2020 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 18. Corporations
§18-1077. Amendment of certificate of incorporation after receipt of payment for stock - Nonstock corporations.

AMENDMENT OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AFTER RECEIPT OF PAYMENT FOR STOCK - NONSTOCK CORPORATIONS

A. 1. After a corporation has received payment for any of its capital stock, or after a nonstock corporation has members, it may amend its certificate of incorporation, from time to time, in any and as many respects as may be desired, so long as its certificate of incorporation as amended would contain only such provisions as it would be lawful and proper to insert in an original certificate of incorporation filed at the time of the filing of the amendment; and if a change in stock or the rights of shareholders, or an exchange, reclassification, subdivision, combination, or cancellation of stock or rights of shareholders is to be made, such provisions as may be necessary to effect such change, exchange, reclassification, subdivision, combination, or cancellation. In particular, and without limitation upon the general power of amendment, a corporation may amend its certificate of incorporation, from time to time, so as:

• a.to change its corporate name,
• b.to change, substitute, enlarge or diminish the nature of its business or its corporate powers and purposes,
• c.to increase or decrease its authorized capital stock or to reclassify the same, by changing the number, par value, designations, preferences, or relative, participating, optional, or other special rights of the shares, or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such rights, or by changing shares with par value into shares without par value, or shares without par value into shares with par value either with or without increasing or decreasing the number of shares or by subdividing or combining the outstanding shares of any class or series of a class of shares into a greater or lesser number of outstanding shares,
• d.to cancel or otherwise affect the right of the holders of the shares of any class to receive dividends which have accrued but have not been declared,
• e.to create new classes of stock having rights and preferences either prior and superior or subordinate and inferior to the stock of any class then authorized, whether issued or unissued,
• f.to change the period of its duration, or
• g.to delete (1) such provisions of the original certificate of incorporation which named the incorporator or incorporators, the initial board of directors and the original subscribers for shares, and (2) such provisions contained in any amendment to the certificate of incorporation as were necessary to effect a change, exchange, reclassification, subdivision, combination or cancellation of stock, if such change, exchange, reclassification, subdivision, combination or cancellation has become effective.

2. Any or all changes or alterations provided for in paragraph 1 of this subsection may be effected by one certificate of amendment.

B. Every amendment authorized by the provisions of subsection A of this section shall be made and effected in the following manner:

1. If the corporation has capital stock, its board of directors shall adopt a resolution setting forth the amendment proposed, declaring its advisability, and either calling a special meeting of the shareholders entitled to vote in respect thereof for the consideration of the amendment or directing that the amendment proposed be considered at the next annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that unless otherwise expressly required by the certificate of incorporation, no meeting or vote of shareholders shall be required to adopt an amendment that effects only changes described in paragraph (a) or (g) of subsection A of this section. The special or annual meeting shall be called and held upon notice in accordance with the provisions of Section 1067 of this title. The notice shall set forth the amendment in full or a brief summary of the changes to be effected thereby, unless such notice constitutes a notice of Internet availability of proxy materials under the rules promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. At the meeting a vote of the shareholders entitled to vote thereon shall be taken for and against any proposed amendment that requires adoption by shareholders. If no vote of shareholders is required to effect such amendment, or if a majority of the outstanding stock entitled to vote thereon, and a majority of the outstanding stock of each class entitled to vote thereon as a class, has been voted in favor of the amendment, a certificate setting forth the amendment and certifying that the amendment has been duly adopted in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be executed, acknowledged and filed and shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of Section 1007 of this title.

2. The holders of the outstanding shares of a class shall be entitled to vote as a class upon a proposed amendment, whether or not entitled to vote thereon by the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, if the amendment would increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of the class, increase or decrease the par value of the shares of the class, or alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the shares of the class so as to affect them adversely. If any proposed amendment would alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of one or more series of any class so as to affect them adversely, but shall not so affect the entire class, then only the shares of the series so affected by the amendment shall be considered a separate class for the purposes of this paragraph. The number of authorized shares of any such class or classes of stock may be increased or decreased, but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding, by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the corporation entitled to vote irrespective of the provisions of this paragraph, if so provided in the original certificate of incorporation, in any amendment thereto which created the class or classes of stock or which was adopted prior to the issuance of any shares of the class or classes of stock, or in any amendment thereto which was authorized by a resolution or resolutions adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the class or classes of stock.

3. If the corporation is a nonstock corporation, then the governing body thereof shall adopt a resolution setting forth the amendment proposed and declaring its advisability. If a majority of all the members of the governing body shall vote in favor of the amendment, a certificate thereof shall be executed, acknowledged and filed and shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of Section 1007 of this title. The certificate of incorporation of any nonstock corporation may contain a provision requiring an amendment thereto to be approved by a specified number or percentage of the members or of any specified class of members of the corporation in which event the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the members or to any specified class of members of the corporation in the same manner, so far as applicable, as is provided for in this section for an amendment to the certificate of incorporation of a stock corporation; and in the event of the adoption thereof by the members, a certificate evidencing the amendment shall be executed, acknowledged and filed and shall become effective in accordance with the provisions of Section 1007 of this title.

4. Whenever the certificate of incorporation shall require action by the board of directors of a corporation other than a nonstock corporation or by the governing body of a nonstock corporation, by the holders of any class or series of shares or by the members, or by the holders of any other securities having voting power, the vote of a greater number or proportion than is required by the provisions of the Oklahoma General Corporation Act, the provision of the certificate of incorporation requiring a greater vote shall not be altered, amended, or repealed except by a greater vote.

C. The resolution authorizing a proposed amendment to the certificate of incorporation may provide that at any time prior to the effectiveness of the filing of the amendment with the Secretary of State, notwithstanding authorization of the proposed amendment by the shareholders of the corporation or by the members of a nonstock corporation, the board of directors or governing body may abandon the proposed amendment without further action by the shareholders or members.

Added by Laws 1986, c. 292, § 77, eff. Nov. 1, 1986. Amended by Laws 1996, c. 69, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 1998, c. 422, § 14, eff. Nov. 1, 1998; Laws 1999, c. 421, § 12, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2001, c. 405, § 20, eff. Nov. 1, 2001; Laws 2017, c. 323, § 20, eff. Nov. 1, 2017.