Sec. 6. (a) In enacting this article, the general assembly established corporate governance rules for Indiana corporations, including in this chapter the standards of conduct applicable to directors of Indiana corporations, and the corporate constituent groups and interests that a director may take into account in exercising the director's business judgment. The general assembly intends to reaffirm certain of these corporate governance rules to ensure that the directors of Indiana corporations, in exercising their business judgment, are not required to approve a proposed corporate action if the directors in good faith determine, after considering and weighing as they consider appropriate the effects of the action on the corporation's constituents, that the action is not in the best interests of the corporation.
(b) In making a determination under this section, directors are not required to consider the effects of a proposed corporate action on any particular corporate constituent group or interest as a dominant or controlling factor. Without limiting the generality of this section, directors are not required to redeem any rights under or to make inapplicable a shareholder rights plan adopted under IC 28-13-2-5, or to take or decline to take any other action under this article, solely because of the effect such action might have on a proposed acquisition of control of the corporation or the amounts that might be paid to shareholders under the acquisition.
(c) Certain judicial decisions in Delaware and other jurisdictions, which might otherwise be looked to for guidance in interpreting the duties of directors of corporations, including decisions relating to potential change of control transactions that impose a different or higher degree of scrutiny on actions taken by directors in response to a proposed acquisition of control of the corporation, are inconsistent with the proper application of the business judgment rule under this article. Therefore, the general assembly intends:
(1) to reaffirm that this section allows directors the full discretion to weigh the factors enumerated in section 4 of this chapter as they consider appropriate; and
(2) to protect both directors and the validity of corporate action taken by the directors in the good faith exercise of their business judgment after reasonable investigation.
As added by P.L.14-1992, SEC.163.
Structure Indiana Code
Title 28. Financial Institutions
Article 13. Corporate Governance
Chapter 11. Standards of Conduct for Directors
28-13-11-1. Discharge of Duties; Good Faith; Ordinary Prudence; Best Interests of Corporation
28-13-11-2. Right to Rely on Data and Other Information; Financial Statements and Data
28-13-11-3. Bad Faith; Knowledge Making Reliance on Information Unwarranted
28-13-11-4. Best Interests of Corporation; Factors Considered
28-13-11-5. Exemption From Personal Liability; Inapplicability in Departmental Proceedings
28-13-11-6. Legislative Intent; Business Judgment and Discretion of Directors; Corporate Takeovers
28-13-11-8. Disinterested Persons; Director or Shareholder of Corporation
28-13-11-10. Unlawful Distribution; Liability of Director; Right to Contribution