On August 24, 2021, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law
legislation permitting New Jersey corporations and financial
institutions to hold shareholders' meetings in part or solely
by means of remote communication. P.L.2021,
c.202. The new law took effect immediately upon
signature.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the State
Legislature amended the New Jersey Business Corporation Act to
allow New Jersey corporations to hold shareholder meetings remotely
during a state of emergency declared by the Governor. The new
law removes the requirement that a state of emergency must be in
effect, with the result that corporations may permanently hold
remote shareholder meetings, with or without an in-person
component, as long as their boards approve remote participation and
adopt the required guidelines and procedures to govern such
meetings. The new law also applies to State-chartered banks
and savings and loan associations, whereas the March 2020 law
applied only to regular business corporations. P.L.2020,
c.15.
Under the new law, so long as the corporation's or financial
institution's board of directors authorizes and adopts
guidelines and procedures governing such a meeting, a meeting of
shareholders (including S&L members) may be held solely or
partially by means of remote communication. Shareholders
participating in such a meeting shall be deemed present in person
and entitled to vote at the meeting, regardless of whether the
meeting is held at a designated place or solely by means of remote
communication. The corporation or financial institution is
also required to implement reasonable measures in connection with
any such meeting to (i) verify that each person participating
remotely is a shareholder or proxy of a shareholder, (ii) provide
each shareholder participating remotely with a reasonable
opportunity to participate in the meeting, and (iii) record and
maintain a record of any shareholder votes or other actions taken
by remote communication at the meeting.
The Legislature also previously enacted an amendment to the New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act permitting nonprofit corporations to hold remote member meetings during a state of emergency declared by the Governor. At this time, it remains unclear whether the Legislature will enact a further amendment with respect to nonprofits to remove the state of emergency requirement for remote member meetings.
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