As Reported by House Civil and Commercial Law Committee 1 123rd General Assembly 4 Regular Session Sub. H. B. No. 312 5 1999-2000 6 REPRESENTATIVES SALERNO-BUCHY 8 _________________________________________________________________ 9 A B I L L To amend sections 1705.04, 1705.08, 1705.12, and 11 1705.43 of the Revised Code to eliminate the 12 requirement that articles of organization of a 13 limited liability company specify an address for obtaining copies of the company's operating 14 agreement or company bylaws and that the articles 15 must be amended if that address is changed, to 16 eliminate certain distribution rights of a member upon withdrawal from the company and instead to 17 treat the withdrawing member as an assignee of 18 the member's membership interest in the company, and to specify that the withdrawal of a member 19 does not dissolve a limited liability company if 20 certain requirements are satisfied. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: 22 Section 1. That sections 1705.04, 1705.08, 1705.12, and 24 1705.43 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows: 25 Sec. 1705.04. (A) One or more persons, without regard to 34 residence, domicile, or state of organization, may form a limited 35 liability company. The company is formed when one or more 37 persons or their authorized representative signs and files with 38 the secretary of state articles of organization that set forth 39 all of the following: 40 (1) The name of the company; 42 (2) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, 44 the period of its duration, which may be perpetual; 45 2 (3)The address to which interested persons may direct47requests for copies of any operating agreement and any bylaws of48the company;49(4)Any other provisions that are from the operating 51 agreement or that are not inconsistent with applicable law and 52 that the members elect to set out in the articles for the 53 regulation of the affairs of the company. 54 (B) If the articles of organization or operating agreement 56 do not set forth the period of the duration of the limited 58 liability company, its duration shall be perpetual. 59 (C) If a limited liability company is formed under this 61 chapter for the purpose of rendering a professional service, the 63 kinds of professional services authorized under Chapters 4703. 64 and 4733. of the Revised Code, or a combination of the professional services of optometrists authorized under Chapter 65 4725. of the Revised Code, chiropractors authorized under Chapter 66 4734. of the Revised Code, psychologists authorized under Chapter 69 4732. of the Revised Code, registered or licensed practical 70 nurses authorized under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, 71 pharmacists authorized under Chapter 4729. of the Revised Code, 72 physical therapists authorized under sections 4755.40 to 4755.53 73 of the Revised Code, and doctors of medicine and surgery, 75 osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and 76 surgery authorized under Chapter 4731. of the Revised Code, the 77 following apply: (1) Each member, employee, or other agent of the company 79 who renders a professional service in this state and, if the 80 management of the company is not reserved to its members, each 81 manager of the company who renders a professional service in this 82 state shall be licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally 84 authorized to render in this state the same kind of professional 85 service; if applicable, the kinds of professional services 86 authorized under Chapters 4703. and 4733. of the Revised Code; 87 or, if applicable, any of the kinds of professional services of 88 3 optometrists authorized under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code, 89 chiropractors authorized under Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code, 90 psychologists authorized under Chapter 4732. of the Revised Code, 92 registered or licensed practical nurses authorized under Chapter 94 4723. of the Revised Code, pharmacists authorized under Chapter 4729. of the Revised Code, physical therapists authorized under 96 sections 4755.40 to 4755.53 of the Revised Code, or doctors of 97 medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery authorized under Chapter 4731. of 98 the Revised Code. 99 (2) Each member, employee, or other agent of the company 101 who renders a professional service in another state and, if the 102 management of the company is not reserved to its members, each 103 manager of the company who renders a professional service in 104 another state shall be licensed, certificated, or otherwise 106 legally authorized to render that professional service in the 107 other state. (D) Except for the provisions of this chapter pertaining 109 to the personal liability of members, employees, or other agents 110 of a limited liability company and, if the management of the 111 company is not reserved to its members, the personal liability of 112 managers of the company, this chapter does not restrict, limit, 113 or otherwise affect the authority or responsibilities of any 114 agency, board, commission, department, office, or other entity to 115 license, certificate, register, and otherwise regulate the 116 professional conduct of individuals or organizations of any kind 118 rendering professional services in this state or to regulate the 119 practice of any profession that is within the jurisdiction of the 120 agency, board, commission, department, office, or other entity, 121 notwithstanding that the individual is a member or manager of a 122 limited liability company and is rendering the professional 123 services or engaging in the practice of the profession through 124 the limited liability company or that the organization is a 125 limited liability company. 126 4 (E) No limited liability company formed for the purpose of 130 providing a combination of the professional services, as defined in section 1785.01 of the Revised Code, of optometrists 131 authorized under Chapter 4725. of the Revised Code, chiropractors 132 authorized under Chapter 4734. of the Revised Code, psychologists 133 authorized under Chapter 4732. of the Revised Code, registered or 135 licensed practical nurses authorized under Chapter 4723. of the Revised Code, pharmacists authorized under Chapter 4729. of the 136 Revised Code, physical therapists authorized under sections 137 4755.40 to 4755.53 of the Revised Code, and doctors of medicine 139 and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric 140 medicine and surgery authorized under Chapter 4731. of the 141 Revised Code shall control the professional clinical judgment 143 exercised within accepted and prevailing standards of practice of 144 a licensed, certificated, or otherwise legally authorized 145 optometrist, chiropractor, psychologist, nurse, pharmacist, physical therapist, or doctor of medicine and surgery, 149 osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery in rendering care, treatment, or professional advice to 151 an individual patient. 152 This division does not prevent a hospital, as defined in 154 section 3727.01 of the Revised Code, insurer, as defined in 156 section 3999.36 of the Revised Code, or intermediary 158 organization, as defined in section 1751.01 of the Revised Code, 160 from entering into a contract with a limited liability company 161 described in this division that includes a provision requiring 162 utilization review, quality assurance, peer review, or other performance or quality standards. Those activities shall not be 163 construed as controlling the professional clinical judgment of an 164 individual practitioner listed in this division. 165 Sec. 1705.08. (A) The articles of organization of a 174 limited liability company may be amended at any time and for any 175 proper purpose by filing a certificate of amendment with the 176 secretary of state. However, a certificate of amendment amending 177 5 the articles of organization shall be filed within thirty days 178 after the occurrence of any of the following: 179 (1) The name of the limited liability company is changed; 181 (2) The period of the limited liability company's duration 183 is changed; 184 (3)The address to which persons may direct requests for186copies of any operating agreements or bylaws of the limited187liability company is changed;188(4)Any other information that is set forth in the 190 articles of organization is changed. 191 (B) A member of a limited liability company in which the 193 management is reserved to its members, or a manager of a limited 194 liability company in which the management is not reserved to its 195 members, promptly shall file or cause to be filed a certificate 196 of amendment upon discovering that a statement in the articles of 197 organization was materially false when made or that any other 198 information set forth in the articles of organization has changed 199 making the articles materially inaccurate. 200 (C)(1) A certificate of amendment filed pursuant to 202 division (A) or (B) of this section shall be on a form prescribed 203 by the secretary of state and shall set forth all of the 204 following: 205 (a) The name of the limited liability company; 207 (b) The date of the filing of the limited liability 209 company's articles of organization that are being amended; 210 (c) The amendment to the limited liability company's 212 articles of organization. 213 (2) The certificate of amendment shall be executed by a 215 member, manager, or authorized representative of the limited 216 liability company, which person shall also certify thatheTHE 217 PERSON is authorized to execute the certificate. 219 (D) The articles of organization of a limited liability 221 company may be restated at any time by filing a restatement of 222 the articles of organization with the secretary of state. The 223 6 restatement shall be certified by a member, manager, or 224 authorized representative of the limited liability company, which 225 person shall also certify thatheTHE PERSON is authorized to 226 execute the restatement. 228 Sec. 1705.12. Upon withdrawal, a member withdrawing from a 237 limited liability company has the right to receive any 238 distribution to whichheTHE MEMBER is entitled under the 240 operating agreement and, except as otherwise provided in that agreement, theright to receive within a reasonable time after241withdrawal the fair value of his membership interest as of the243date of withdrawal based upon his right to share in distributions245of the companyWITHDRAWING MEMBER SHALL BE TREATED AS IF THE 246 MEMBER WERE AN ASSIGNEE OF ALL OF THE MEMBER'S MEMBERSHIP 247 INTEREST AS OF THE DATE OF WITHDRAWAL. 248 Sec. 1705.43. (A) A limited liability company organized 257 under this chapter shall be dissolved upon the occurrence of any 258 of the following events: 259 (1) The expiration of the period, if any, fixed by the 261 operating agreement or articles of organization for the duration 263 of the company; (2) One or more events specified in writing in the 265 operating agreement as causing the dissolution of the company; 266 (3) The unanimous written agreement of all members to 268 dissolve the company; 269 (4)TheEXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN DIVISION (C) OF THIS 272 SECTION, THE withdrawal of a member of the company, unless the 273 business of the company is continued by the consent of all of the 274 remaining members or under a right to continue the company that 275 is stated in writing in the operating agreement; 276 (5) Upon entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under 278 section 1705.47 of the Revised Code. 279 (B) Following the occurrence of any of the events OF 281 DISSOLUTION specified indivision (A) ofthis section, the 282 limited liability company shall deliver to the secretary of state 283 7 for filing a certificate of dissolution on a form that is 284 prescribed by the secretary of state and that includes the name 285 of the company and the effective date of its dissolution. 286 (C) IF THE COMPANY WAS FORMED ON OR AFTER THE EFFECTIVE 289 DATE OF THIS AMENDMENT, OR THE COMPANY WAS FORMED PRIOR TO THE 290 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS AMENDMENT AND ITS ARTICLES OR OPERATING 291 AGREEMENT ARE AMENDED TO SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT THIS DIVISION 292 APPLIES TO THE COMPANY, THE WITHDRAWAL OF A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY 293 SHALL NOT CAUSE THE DISSOLUTION OF THE COMPANY EXCEPT AS MAY BE 294 PROVIDED IN THE OPERATING AGREEMENT. Section 2. That existing sections 1705.04, 1705.08, 296 1705.12, and 1705.43 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed. 298