, pursuant to an23 agreement in writing, transfer voting shares to any one or more persons or company24 having authority to act as trustees, for the purpose of vesting in the transferees, as25 trustees, for a period not exceeding fifteen years and upon the terms and conditions26 stated in the agreement, all voting or other rights pertaining to such shares. The27 voting trust agreement may stipulate that the time of the agreement may be extended28 under the same terms and conditions for an additional period, not to exceed ten years29 from the date of expiration of the original agreement. When the original agreement30 ENROLLEDHB NO. 841 Page 4 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. contains such a stipulation, it shall provide for the manner, method, time, and place1 for a meeting of all of the depositing members to vote on the extension. At least a2 majority in interest of all depositing members, and a larger percentage if stipulated,3 must vote for extension if the original agreement is to remain effective beyond its4 original expiration date.5 B. Unless the agreement provides otherwise, any other member may at any6 time transfer his voting shares to the same trustee or trustees upon the terms and7 conditions stated in the agreement, and thereupon shall be bound by, and shall have8 the benefits of, all of the provisions of the voting trust agreement.9 C. The certificates of voting shares transferred to a trustee or trustees shall10 be surrendered and cancelled, and new certificates therefor issued in the name of the11 trustee or trustees. In the new certificates it shall appear that they are issued pursuant12 to the voting trust agreement. In the entry of transfer on the records of the limited13 liability company, it shall be noted that the transfer is made pursuant to the14 agreement.15 D. The trustee or trustees shall execute and deliver voting trust certificates16 to the transferors. Such voting trust certificates shall be transferable in the same17 manner and with the same effect as a membership interest under the provisions of18 R.S. 12:1330.19 E. The trustee or trustees shall possess all voting and other rights pertaining20 to the shares transferred and registered in his or their names, subject to the terms and21 conditions of, and for the period specified in, the agreement.22 F. Unless otherwise provided in the agreement, the following shall apply:23 (1) The trustee or trustees may vote in person or by proxy.24 (2) If there are two or more trustees, the manner of voting shall be25 determined by the will of the majority of the trustees, unless the voting trust26 agreement appointing the trustees directs that the shares shall be voted in some other27 way. When, in any case, the trustees are equally divided as to the manner of voting28 shares transferred jointly in their names, any court of competent jurisdiction may,29 upon petition filed by any of the trustees or by any member, appoint an additional30 ENROLLEDHB NO. 841 Page 5 of 5 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions. person to act with the trustees in determining the manner in which the shares shall1 be voted on the particular questions as to which the trustees are divided.2 (3) Vacancies among the trustees shall be filled by the remaining trustee or3 trustees.4 (4) A trustee shall incur no responsibility as trustee except for his individual5 neglect or malfeasance.6 G. The trustee or trustees shall keep at a place available to holders of voting7 trust certificates, correct and complete books and records of account relating to the8 trust, and a record containing the names and addresses of all persons who are holders9 of voting trust certificates, the number of shares represented by each certificate held10 by them, and the dates when they became the owners of the shares. The record may11 be in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into written form12 within a reasonable time.13 H. A duplicate of every voting trust agreement shall be filed in the registered14 office of the limited liability company. The duplicate and the record of voting trust15 certificate holders shall be subject to the same right of inspection by a member or a16 holder of a voting trust certificate, in person or by agent or attorney, as are the17 records of the limited liability company under R.S. 12:1319.18 SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA APPROVED: