Utah Code 19-3-318. No limitation of liability regarding businesses involved in high level radioactive waste
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(1) As used in this section:
Terms Used In Utah Code 19-3-318
- Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
- Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Director: means the director of the Division of Waste Management and Radiation Control. See Utah Code 19-3-102
- Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
- Organization: means a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited liability partnership, joint venture, consortium, association, trust, or other entity formed to undertake an enterprise, whether or not for profit. See Utah Code 19-3-303
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Person: means an individual, trust, firm, estate, company, corporation, partnership, association, state, state or federal agency or entity, municipality, commission, or political subdivision of a state. See Utah Code 19-1-103
- Radioactive: means any solid, liquid, or gas which emits radiation spontaneously from decay of unstable nuclei. See Utah Code 19-3-102
- Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. Source: FDIC
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
- Storage facility: means any facility which stores, holds, or otherwise provides for the emplacement of waste regardless of the intent to recover that waste for subsequent use, processing, or disposal. See Utah Code 19-3-303
- Transfer facility: means any facility which transfers waste from and between transportation modes, vehicles, cars, or other units, and includes rail terminals and intermodal transfer points. See Utah Code 19-3-303
(1)(a) “Controlling interest” means:
(1)(a)(i) the direct or indirect possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of an organization, whether through the ownership of voting interests, by contract, or otherwise; or
(1)(a)(ii) the direct or indirect possession of a 10% or greater equity interest in an organization.
(1)(b) “Equity interest holder” means a shareholder, member, partner, limited partner, trust beneficiary, or other person whose interest in an organization:
(1)(b)(i) is in the nature of an ownership interest;
(1)(b)(ii) entitles the person to participate in the profits and losses of the organization; or
(1)(b)(iii) is otherwise of a type generally considered to be an equity interest.
(1)(c) “Organization” means a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, joint venture, consortium, association, trust, or other entity formed to undertake an enterprise or activity, whether or not for profit.
(1)(d) “Parent organization” means an organization with a controlling interest in another organization.
(1)(e)
(1)(e)(i) “Subject activity” means:
(1)(e)(i)(A) to arrange for or engage in the transportation or transfer of high level nuclear waste or greater than class C radioactive waste to or from a storage facility in the state; or
(1)(e)(i)(B) to arrange for or engage in the operation or maintenance of a storage facility or a transfer facility for that waste.
(1)(e)(ii) “Subject activity” does not include the transportation of high level nuclear waste or greater than class C radioactive waste by a class I railroad that was doing business in the state as a common or contract carrier by rail prior to January 1, 1999.
(1)(f) “Subsidiary organization” means an organization in which a parent organization has a controlling interest.
(2)
(2)(a) The Legislature enacts this section because of the state’s compelling interest in the transportation, transfer, and storage of high level nuclear waste and greater than class C radioactive waste in this state. Legislative intent supporting this section is further described in Section 19-3-302.
(2)(b) Limited liability for equity interest holders is a privilege, not a right, under the law and is meant to benefit the state and its citizens. An organization engaging in subject activities has significant potential to affect the health, welfare, or best interests of the state and should not have limited liability for its equity interest holders. To shield equity interest holders from the debts and obligations of an organization engaged in subject activities would have the effect of attracting capital to enterprises whose goals are contrary to the state’s interests.
(2)(c) This section has the intent of revoking any and all statutory and common law grants of limited liability for an equity interest holder of an organization that chooses to engage in a subject activity in this state.
(2)(d) This section shall be interpreted liberally to allow the greatest possible lawful recourse against an equity interest holder of an organization engaged in a subject activity in this state for the debts and liabilities of that organization.
(2)(e) This section does not reduce or affect any liability limitation otherwise granted to an organization by Utah law if that organization is not engaged in a subject activity in this state.
(3) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, if a domestic or foreign organization engages in a subject activity in this state, no equity interest holder of that organization enjoys any shield or limitation of liability for the acts, omissions, debts, and obligations of the organization incurred in this state. Each equity interest holder of the organization is strictly and jointly and severally liable for all these obligations.
(4) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, each officer and director of an organization engaged in a subject activity in this state is individually liable for the acts, omissions, debts, and obligations of the organization incurred in this state.
(5)
(5)(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, if a subsidiary organization is engaged in a subject activity in this state, then each parent organization of the subsidiary is also considered to be engaged in a subject activity in this state. Each parent organization’s equity interest holders and officers and directors are subject to this section to the same degree as the subsidiary’s equity interest holders and officers and directors.
(5)(b) Subsection (5)(a) applies regardless of the number of parent organizations through which the controlling interest passes in the relationship between the subsidiary and the ultimate parent organization that controls the subsidiary.
(6) This section does not excuse or modify the requirements imposed upon an applicant for a license by Subsection 19-3-306(9).