181.1021 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1022
181.1022
Class voting by members on amendments of bylaws. 181.1022(1)(1)
When class entitled to vote. The members of a class in a corporation are entitled to vote as a class on a proposed amendment to the bylaws if the amendment does any of the following:
181.1022(1)(a)
(a) Affects the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of that class as to voting, dissolution, redemption or transfer of memberships in a manner different than such amendment would affect another class.
181.1022(1)(b)
(b) Changes the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of that class as to voting, dissolution, redemption or transfer by changing the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of another class.
181.1022(1)(c)
(c) Increases or decreases the number of memberships authorized for that class.
181.1022(1)(e)
(e) Effects an exchange, reclassification or termination of all or part of the memberships of that class.
181.1022(2)
(2) Approval by each class required. If a class is to be divided into 2 or more classes as a result of an amendment to the bylaws, the amendment must be approved by the members of each class that would be created by the amendment.
181.1022(3)
(3) Voting requirements. Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or bylaws, if a class vote is required to approve an amendment to the bylaws, the amendment must be approved by the members of the class by two-thirds of the votes cast by the class or a majority of the voting power of the class, whichever is less.
181.1022 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1030
181.1030
Approval by 3rd persons. The articles of incorporation may require an amendment to the articles of incorporation or bylaws to be approved in writing by a specified person other than the board. Such an article provision may only be amended with the approval in writing of the person.
181.1030 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
MERGER
181.1101
181.1101
Approval of plan of merger. 181.1101(1)
(1)
In general. One or more corporations may merge into a corporation or a stock corporation, if the plan of merger is approved as provided in
s. 181.1103.
181.1101(2)
(2) Required information. The plan of merger shall include all of the following information:
181.1101(2)(a)
(a) The name of each corporation planning to merge and the name of the surviving corporation into which each plans to merge.
181.1101(2)(d)
(d) The manner and basis, if any, of converting memberships of each merging corporation into memberships, obligations or securities of the surviving or any other corporation or into cash or other property in whole or part.
181.1101(3)
(3) Permitted information. The plan of merger may include any of the following:
181.1101(3)(a)
(a) If the surviving corporation is a domestic corporation, amendments to the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the surviving corporation to be effected by the planned merger.
181.1101 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1103
181.1103
Action on plan by board, members and 3rd persons. 181.1103(1)(1)
Corporations without members with voting rights. If the corporation does not have members with voting rights, the plan of merger must be approved by a majority of the directors in office at the time the plan of merger is approved. In addition the corporation shall provide notice of any board meeting at which such approval is to be obtained in accordance with
s. 181.0822 (3). The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the proposed plan of merger.
181.1103(2)
(2) Corporations with voting members. Unless this chapter, the articles of incorporation or the bylaws require a greater vote or voting by class, a plan of merger to be adopted by a corporation with voting members shall be approved by all of the following:
181.1103(2)(a)
(a) Unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise, the board.
181.1103(2)(b)
(b) The members with voting rights, by two-thirds of the votes cast or a majority of the voting power, whichever is less.
181.1103(2)(c)
(c) A 3rd person, in writing, whose approval is required by a provision of the articles of incorporation.
181.1103(3)
(3) Notice requirements. If the board seeks to have the plan of merger approved by the members at a membership meeting, the corporation shall give notice, to its members with voting rights, of the proposed membership meeting in accordance with
s. 181.0705. The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the plan of merger and contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the plan. The copy or summary of the plan for members of the surviving corporation shall include any provision that, if contained in a proposed amendment to the articles of incorporation or bylaws, would entitle members to vote on the provision. The copy or summary of the plan for members of the disappearing corporation shall include a copy or summary of the articles of incorporation and bylaws that will be in effect immediately after the merger takes effect.
181.1103(4)
(4) Written consents or ballots. If the board seeks to have the plan approved by the members by written consent or written ballot, the material soliciting the approval shall contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the plan. The copy or summary of the plan for members of the surviving corporation shall include any provision that, if contained in a proposed amendment to the articles of incorporation or bylaws, would entitle members to vote on the provision. The copy or summary of the plan for members of the disappearing corporation shall include a copy or summary of the articles of incorporation and bylaws that will be in effect immediately after the merger takes effect.
181.1103(5)
(5) Class voting. Voting by a class of members is required on a plan of merger if the plan contains a provision that, if contained in a proposed amendment to articles of incorporation or bylaws, would require the class of members to vote as a class on the proposed amendment under
s. 181.1004 or
181.1022. The plan is approved by a class of members by two-thirds of the votes cast by the class or a majority of the voting power of the class, whichever is less.
181.1103(6)
(6) Abandonment of planned merger. After a merger is adopted, and at any time before articles of merger are filed, the planned merger may be abandoned, subject to any contractual rights, without further action by members or other persons who approved the plan in accordance with the procedure set forth in the plan of merger or, if none is set forth, in the manner determined by the board.
181.1103 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1104(1)
(1)
Member approval not required. A parent corporation that is a member with at least 90% of the voting rights in a subsidiary corporation may merge the subsidiary into itself without approval of the members of the parent or subsidiary.
181.1104(2)
(2) Plan of merger. The board of directors of the parent corporation shall adopt a plan of merger that sets forth all of the following:
181.1104(2)(b)
(b) The manner and basis of converting the memberships of the subsidiary into memberships of the parent or any other corporation or into cash or other property in whole or part.
181.1104(3)
(3) Notice requirement. The parent shall mail a copy or summary of the plan of merger to each member of the subsidiary who does not waive the mailing requirement in writing.
181.1104(4)
(4) Filing with department. The parent may not deliver articles of merger to the department for filing until at least 30 days after the date on which it mailed a copy of the plan of merger to each member of the subsidiary who did not waive the mailing requirement.
181.1104(5)
(5) Certain amendments prohibited. Articles of merger under this section may not contain amendments to the articles of incorporation of the parent corporation, except for amendments enumerated in
s. 181.1002.
181.1104 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1105
181.1105
Articles of merger. After a plan of merger is approved by the board, and, if required under
s. 181.1103, by the members and any other persons, the surviving or acquiring corporation shall deliver to the department for filing articles of merger that include all of the following information:
181.1105(2)
(2) If member approval not required. If approval of members was not required, a statement to that effect and a statement that the plan was approved by a sufficient vote of the board.
181.1105(3)
(3) If member approval required. If approval by members is required, all of the following:
181.1105(3)(a)
(a) The designation, number of memberships outstanding, number of votes entitled to be cast by each class entitled to vote separately on the plan, and number of votes of each class voting on the plan.
181.1105(3)(b)
(b) Either the total number of votes cast for and against the plan by each class entitled to vote separately on the plan or the total number of votes cast for the plan by each class and a statement that the number cast for the plan by each class was sufficient for approval by that class.
181.1105(4)
(4) If approval by 3rd person required. If approval of the plan by a person other than the members or the board is required under
s. 181.1103 (2) (c), a statement that the approval was obtained.
181.1105 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1106
181.1106
Effect of merger. When a merger takes effect all of the following occur:
181.1106(1)
(1) Termination of separate existence. Every other corporation party to the merger merges into the surviving corporation and the separate existence of every corporation except the surviving corporation ceases.
181.1106(2)
(2) Title to property. The title to all real estate and other property owned by each corporation party to the merger is vested in the surviving corporation without reversion or impairment subject to any conditions to which the property was subject before the merger.
181.1106(3)
(3) Rights and duties. The surviving corporation has all of the rights, privileges, immunities and powers and is subject to all of the duties and liabilities of a corporation organized under this chapter.
181.1106(4)
(4) Pending proceedings. A civil, criminal, administrative or investigatory proceeding pending against any corporation that is a party to the merger may be continued as if the merger did not occur or the surviving corporation may be substituted in the proceeding for the corporation whose existence ceased.
181.1106(5)
(5) Articles of incorporation and bylaws. The articles of incorporation and bylaws of the surviving corporation are amended to the extent provided in the plan of merger.
181.1106 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1107
181.1107
Merger with foreign corporation or foreign stock corporation. 181.1107(1)(1)
When permitted. One or more foreign corporations or foreign stock corporations may merge with one or more domestic corporations if all of the following conditions are met:
181.1107(1)(a)
(a) The merger is permitted by the law of the state or country under whose law each foreign corporation or stock corporation is incorporated and each foreign corporation or stock corporation complies with that law in effecting the merger.
181.1107(1)(b)
(b) The foreign corporation or stock corporation complies with
s. 181.1105 if it is the surviving corporation of the merger.
181.1107(2)
(2) Effect of merger. Upon the merger taking effect, the surviving foreign corporation or foreign stock corporation is deemed to have irrevocably appointed the department as its agent for service of process in any proceeding brought against it.
181.1107 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1108
181.1108
Bequests, devises and gifts. Any bequest, devise, gift, grant, or promise contained in a will or other instrument of donation, subscription, or conveyance, that is made to a constituent corporation and that takes effect or remains payable after the merger, inures to the surviving corporation unless the will or other instrument otherwise specifically provides.
181.1108 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1150
181.1150
Conversion of cooperative. A cooperative organized without capital stock may elect to convert itself to a corporation by adopting and filing restated articles of incorporation in the manner required under
ch. 185. The restated articles of incorporation shall conform to the requirements of
s. 181.0202 and shall contain a statement that the cooperative elects to convert itself to a corporation subject to this chapter. The election to become a corporation subject to this chapter is effective upon the filing of the restated articles of incorporation.
181.1150 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
SALE OF ASSETS
181.1201
181.1201
Sale of assets in regular course of activities and mortgage of assets. 181.1201(1)
(1)
Role of board. A corporation may, on the terms and conditions and for the consideration determined by the board, do any of the following:
181.1201(1)(a)
(a) Sell, lease, exchange or otherwise dispose of all, or substantially all, of its property in the usual and regular course of its activities.
181.1201(1)(b)
(b) Sell, lease, exchange or otherwise dispose of less than substantially all of its property whether or not in the usual and regular course of activities.
181.1201(1)(c)
(c) Mortgage, pledge, dedicate to the repayment of indebtedness, whether with or without recourse, or otherwise encumber any or all of its property whether or not in the usual and regular course of its activities.
181.1201(2)
(2) Role of members. Unless required by the articles of incorporation or bylaws, approval of the members or any other person of a transaction described in
sub. (1) is not required.
181.1201 History
History: 1997 a. 79.
181.1202
181.1202
Sale of assets other than in regular course of activities. 181.1202(1)(1)
When permitted. A corporation may sell, lease, exchange or otherwise dispose of all, or substantially all, of its property, with or without the goodwill, other than in the usual and regular course of its activities on the terms and conditions and for the consideration determined by the corporation's board if the proposed transaction is authorized under
sub. (2).
181.1202(2)
(2) Approval requirements in general. Unless this chapter, the articles of incorporation or the bylaws require a greater vote or voting by class, the proposed transaction to be authorized must be approved by all of the following:
181.1202(2)(a)
(a) Unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide otherwise, the board.
181.1202(2)(b)
(b) The members with voting rights, if any, by two-thirds of the votes cast or a majority of the voting power, whichever is less.
181.1202(2)(c)
(c) A 3rd person, in writing, whose approval is required by a provision of the articles of incorporation.
181.1202(3)
(3) Corporation without members. If the corporation does not have members the transaction must be approved by a vote of a majority of the directors in office at the time the transaction is approved. In addition the corporation shall provide notice of any board meeting at which such approval is to be obtained in accordance with
s. 181.0822 (3). The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the property or assets of the corporation and contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of a description of the transaction.
181.1202(4)
(4) Notice requirements. If the corporation seeks to have the transaction approved by the members at a membership meeting, the corporation shall give notice to its members of the proposed membership meeting in accordance with
s. 181.0705. The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of all, or substantially all, of the property or assets of the corporation and contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of a description of the transaction.
181.1202(5)
(5) Written consents or ballots. If the board needs to have the transaction approved by the members by written consent or written ballot, the material soliciting the approval shall contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of a description of the transaction.
181.1202(6)
(6) Abandonment of transaction. After a sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of property is authorized, the transaction may be abandoned, subject to any contractual rights, without further action by the members or any other person who approved the transaction in accordance with the procedure set forth in the resolution proposing the transaction or, if none is set forth, in the manner determined by the board.
