Massachusetts General Laws ch. 156E sec. 16 – Timing of annual benefit report sent to shareholders; posting on website; copy to state secretary
Section 16. (a) The annual benefit report shall be sent to each shareholder at the same time that the benefit corporation delivers any other annual report to its shareholders, or within 120 days following the end of the fiscal year of the benefit corporation.
Terms Used In Massachusetts General Laws ch. 156E sec. 16
- 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.
- Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
(b) A benefit corporation shall post its most recent annual benefit report on the public portion of its website, if any, but the compensation paid to directors and financial, confidential or proprietary information included in the benefit report may be omitted from the benefit report as posted.
(c) If a benefit corporation does not have a website, the benefit corporation shall provide a copy of its most recent benefit report, without charge, to any person that requests a copy, but the compensation paid to directors and financial or proprietary information included in the benefit report may be omitted from the copy of the benefit report provided.
(d) The benefit corporation shall deliver a copy of the benefit report to the state secretary with its annual report required by section 16.22 of chapter 156D, but the compensation paid to directors and financial, confidential or proprietary information included in the benefit report may be omitted from the benefit report as filed. The state secretary shall charge a fee of $75 for filing a benefit report in addition to the fee required for the annual report.