Virginia Code 13.1-728.3: Voting rights.
A. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this chapter, shares acquired in a control share acquisition have no voting rights unless voting rights are granted by resolution adopted by the shareholders of the public corporation. If such a resolution is adopted, such shares shall thereafter have the voting rights they would have had in the absence of this article.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 13.1-728.3
- Beneficial ownership: means the sole or shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of shares, or the sole or shared power to vote or direct the voting of shares, or the sole or shared power to acquire shares, including any such power that is not immediately exercisable, whether such power is direct or indirect or through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise. See Virginia Code 13.1-728.1
- control: shall mean the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or to cause the direction of the management or policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, arrangement or understanding, or otherwise. See Virginia Code 13.1-728.1
- Control share acquisition: means the direct or indirect acquisition, other than in an excepted acquisition, by any person of beneficial ownership of shares of a public corporation that, except for this article, would have voting rights and would, when added to all other shares of such public corporation which then have voting rights and are beneficially owned by such person, would cause such person to become entitled, immediately upon acquisition of such shares, to vote or direct the vote of, shares having voting power within any of the following ranges of the votes entitled to be cast in an election of directors: (i) one-fifth or more but less than one-third of such votes; (ii) one-third or more but less than a majority of such votes; or (iii) a majority or more of such votes. See Virginia Code 13.1-728.1
- 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.
- Interested shares: means the shares of a public corporation the voting of which in an election of directors may be exercised or directed by any of the following persons: (i) an acquiring person with respect to a control share acquisition; (ii) any officer of such public corporation; or (iii) any employee of such public corporation who is also a director of the corporation. See Virginia Code 13.1-728.1
- Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
- Record date: means the date fixed for determining the identity of the corporation's shareholders and their shareholdings for purposes of this chapter. See Virginia Code 13.1-603
- Shares: means the units into which the proprietary interests in a corporation are divided. See Virginia Code 13.1-603
B. To be adopted under this section, the resolution shall be approved by a majority of all the votes which could be cast in a vote on the election of directors by all the outstanding shares other than interested shares. Interested shares shall not be entitled to vote on the matter, and in determining whether a quorum exists, all interested shares shall be disregarded. For the purpose of this subsection, the interested shares shall be determined as of the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting.
C. If no resolution is adopted under this section in respect of shares acquired in a control share acquisition and beneficial ownership of such shares is subsequently transferred in circumstances where the transferor no longer has beneficial ownership of such shares and the transferee is not engaged in a control share acquisition, then such shares shall thereafter have the voting rights they would have had in the absence of this article.
1989, c. 14; 2005, c. 765.