Sec. 26. (a) Any foreign corporation organized as a nonprofit corporation for the purpose of making communications service available to the inhabitants of rural areas may be admitted to do business in Indiana and shall have the same powers, restrictions, and liabilities as a cooperative corporation organized under this chapter. Whenever a foreign corporation desires to be admitted to operate in Indiana, it shall file with the commission an application for a certificate of territorial authority under IC 8-1-32.5. The appropriate officers of the corporation shall attach to the application a copy of the articles of incorporation of the foreign corporation, and all amendments to the articles, duly authenticated by the proper officer of the state in which the corporation is incorporated. Upon receipt of the application and the articles of incorporation, the commission shall conduct the review required under IC 8-1-32.5-8. If the foreign corporation is applying for a certificate of territorial authority to provide local exchange service, the commission shall give written notice of the filing of the application to each facilities based local exchange carrier operating in contiguous territory in the manner provided in section 5 of this chapter.

     (b) If the commission, after conducting the review required by IC 8-1-32.5-8 and any hearing allowed under IC 8-1-32.5-9, determines that the foreign corporation meets the requirements for the issuance of a certificate of territorial authority under IC 8-1-32.5, the commission shall enter an order granting a certificate of territorial authority under IC 8-1-32.5 for the proposed operations of the foreign corporation in Indiana and shall attach a copy of the order, duly certified by the secretary of the commission, to each original application filed with the commission and deliver the applications and orders to the petitioner.

     (c) If the commission, after conducting the review required by IC 8-1-32.5-8 and any hearing allowed under IC 8-1-32.5-9, determines that the foreign corporation does not meet the requirements for the issuance of a certificate of territorial authority under IC 8-1-32.5, the commission shall:

(1) request the foreign corporation to provide additional information; or

(2) notify the foreign corporation of the foreign corporation’s right to:

(A) appeal the commission’s determination under IC 8-1-3; or

(B) file another application at a later date, without prejudice;

under IC 8-1-32.5-8.

     (d) If the commission issues a certificate of territorial authority under subsection (b), the foreign corporation shall present to the secretary of state all sets of authenticated copies of its articles of incorporation, the original applications under IC 8-1-32.5, and the order of the commission under subsection (b), together with any application for admission to do business in Indiana that the secretary of state may require, and shall tender to the secretary of state six dollars and fifty cents ($6.50) to cover the secretary of state’s fees under this subsection. If the secretary of state approves the documents submitted, the secretary of state shall endorse the secretary of state’s approval upon each of the documents, file one (1) copy in the secretary of state’s office, return the remaining copies to the foreign corporation, and issue to the foreign corporation a certificate of admission to do business in Indiana. Before the foreign corporation may do any business in Indiana, it shall file in the office of the recorder of each county in Indiana in which it will make communications service available one (1) set of the documents bearing the approval of the secretary of state under this subsection.

Formerly: Acts 1951, c.193, s.27. As amended by P.L.59-1984, SEC.85; P.L.27-2006, SEC.52; P.L.81-2020, SEC.15.