§3554. Change of location; emergency boards of directors
Notwithstanding any provision of its charter, any domestic insurance organization, without complying with any provision of law requiring approval, or application for approval, of a change of location of its principal office may, from time to time, change the location thereof during an acute emergency to a suitable location within the United States, and may carry on its business at such new location during such acute emergency, and for a reasonable time thereafter. Any insurance organization which changes the location of its principal office during an acute emergency shall notify the superintendent thereof in writing as soon as practical, stating the address of the new location, the address of the former location, and the dates when business is ceasing at the former location and commencing at the latter location. [PL 1973, c. 585, §12 (AMD).]
Notwithstanding any contrary provision of law or with its charter, if at any time during an acute emergency affecting any domestic insurance organization, no person otherwise empowered to call meetings of the board is capable of acting, a meeting thereof may be called by any director or acting director or if no director or acting director is capable of acting, by any officer or acting officer. If it shall be impracticable or impossible to give notice of a meeting of the board in the manner prescribed by charter and law, other than this chapter, the person calling such a meeting may give notice thereof by making such reasonable efforts as circumstances may permit to notify each director and acting director of the time and place of the meeting, but need not specify the purposes thereof. Failure of any director or acting director to receive actual notice of a meeting of directors and acting directors shall not affect the power of the directors and acting directors present at such meeting to exercise the powers of an emergency board of directors as prescribed in this section. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as requiring a meeting of the board of such an organization to be convened in any manner different from that prescribed by its charter and by the provisions of law other than this chapter. [PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]
If 3 or more directors and acting directors of any domestic insurance organization are present at any meeting of its board duly convened during an acute emergency affecting such domestic insurance organization, they shall constitute its emergency board of directors which, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law or of its charter, shall have the power, subject to the limitations prescribed by this chapter, by a majority of those present, to take any and every action which may be necessary to enable such domestic insurance organization to meet the exigencies of the acute emergency and conduct its business during such period, but no other powers. The powers of an emergency board of directors shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following powers: [PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]
1. Fill vacancies and absentees. At any meeting, to elect such acting directors as it may deem necessary, without regard to the number of directors which would otherwise be required, to serve in any positions on such board which are vacant or in place of any directors or acting directors who are absent from such meeting, but not to elect any director on a permanent basis;
[PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]
2. Acting officers and duties. To elect such acting officers as it may deem necessary, without regard to the number of officers which would otherwise be required, to serve in any offices which are vacant or in place of any officers or acting officers who fail to appear and assume their duties, to fix the compensation and determine the powers and duties of acting officers and to remove acting officers but not to remove any officer or to fill any vacancy on a permanent basis or to cause the insurance organization to enter into any contract of employment for a term in excess of one year;
[PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]
3. Change of location. To cause the insurance organization to change the location of its principal office, pursuant to this section, or any of its places of business, and to authorize such action as it may deem appropriate to acquire space and facilities at new locations, but not to acquire for use as its principal office property in fee or for a term in excess of one year;
[PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]
4. Postpone meetings. To postpone any meeting of the stockholders, policyholders or members or directors of such organization if, in the judgment of majority of the members of such emergency board of directors, it would be impracticable to hold such meeting at the time it would otherwise have been held or conducted;
[PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]
5. Call meetings. If it shall appear to an emergency board of directors that a quorum of the board cannot be assembled within a reasonable time, to call a meeting of the stockholders, policyholders or members of the insurance organization to be held as soon as the circumstances may reasonably permit, at a place to be designated by the emergency board of directors within this State or a contiguous state, for the purpose of electing directors to fill vacancies on the board, but for no other purpose, and to propose nominees for such election. Any such meetings of stockholders, policyholders or members shall be held upon notice given in accordance with the charter of the organization and applicable law other than this section.
[PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]
As soon as practicable after each meeting of an emergency board of directors, the person who presided thereat shall notify the superintendent in writing of the time and place of such meeting, of the manner in which notice thereof was given, of the persons present and of all actions taken at such meeting. [PL 1973, c. 585, §12 (AMD).]
A person prohibited by law or by the charter of a domestic insurance organization from serving as a member of its board is not eligible to serve as an acting director, except that a person is not disqualified to serve as an acting director by reason of the person's not being a stockholder, policyholder or member of such insurance organization, by reason of the person's not being a resident of this State or of a contiguous state, or by reason of the number of directors or acting directors who are officers, acting officers or employees of the insurance organization. Any person may serve as an acting director of a fund who is a director, acting director, officer or acting officer of an organization that is a party to the agreement creating the fund. An oath of acting directors is not required. [RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. B, §302 (COR).]
Acting directors elected under this section or appointed under section 3555 are entitled to vote at all meetings of emergency board of directors equally with directors. Acting directors are not entitled to take part in the deliberations or to vote at any meeting of the board that is duly convened in accordance with the applicable provisions of its charter and of law other than this chapter and at which a quorum is present. Each acting director shall serve until the director or acting director in whose place the acting director was elected or appointed attends the meeting of the board or until the director is duly elected to fill the vacancy in which such acting director has been serving, whichever event occurs earlier. An acting director is entitled to the compensation, if any, payable to a director. [RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. B, §303 (COR).]
Acting officers elected pursuant to this section have powers and duties and receive such compensation as may from time to time be determined by the emergency board of directors. Each acting officer shall serve until the officer in whose place the acting officer was elected appears and assumes the officer's duties or until the officer's successor officer or acting officer is elected, whichever event occurs earlier. [RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. B, §304 (COR).]
This section shall not be deemed applicable during a period of acute emergency to any domestic organization operating in accordance with and under emergency bylaws theretofore approved by the superintendent. [PL 1973, c. 585, §12 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW). PL 1973, c. 585, §12 (AMD). RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. B, §§302-304 (COR).