Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 35. CORPORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND ASSOCIATIONS

CHAPTER 2. NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS

Part 6. Merger, Consolidation, and Sale of Assets

Sale Of Assets Other Than In Regular Course Of Activities

35-2-617. Sale of assets other than in regular course of activities. (1) A corporation may sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property, which may include the good will, 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 approved as required by subsection (2).

(2) Unless this chapter, the articles, the bylaws, or the board of directors or members, acting pursuant to subsection (4), require a greater vote or voting by class, the proposed transaction to be authorized must be approved:

(a) by the board;

(b) by the members by two-thirds of the votes cast or a majority of the voting power, whichever is less; and

(c) in writing by any person or persons whose approval is required by a provision of the articles, as authorized by 35-2-232, for an amendment to the articles or bylaws.

(3) 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, in accordance with 35-2-429(3), of any directors' meeting at which approval is to be obtained. 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 must contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of a description of the transaction.

(4) The board may condition its submission of the proposed transaction and the members may condition their approval of the transaction on receipt of a higher percentage of affirmative votes or on any other basis.

(5) 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 35-2-530. The notice must 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 must contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of a description of the transaction.

(6) If the board needs to have the transaction approved by the members by written consent or written ballot, the material soliciting the approval must contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of a description of the transaction.

(7) (a) Except as provided in subsection (7)(b), a public benefit corporation or religious corporation shall give written notice to the attorney general 20 days before it sells, leases, exchanges, or otherwise disposes of all or substantially all of its property if the transaction is not in the usual and regular course of its activities unless the attorney general has given the corporation a written waiver of this subsection.

(b) A public benefit corporation or religious corporation that is considered a nonprofit health entity, as defined in 50-4-701, is subject to the provisions of Title 50, chapter 4, part 7.

(8) 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 no procedure is set forth, in the manner determined by the board of directors.

History: En. Sec. 131, Ch. 411, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 20, Ch. 214, L. 2005.