Senate Bill 1042c1

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    Florida Senate - 1999                           CS for SB 1042

    By the Committee on Commerce and Economic Opportunities; and
    Senator Bronson




    310-1878-99

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to fraudulent transfers;

  3         amending s. 726.105, F.S.; providing that

  4         certain transfers made by a debtor are

  5         fraudulent for failure to notify unsecured

  6         creditors; creating s. 726.202, F.S.;

  7         prescribing conditions under which debtor

  8         transfers will be deemed fraudulent for failure

  9         to provide notice; prescribing the form and

10         timing of such notice; providing an exemption;

11         creating s. 726.203, F.S.; providing for

12         personal liability of affiliates and insiders

13         who participate in fraudulent transfers;

14         providing for costs and attorney's fees;

15         providing an effective date.

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17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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19         Section 1.  Subsection (1) of section 726.105, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         726.105  Transfers fraudulent as to present and future

22  creditors.--

23         (1)  A transfer made or obligation incurred by a debtor

24  is fraudulent as to a creditor, whether the creditor's claim

25  arose before or after the transfer was made or the obligation

26  was incurred, if the debtor made the transfer or incurred the

27  obligation:

28         (a)  With actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud

29  any creditor of the debtor; or

30         (b)  Without receiving a reasonably equivalent value in

31  exchange for the transfer or obligation, and the debtor:

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    Florida Senate - 1999                           CS for SB 1042
    310-1878-99




  1         1.  Was engaged or was about to engage in a business or

  2  a transaction for which the remaining assets of the debtor

  3  were unreasonably small in relation to the business or

  4  transaction; or

  5         2.  Intended to incur, or believed or reasonably should

  6  have believed that he or she would incur, debts beyond his or

  7  her ability to pay as they became due; or.

  8         (c)  Without giving the notice to unsecured creditors

  9  required by s. 726.202.

10         Section 2.  Section 726.202, Florida Statutes, is

11  created to read:

12         726.202  Notice to unsecured creditors.--

13         (1)  Any debtor who transfers 51 percent or more of the

14  fair market value of the assets, supplies, inventory,

15  merchandise, materials, or other property held by such debtor,

16  not in the ordinary course of the debtor's business, commits a

17  fraudulent transfer if such debtor fails to provide actual

18  notice of the proposed transfer to the debtor's unsecured

19  creditors, by personal delivery or certified mail, and by

20  publication in a local paper, not less than 15 days prior to

21  the effective date of the transfer.

22         (2)  Any debtor who has provided a security agreement

23  to its creditors pursuant to the provisions of chapter 679 is

24  exempt from the notice requirements under subsection (1) as to

25  such creditors.

26         Section 3.  Section 726.203, Florida Statutes, is

27  created to read:

28         726.203  Liability of affiliates and insiders.--Any

29  affiliate or insider who knowingly participates, either

30  directly or indirectly, in a fraudulent transfer under s.

31  726.105 is personally liable to any secured or unsecured

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    Florida Senate - 1999                           CS for SB 1042
    310-1878-99




  1  creditor for the full amount of such secured or unsecured

  2  creditor's claim, including the cost and attorney's fees

  3  incurred by such secured or unsecured creditor in perfecting

  4  such claim.

  5         Section 4.  This act shall take effect October 1, 1999.

  6

  7          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  8                         Senate Bill 1042

  9

10  Amends Florida's Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act rather than
    creating a specific statutory provision governing bulk sales.
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    Specifies that the debtor's sale of 51 percent or more of the
12  fair market value of assets, inventory, supplies, merchandise,
    materials, or other property, not sold in the ordinary course
13  of the seller's business, is a fraudulent transfer pursuant to
    ch. 726, F.S., unless the seller gives unsecured creditors
14  notice of the proposed transfer.

15  Provides specific procedures for notice, requiring that such
    notice be given 15 days prior to the proposed transfer and
16  mandating that such notice be given by personal delivery or
    certified mail, and by publication in a local paper.
17
    Exempts debtors who have provided creditors with a security
18  agreement pursuant to ch. 679, Florida's UCC Article 9.

19  Provides that affiliates or insiders who knowingly participate
    in a fraudulent transfer are personally liable to secured and
20  unsecured creditors alike. Includes provisions for the
    recovery of costs and attorney's fees relating to the claim.
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