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D R A F T

FOR DISCUSSION ONLY

 

 

HARMONIZED

MODEL REGISTERED AGENTS ACT

(Amendments to Model Registered Agents Act and

Amendments to Entity Acts to Rationalize Annual Filings)

 

 

____________________________________________

 

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS

 

ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS

______________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

For January 28-30, 2011 Drafting Committee Meeting

on Harmonization of Business Entity Acts

 

Without Comments, but with Reporters’ Notes

 

Strike and Score Version

 

 

 

Copyright ©2010

By

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS

ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS

 

______________________________________________________________________________

The ideas and conclusions set forth in this draft, including the proposed statutory language and any comments or reporter=s notes, have not been passed upon by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws or the Drafting Committee.  They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference and its Commissioners and the Drafting Committee and its Members and Reporter.  Proposed statutory language may not be used to ascertain the intent or meaning of any promulgated final statutory proposal.

 

January 7, 2011

DRAFTING COMMITTEE ON HARMONIZATION OF BUSINESS ENTITY ACTS

The Committee appointed by and representing the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in preparing this Act consists of the following individuals:

HARRY J. HAYNSWORTH, 2200 IDS Center, 80 S. 8th St., Minneapolis, MN 55402, Chair 

WILLIAM H. CLARK, One Logan Square, 18th and Cherry Sts., Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996, Vice-Chair

ANN E. CONAWAY, Widener University School of Law, 4601 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803

THOMAS E. GEU, University of South Dakota School of Law, 414 Clark St., Suite 214, Vermillion, SD 57069-2390

DALE G. HIGER, 1302 Warm Springs Ave., Boise, ID 83712

JAMES C. MCKAY, Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, 441 Fourth St. NW, 6th Floor S., Washington, DC 20001

MARILYN E. PHELAN, 306 Peninsula Ct., Granbury, TX 76048

WILLIAM J. QUINLAN, Two First National Plaza, 20 S. Clark St., Suite 2900, Chicago, IL 60603

KEVIN P. SUMIDA, 735 Bishop St., Suite 411, Honolulu, HI 96813

JUSTIN L. VIGDOR, 2400 Chase Sq., Rochester, NY 14604

DAVID S. WALKER, Drake University Law School, 2507 University Ave., Des Moines, IA 50311

CARTER G. BISHOP, Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02108-4977, Co-Reporter

DANIEL S. KLEINBERGER, William Mitchell College of Law, 875 Summit Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105, Co-Reporter

 

EX OFFICIO

ROBERT A. STEIN, University of Minnesota Law School, 229 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455, President

MARILYN E. PHELAN, 306 Peninsula Ct., Granbury, TX 76048, Division Chair

 

AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION ADVISOR

ROBERT R. KEATINGE, 555 17th St., Suite 3200, Denver, CO 80202-3979, ABA Advisor

WILLIAM J. CALLISON, 3200 Wells Fargo Center, 1700 Lincoln St., Denver, CO 80203, ABA Section Advisor

ALLAN G. DONN, Wells Fargo Center, 440 Monticello Ave., Suite 2200, Norfolk, VA 23510-2243, ABA Section Advisor

WILLIAM S. FORSBERG, 150 S. Fifth St., Suite 2300, Minneapolis, MN 55402-4238, ABA Section Advisor

BARRY B. NEKRITZ, 8000 Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606, ABA Section Advisor

JAMES J. WHEATON, 222 Central Park Ave., Suite 2000, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, ABA Section Advisor


EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

JOHN A. SEBERT, 111 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1010, Chicago, IL 60602, Executive Director

                                             Copies of this Act may be obtained from:

 

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF COMMISSIONERS

ON UNIFORM STATE LAWS

                                                    111 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 1010

                                                           Chicago, Illinois  60602

312/450-6600

www.nccusl.org

 


HARMONIZED MODEL REGISTERED AGENTS ACT

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Introductory Reporters’ Note.. 1

Section 1.  Short title.. 2

Section 2.  Definitions. 2

Section 3.  Fees. 7

Section 4.  Addresses in filings. 7

Section 5.  Appointment Designation of registered agent. 8

Section 6.  LISTING of commercial registered agent. 9

Section 7.  TERMINATION of LISTING OF commercial registered agent. 10

Section 8.  Change of registered agent by entity.. 11

Section 9.  Change of name OR address by NONCOMMERCIAL registered agent  12

Section 10.  Change of name, address, OR TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONENTITY, OR JURISDICTION OF FORMATION by commercial registered agent. 13

Section 11.  Resignation of registered agent. 14

Section 12.  APPOINTMENT of REGISTERED agent BY NONFILING OR NONQUALIFIED FOREIGN ENTITY OR NONFILING DOMESTIC ENTITY.. 15

Section 13.  Service of process, NOTICE, OR DEMAND on entities. 16

Section 14.  DutIES of registered agent. 18

Section 15.  JURISDICTION AND VENUE.. 18

SECTION 16.  Consistency of application.. 18

Section 17.  Relation to Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. 19

Section 18.  Savings clause.. 19

Section 19.  Effective date.. 19

 

 


Introductory Reporters’ Note

 

The proposed revisions to the text of the act set forth in this document have been prepared as part of a project that has two purposes: (i) to harmonize the language of all of the unincorporated entity laws, and (ii) to revise the language of each of those acts in a manner that permits their integration into a single code of entity laws.

 

The Reporters’ Notes in this document are limited to explaining the source of certain of the proposed changes.  Following the approval of the changes in this document by the Conference, the Reporters’ Notes will be replaced with more usual comments that explain the provisions of the act.

 

The harmonization process has involved the revision of the following acts, some of which are referred to in the Reporters’ Notes by the abbreviations listed below:

 

HUB               Business Organizations Act

META             Model Entity Transactions Act

MORAA         Model Registered Agents Act

UPA                Uniform Partnership Act (1997)

ULPA             Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2001)

ULLCA          Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (200_)

USTEA           Uniform Statutory Trust Entity Act

Coop Act        Uniform Limited Cooperative Association Act

UUNAA         Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act (200_)

 

Changes to the currently effective text of the act are shown by striking through text to be deleted and underlining text to be added.  Changes that adopt language from the HUB or META, or are merely relocations of current language or corrections to cross references, are shown in black type.  Changes that adopt language from other unincorporated entity laws are shown in blue type.  Changes that do not have a source in one of the existing unincorporated entity laws are shown in red type.

 

As originally promulgated by the Conference, the act included a series of amendments to other uniform and model entity laws designed to rationalize the annual reports required to be filed under those laws.  Those amendments are no longer needed as part of the act because the harmonization project has included conforming all of the annual report requirements.


HARMONIZED MODEL REGISTERED AGENTS ACT

 

            Section 1.  Short title.  This [act] may be cited as the Model Registered Agents Act.

            Section 2.  Definitions.  In this [act]:

            (1)  “Appointment of agent” means a statement appointing ana registered agent for service of process filed by:

                        (A)  a domestic or foreign unincorporated nonprofit association under [Section 10 of the Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act]; or

                        (B)  a domestic entity that is not a filing entity or a nonqualified foreign entity under Section 12.

            (2)  “Commercial registered agent” means an individual or a domestic or foreign entitya person listed under Section 6.

            (3)  “Distributional interest” means the right under an unincorporated entity’s organic law and organic rules to receive distributions from the entity.

            (3)(4)  “Domestic entity, with respect to an entity, means an entity whose internal affairs are governed as to its internal affairs by the law of this state.

            (4)(5)  “Entity” means a person that has a separate legal existence separate from any interest holder of that person or that has the power to acquire an interest in real property in its own name other than:

                        (A)  an individual;

                        (B)  a testamentary, inter vivos, or charitable trust, with the exception of except a, business trust statutory trust, business trust or similar common-law business trust;

                        (C)  an association or relationship that is not a partnership solely by reason of [Section 202(c) of the Uniform Partnership Act (1997)] or a similar provision of the law of any other another jurisdiction;

                        (D)  a decedent’s estate; or

                        (E)  a public corporation, government or a governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or quasi-governmental instrumentality.

            (5)(6)  “Filing entity” means an entity that is createdformed by the filing of a public organic documentrecord.

            (6)(7)  “Foreign entity” means an entity other than a domestic entity.

            (7)(8)  “Foreign qualificationregistration document” means an application for a certificate of authorityregistration to do business in this state or other foreign qualification filing with the [Secretary of State] by a foreign entity.

            (8)(9)  “Governance interest” means the a right under the organic law or organic rules of an unincorporated entity, other than as a governor, agent, assignee, or proxy, to:

                        (A)  receive or demand access to information concerning, or the books and records of, the entity;

                        (B)  vote for the election of the governors of the entity; or

                        (C)  receive notice of or vote on any or all issuesissue involving the internal affairs of the entity.

            (9)(10)  “Governor” means a person by or under whose authority the powers of an entity are exercised and under whose direction the business activities and affairs of the entity are managed pursuant to the organic law and organic rules of the entity.

            (10)(11)  “Interest” means:

                        (A)  a governance interest in an unincorporated entity;

                        (B)  a transferabledistributional interest in an unincorporated entity; or

                        (C)  a share or membership in a corporation.

            (11)(12)  “Interest holder” means a direct holder of an interest.

            (12)(13)  “Jurisdiction of organization,formationwith respect to an entity, means the jurisdiction whose law includes the organic law of thean entity.

            (13)(14)  “Noncommercial registered agent” means a person that is not listed as a commercial registered agent under Section 6 and that is:

                        (A)  an individual or a domestic or foreign entity that serves in this state as the registered agent for service of process of an entity; or

                        (B)  the individual who holds the office or other position in an entity that is designated as the registered agent for service of process pursuant to Section 5(a)(2)(B).

            (14)(15)  “Nonqualified foreign entity” means a foreign entity that is not authorizedregistered to transactdo business in this state pursuant to a filing withstatement of registration filed by the [Secretary of State].

            (15)(16)  “Nonresident LLP statement” means:

                        (A)  a statement of qualification of a domestic limited liability partnership that does not have an office in this state; or

                        (B)  a statement of foreign qualification of a foreign limited liability partnership that does not have an office in this state.

            (16)(17)  “Organic law” means the statutes, if any, other than this [act], law of an entity’s jurisdiction of formation governing the internal affairs of anthe entity.

            (17)(18)  “Organic rules” means the public organic document record and private organic rules of an entity.

            (18)(19)  “Person” means an individual, business corporation, nonprofit corporation, estate, trust, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, [general cooperative association], limited cooperative association, business or similar trust, unincorporated nonprofit association, statutory trust, business trust, or common-law business trust, estate, trust, association, joint venture, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity.

            (19)(20)  “Private organic rules” meanmeans the rules, whether or not in a record, that govern the internal affairs of an entity, are binding on all of its interest holders, and are not part of its public organic document record, if any.

            (20)(21)  “Public organic documentrecord” means the public record the filing of which creates by the [Secretary of State] forms an entity, and any amendment to or restatement of that record.

            (21)  “Qualified foreign entity” means a foreign entity that is authorized to transact business in this state pursuant to a filing with the [Secretary of State].

            (22)  “Record”, used as a noun, means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

            (23)  “Registered agent” means a commercial registered agent or a noncommercial registered agent.

            (24)  “Registered agent filing” means:

                        (A)  the public organic documentrecord of a domestic filing entity;

                        (B)  a nonresident LLP statement;

                        (C)  a foreign qualificationregistration document; or

                        (D)  an appointment of agent.

            (25)  “Registered foreign entity” means a foreign entity that is registered to do business in this state pursuant to a foreign registration document filed by the [Secretary of State].

            (25)(26)  “Represented entity” means:

                        (A)  a domestic filing entity;

                        (B)  a domestic or qualified foreign limited liability partnership that does not have an office in this state;

                        (C)  a qualifiedregistered foreign entity;

                        (D)  a domestic or foreign unincorporated nonprofit association for which an appointment of agent has been filed;

                        (E)  a domestic entity that is not a filing entity for which an appointment of agent has been filed; or

                        (F)  a nonqualified foreign entity for which an appointment of agent has been filed.

            (26)(27)  “Sign” means, with present intent to authenticate or adopt a record:

                        (A)  to execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or

                        (B)  to attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic sound, symbol, sound, or process.

            (27)  “Transferable interest” means the right under an entity’s organic law to receive distributions from the entity.

            (28)  “Type, of entitywith respect to an entity, means a generic form of entity:

                        (A)  recognized at common law; or

                        (B)  organized formed under an organic law, whether or not some entities organized formed under that organic law are subject to provisions of that law that create different categories of the form of entity.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB §§ 1-102 and 1-401.

            “Nonresident LLP statement.”  This definition is limited to those LLPs that do not have an office in the state because LLPs that have an in-state office are not required to designate a registered agent.  See UPA §§ 1001(c)(3) and 1102(a)(3).  Consideration should be given to requiring a registered agent for all LLPs.

 

            Section 3.  Fees.

            (a)  The [Secretary of State] shall collect the following fees when a filing is made under this [act]:

                        document                                                                    fee

                        (1) commercial registered agent listing statement       $__

                        (2) commercial registered agent termination               $__

                                    statement

                        (3) statement of change                                              $__

                        (4) statement of resignation                                        no fee

                        (5) statement appointing ana registered agent for service

                                    of process                                                        $__

            (b)  The [Secretary of State] shall collect the following fees for copying and certifying a copy of any document filed under this [act]:

                        (1) $__ a page for copying; and

                        (2) $__ for a certificate.

            Section 4.  Addresses in filings.  WheneverIf a provision of this [act] other than Section 11(a)(4) requires that a filingrecord state an address, the filingrecord must state:

            (1)  an actual a street address or rural route box number in this state; and

            (2)  a mailing address in this state, if different from the address under paragraph (1).

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-403.

            Section 5.  Appointment Designation of registered agent.

            (a)  A registered agent filing must state:

                        (1)  the name of the represented entity’s commercial registered agent; or

                        (2)  if the entity does not have a commercial registered agent:

                                    (A)  the name and address of the entity’s noncommercial registered agent; or

                                    (B)  the title of an office or other position with the entity if service of process, notices, and demands isare to be sent to the personindividual holding that office or position, and the address of the business office of that personindividual.

            (b)  The appointment designation of a registered agent pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (2)(A) is an affirmation of fact by the represented entity that the agent has consented to serve as such.

            (c)  The [Secretary of State] shall make available in a record as soon as practicable a daily list of filings that contain the name of a registered agent.  The list must:

                        (1)  be available for at least 14 calendar days;

                        (2)  list in alphabetical order the names of the registered agents; and

                        (3)  state the type of filing and name of the represented entity making the filing.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-404.

            Section 6.  LISTING of commercial registered agent. 

            (a)  An individual or a domestic or foreign entity A person may become listed as a commercial registered agent by filing with the [Secretary of State] a commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent listing statement signed by or on behalf of the person which states:

                        (1)  the name of the individual or the name of the entity, type of entity, and jurisdiction of organizationformation of the entity;

                        (2)  that the person is in the business of serving as a commercial registered agent in this state; and

                        (3)  the address of a place of business of the person in this state to which service of process and other notice and documents being served on or sent to entities represented by it may be delivered.

            (b)  A commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent listing statement may include the information regarding acceptance of service of process, notices, and demands in a form other than a written record by the commercial registered agentas provided for in Section 13(d).

            (c)  If the name of a person filing a commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent listing statement is not distinguishable on the records of the [Secretary of State] from the name of another commercial registered agent listed under this section, the person must adopt a fictitious name that is distinguishable and use that name in its statement and when it does business in this state as a commercial registered agent.

            (d)  A commercial registered agent listing statement takes effect on filing.

            (e)  The [Secretary of State] shall note the filing of the commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent listing statement in the index of filings maintained by the [Secretary of State] for each entity represented by the registered agent at the time of the filing.  The statement has the effect of deleting the address of the registered agent from the registered agent filing of each of those entities.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-405.

            Section 7.  TERMINATION of LISTING OF commercial registered agent.

            (a)  A commercial registered agent may terminate its listing as a commercial registered agent by filing with the [Secretary of State] a commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent termination statement signed by or on behalf of the agent which states:

                        (1)  the name of the agent as currently listed under Section 6; and

                        (2)  that the agent is no longer in the business of serving as a commercial registered agent in this state.

            (b)  A commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent termination statement takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the 31st day after the day on which it is fileddelivered to the [Secretary of State] for filing.

            (c)  The commercial registered agent shall promptly shall furnish each entity represented by it withthe agent notice in a record of the filing of the commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent termination statement.

            (d)  When a commercial registered agentcommercial-registered-agent termination statement takes effect, the registered agent ceases to be anthe agent for service of process on each entity formerly represented by it.  Until an entity formerly represented by a terminated commercial registered agent appoints a new registered agent, service of process may be made on the entity as provided inpursuant to Section 13.  Termination of the listing of a commercial registered agent under this section does not affect any contractual rights a represented entity may havehas against the agent or that the agent may havehas against the entity.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-406.

            Section 8.  Change of registered agent by entity.

            (a)  A represented entity may change the information currently on file under Section 5(a) by filing withdelivering to the [Secretary of State] for filing a statement of change signed on behalf ofby the entity which states:

                        (1)  the name of the entity; and

                        (2)  the information that is to be in effect as a result of the filing of the statement of change.

            (b)  The interest holders or governors of a domestic entity need not approve the filing of:

                        (1)  a statement of change under this section; or

                        (2)  a similar filing changing the registered agent or registered office of the entity in any other jurisdiction.

            (c)  The appointment of a registered agent pursuant to subsection (a)A statement of change under this section appointing a new registered agent is an affirmation of fact by the represented entity that the agent has consented to serve as such.

            (d)  A statement of change filed under this section takes effect on filing. 

            (e)  As an alternative to using the proceduresprocedure in this section, a represented entity may change the information currently on file under Section 5(a) by amending its most recent registered agent filing in thea manner provided by the lawslaw of this state other than this [act] for amending thatthe filing.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-407.

            Section 9.  Change of name OR address by NONCOMMERCIAL registered agent.

            (a)  If a noncommercial registered agent changes its name or its address as currently in effect with respect to a represented entity pursuant tounder Section 5(a), the agent shall file withdeliver to the [Secretary of State] for filing, with respect to each entity represented by the agent, a statement of change signed by or on behalf of the agent which states:

                        (1)  the name of the entity;

                        (2)  the name and address of the agent as currently in effect with respect to the entity;

                        (3)  if the name of the agent has changed, itsthe new name; and

                        (4)  if the address of the agent has changed, the new address.

            (b)  A statement of change filed under this section takes effect on filing. 

            (c)  A noncommercial registered agent shall promptly shall furnish the represented entity with notice in a record of the filingdelivery to the [Secretary of State] for filing of a statement of change and the changes made by the filingin the statement.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-408.

            Section 10.  Change of name, address, OR TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONENTITY, OR JURISDICTION OF FORMATION by commercial registered agent.

            (a)  If a commercial registered agent changes its name, its address as currently listed under Section 6(a), its type of entity, or its type or jurisdiction of organizationformation, the agent shall file withdeliver to the [Secretary of State] for filing a statement of change signed by or on behalf of the agent which states:

                        (1)  the name of the agent as currently listed under Section 6(a);

                        (2)  if the name of the agent has changed, itsthe new name;

                        (3)  if the address of the agent has changed, the new address; and

                        (4)  if the type of entity of the agent has changed, the type of entity; and

                        (5)  if the type or jurisdiction of organizationformation of the agent has changed, the new type or jurisdiction of organizationformation.

            (b)  The delivery to the [Secretary of State] for filing by a commercial registered agent of a statement of change under subsection (a) is effective to change the information regarding the commercial registered agent with respect to each entity represented by the agent.

            (c)  A statement of change filed under this section takes effect on filing.

            (d)  A commercial registered agent shall promptly shall furnish each entity represented by it with notice in a record of the delivery to the [Secretary of State] for filing of a statement of change relating to the name or address of the agent and the changes made by the filingin the statement.

            (e)  If a commercial registered agent changes its address without delivering for filing a statement of change as required by this section, the [Secretary of State] may cancel the listing of the agent under Section 6.  A cancellation under this subsection has the same effect as a termination under Section 7.  Promptly after canceling the listing of an agent, the [Secretary of State] shall serve notice in a record in the manner provided in Section 13(b) or (c) on:

                        (1)  each entity represented by the agent, stating that the agent has ceased to be anthe registered agent for service of process on the entity and that, until the entity appoints a new registered agent, service of process may be made on the entity as provided in Section 13; and

                        (2)  the agent, stating that the listing of the agent has been canceled under this section.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-409.

            Section 11.  Resignation of registered agent.

            (a)  A registered agent may resign at any time with respect toas agent for a represented entity by filing withdelivering to the [Secretary of State] for filing a statement of resignation signed by or on behalf of the agent which states:

                        (1)  the name of the entity;

                        (2)  the name of the agent;

                        (3)  that the agent resigns from serving as registered agent for service of process for the entity; and

                        (4)  the name and address of the personentity to which the agent will send the notice required by subsection (c).

            (b)  A statement of resignation takes effect on the earlier of the 31st day after the day on which it is filed by the [Secretary of State] or the appointmentdesignation of a new registered agent for the represented entity.

            (c)  TheA registered agent shall promptly shall furnish the represented entity notice in a record of the date on which a statement of resignation was filed.

            (d)  When a statement of resignation takes effect, the registered agent ceases to have responsibility for any matter tendered to it as agent for the represented entity.  AThe resignation under this section does not affect any contractual rights the entity has against the agent or that the agent has against the entity.

            (e)  A registered agent may resign with respect to a represented entity whether or not the entity is in good standing.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-410.

            Section 12.  APPOINTMENT of REGISTERED agent BY NONFILING OR NONQUALIFIED FOREIGN ENTITY OR NONFILING DOMESTIC ENTITY.

            (a)  A domestic entity that is not a filing entity or a nonqualified foreign entity or domestic entity that is not a filing entity may file withdeliver to the [Secretary of State] for filing a statement appointing ana registered agent for service of process signed on behalf ofby the entity which states:

                        (1)  the name, type of entity, and jurisdiction of organizationformation of the entity; and

                        (2)  the information required by Section 5(a).

            (b)  A statement appointing ana registered agent for service of process takes effect on filing and is effective for five years after the date of filing unless cancelled or terminated earlier. 

            (c)  The appointmentAppointment of a registered agent under this section does not qualify a nonqualified foreign entity to do business in this state and is not sufficient alone to create personal jurisdiction over the nonqualified foreign entity in this state.

            (d)  A statement appointing ana registered agent for service of process may not be rejected for filing because the name of the entity filingsigning the statement is not distinguishable on the records of the [Secretary of State] from the name of another entity appearing in those records.  The filing of such a statement appointing an agent for service of process does not make the name of the entity filingsigning the statement unavailable for use by another entity.

            (e)  An entity that has fileddelivers to the [Secretary of State] for filing a statement under subsection (a) appointing ana registered agent for service of process may cancel the statement by delivering to the [Secretary of State] for filing a statement of cancellation, which shall take effect upon filing, and must state the name of the entity and that the entity is canceling its appointment of ana registered agent for service of process in this state.  A statement appointing an agent for service of process which has not been canceled earlier is effective for a period of five years after the date of filing.

            (f)  A statement appointing ana registered agent for service of process for a nonqualified foreign entity terminates automatically on the date the entity becomes a qualifiedregistered foreign entity.

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-411.

            Section 13.  Service of process, NOTICE, OR DEMAND on entities.

            (a)  A registered agent is an agent of the represented entity authorized to receive service ofrepresented entity may be served with any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served on the entityby serving its registered agent. 

            (b)  If ana represented entity that previously filed a registered agent filing with the [Secretary of State] no longer hasceases to have a registered agent, or if its registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, the entity may be served by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or by similar commercial delivery service, addressed to the governors of the entity by name at its principal office in accordance with any applicable judicial rules and procedures.   The names of the governors and the address of the principal office may be as shown in the most recent annual[annual] [biennial] report filed with the [Secretary of State].  Service is perfectedExcept as provided by any applicable judicial rules and procedures, service is effected under this subsection aton the earliest of:

                        (1)  the date the entity receives the mail or delivery by a similar commercial delivery service;

                        (2)  the date shown on the return receipt, if signed on behalf of the entity; or

                        (3)  five days after its deposit with the United States Postal Service, or similar commercial delivery service, if correctly addressed and with sufficient postage or payment.

            (c)  If process, notice, or demand cannot be served on an entity pursuant to subsection (a) or (b), service of process may be made by handing a copy to the manager, clerk, or other personindividual in charge of any regular place of business or activity of the entity if the personindividual served is not a plaintiff in the action.

            (d)  Service of process, notice, or demand on a registered agent must be in the form of a written documentrecord, except thatbut service may be made on a commercial registered agent in such other forms of a record, and subject to such requirements, as the agent has stated from time to time in its listing under Section 6 that it will accept.

            (e)  Service of process, notice, or demand may be perfectedmade by any other means prescribed byunder law other than this [act].

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes conform the language of the section to HUB § 1-412.

            Section 14.  DutIES of registered agent.  The only duties under this [act] of a registered agent that has complied with this [act] are:

            (1)  to forward to the represented entity at the address most recently supplied to the agent by the entity any process, notice, or demand thatpertaining to the entity which is served on or received by the agent;

            (2)  to provide the notices required by this [act] to the entity at the address most recently supplied to the agent by the entity;

            (3)  if the agent is a noncommercial registered agent, to keep current the information required by Section 5(a) in the most recent registered agent filing for the entity; and

            (4)  if the agent is a commercial registered agent, to keep current the information listed for it under Section 6(a).

Reporters’ Notes

            Changes are intended to clarify the language of the section.  The rule of this section is limited to duties under this act and a registered agent may also have duties under other law, a contract with a represented entity, etc.

 

            Section 15.  JURISDICTION AND VENUE.  The appointment or maintenance in this state of a registered agent does not by itself create the basis for personal jurisdiction over the represented entity in this state.  The address of the agent does not determine venue in an action or proceeding involving the entity.

            SECTION 16.  Consistency of application.  In applying and construing this [act], consideration must be given to the need to promote consistency of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.

            Section 17.  Relation to Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act.  This [act] modifies, limits, and supersedes the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001, et seq., but does not modify, limit, or supersede Section 101(c) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001(c), or authorize delivery of any of the notices described in Section 103(b) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7003(b).

            Section 18.  Savings clause.  This [act] does not affect an action or proceeding commenced or right accrued before the effective date of this [act].

            Section 19.  Effective date.  This [act] takes effect ______________ .