Senate Bill sb2034er

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    2001 Legislature                                CS for SB 2034



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  2         An act relating to rural electric cooperatives;

  3         amending s. 425.09, F.S.; authorizing

  4         cooperative bylaws to permit voting by limited

  5         proxy for certain purposes and under certain

  6         circumstances; providing criteria and

  7         limitations; prohibiting voting by general

  8         proxy; providing procedures and requirements

  9         for appointing limited proxies; providing an

10         effective date.

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

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14         Section 1.  Subsections (6) and (7) of section 425.09,

15  Florida Statutes, are amended, and subsection (8) is added to

16  that section, to read:

17         425.09  Members.--

18         (6)  One percent of all members, present in person,

19  shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at

20  all meetings of the members, unless the bylaws prescribe the

21  presence of a greater percentage of the members for a quorum.

22  Notwithstanding the requirement that members be present in

23  person in order to be counted in determining a quorum, the

24  bylaws may permit voting by limited proxy or by mail in an

25  election of trustees, and members so voting shall be counted

26  as present in person for determination of a quorum. A majority

27  of a quorum is required to approve any motion or matter before

28  a meeting of the members.  Members voting by mail or limited

29  proxy shall not be counted on any matter raised at a meeting

30  which was not specifically listed and identified on the mail

31  ballot or proxy. If less than a quorum is present at any


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    ENROLLED

    2001 Legislature                                CS for SB 2034



  1  meeting, a majority of those present in person may adjourn the

  2  meeting from time to time without further notice.

  3         (7)  Each member shall be entitled to one vote on each

  4  matter submitted to a vote at a meeting.  Voting shall be in

  5  person, but, if the bylaws so provide, may also be by limited

  6  proxy or by mail, or both.  If the bylaws provide for voting

  7  by limited proxy or by mail, they shall also prescribe the

  8  conditions under which limited proxy or mail voting may shall

  9  be exercised. The bylaws may not permit voting by general

10  proxy. For purposes of this section, a limited proxy is one on

11  which a member has recorded a vote for or against an issue or

12  issues specifically listed on the proxy. In no event shall any

13  limited proxy be valid for a period longer than 90 days after

14  the date of the first meeting for which the proxy is given.

15  Every proxy is revocable, at any time, at the pleasure of the

16  member executing it. In any event, no person shall vote as

17  proxy for more than three members at any meeting of the

18  members except as otherwise permitted in the bylaws.

19         (8)(a)  A member may appoint a limited proxy to vote or

20  otherwise act for the member by signing an appointment form,

21  either personally or by the member's attorney in fact.  An

22  executed telegram or cablegram appearing to have been

23  transmitted by such person, or a photographic, photostatic, or

24  equivalent reproduction of an appointment form is a sufficient

25  appointment form.

26         (b)  Without limiting the manner in which a member may

27  appoint a limited proxy to vote or otherwise act for the

28  member pursuant to paragraph (a), a member may grant such

29  authority by:

30         1.  Signing an appointment form or having such form

31  signed by the member's authorized officer, director, employee,


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    ENROLLED

    2001 Legislature                                CS for SB 2034



  1  or agent by any reasonable means, including, but not limited

  2  to, facsimile signature; or

  3         2.  Transmitting or authorizing the transmission of a

  4  telegram, cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission

  5  to the person who will be the proxy or to a proxy solicitation

  6  firm, proxy support service organization, registrar, or agent

  7  authorized by the person who will be designated as the proxy

  8  to receive such transmission.  However, any telegram,

  9  cablegram, or other means of electronic transmission must set

10  forth or be submitted with information from which it can be

11  determined that the transmission was authorized by the member.

12  If it is determined that the transmission is valid, the

13  inspectors of election or, if there are no inspectors, such

14  other persons making that determination shall specify the

15  information upon which they relied.

16         Section 2.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2001.

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