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Article I REGISTERED
OFFICE AND PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS. 1
Article II W3C PROCESS
DOCUMENT. 1
Article III MEMBERS. 1
Section 1. Classes of Members and Conditions of Membership. 1
Section 2. Termination of Membership. 2
Section 3. Meetings of Members. 3
Section 4. Quorum.. 3
Section 5. Adjournment
of Meetings. 4
Section 6. Notice. 4
Section 7. Voting by Members. 4
Section 8. Member Roll 5
Section 9. Record Dates. 5
Section 10. Proxies. 5
Section 11. Action
by Members. 6
Section 12. Nonliability..................... 6
Section 14. Inspection Rights. 7
Article IV BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 7
Section 1. Powers. 7
Section 2. Number
of Directors; Qualifications. 7
Section 3. Selection and Term of Office of Directors. 7
Section 4. Vacancies. 8
Section 5. Resignation and Removal 8
Section 6. Regular Board Meetings. 9
Section 7. Special Meetings. 9
Section 8. Place of Meetings; Notice. 9
Section 9. Waiver of Notice. 9
Section 10. Quorum.. 9
Section 11. Action Without a Meeting. 9
Section 12. Telephone
or Electronic Meetings. 10
Section 13. Reliance. 10
Section 14. Inspection. 10
Section 15. Board Compensation. 10
Section 16. Executive Compensation. 10
Section 17. Chair of the Board. 10
Article V COMMITTEES. 11
Section 1. Board Committees. 11
Section 2. Subcommittees. 11
Section 3. Task Forces. 11
Section 4. Audit
Committee. 11
Section 5. Meetings. 12
A. Of
Board Committees. 12
B. Of
Task Forces. 12
Article VI OFFICERS. 12
Section 1. Officers. 12
Section 2. Election. 12
Section 3. Removal 12
Section 4. Resignation. 12
Section 5. Vacancies. 13
Section 6. President. 13
Section 7. Secretary. 13
Section 8. Treasurer 13
Article VII INTERESTED DIRECTOR
OR OFFICER TRANSACTIONS. 13
Section 1. Voidability of Transactions. 13
Section 2. Quorum.. 14
Section 3. Conflict of Interest Policy. 14
Article VIII INDEMNIFICATION AND
INSURANCE. 14
Section 1. Indemnification. 14
Article IX GRANTS
ADMINISTRATION.. 15
Section 1. Purpose of Grants. 15
Section 2. Board of Directors Oversight 15
Section 3. Refusal; Withdrawal 16
Section 4. Accounting. 16
Section 5. Restrictions on Contributions. 16
Article X MISCELLANEOUS. 16
Section 1. Fiscal Year 16
Section 2. Contracts, Notes, and Checks. 16
Section 3. Amendments. 16
Section 4. Required Financial Audits. 17
Section 5. Governing Law.. 17
Section 6. Facts
Ascertainable. 17
AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF
World Wide Web Consortium, Inc.
The address of the registered office of this corporation in
the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address,
shall be specified in the Certificate of Incorporation. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this corporation's principal place(s) of business may be different
from its registered office, and may be located from time to time at any place
as may be designated by the Board of Directors of this corporation, including a
place outside of the State of Delaware.
The W3C Process Document (as the same may be amended,
modified, supplemented, revised, and/or restated from time to time, the
"Process Document") sets forth certain aspects of the organizational structure
of this corporation and the processes, responsibilities, meetings (other than
meetings of the members of this corporation or Board of Directors described
herein) and functions that enable this corporation to accomplish its mission.
In accordance with Article Fourth of the Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation of this corporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated
from time to time, the "Certificate of Incorporation"), the Consortium Members
(as defined below) shall have the power, and shall have the exclusive right, to amend, modify, supplement,
revise, and/or restate the Process Document pursuant to the terms of the
Process Document itself.
Section 1.
Classes of Members and Conditions of
Membership. This corporation shall have three (3) classes of
membership. Subject to the last sentence of paragraph (b) below, a person's status
as a member of a class of members shall not affect such person's status as a member
of any other class, if applicable, such that a person may be a member of two or
more classes of members; provided, that for purposes of determining the
number of members generally, such person shall constitute a single member. For
purposes of these Bylaws, "person" shall mean an individual, partnership,
corporation, limited liability company, business trust, joint stock company,
trust, unincorporated association, joint venture, governmental authority or
other entity of whatever nature. The three (3) classes of members are as
follows:
(b)
Partner Member. Partner Members
help ensure global participation in the World Wide Web Consortium to help
fulfill its mission. Any person that has entered into a Partnership Agreement
that is in full force and effect with this corporation (or, through 2022, a
2022 Host Agreement) shall be a "Partner Member." This corporation shall not
have more than four Partner Members nor be party to more than four
Partnership Agreements at any one time. The decision to enter into or renew a
Partnership Agreement shall be approved by the Board by the Requisite Board Vote (as defined in Article IV, Section
10 below) without counting the vote of the director elected by the Partner
in question for the purposes of quorum or voting, in accordance with paragraph
C of Article Seventh of the Certificate of Incorporation or any successor
provision thereto. Each Partner Member shall designate one (1) individual
to act on its behalf and serve as its point of contact (such individual, a "Partner
Member Representative") and may change its Partner Member Representative at any
time by written notice to this corporation. Each Partner Member Representative
will be included in the member roll in accordance with Article III, Section 8.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any Partner Member that is
also a Consortium Member (for so long as it holds membership in both classes),
shall not be permitted to vote in its capacity as a Consortium Member.
(a)
Consortium Members. Membership in this corporation as a Consortium Member
shall terminate (i) on the date of the expiration or earlier termination of the
applicable Member Agreement or (ii) at such time as decided by the Board of
Directors, if the Board of Directors determines upon the Requisite Board Vote (as defined in Article IV, Section 10
below) that a Consortium Member
(x) should be terminated because the Consortium Member has not timely paid its
Member Fee (as such term is defined in the applicable Member Agreement), (y) is
in breach of or has committed a breach of any material obligations under the
applicable Member Agreement, the Process Document, and/or any documents
incorporated by reference therein (including, without limitation, the Patent
Policy), or (z) has not complied with the requirements of the Certificate of
Incorporation or these Bylaws (including, without limitation, the designation
of a Consortium Member Representative and/or Partner Member Representative, if
applicable).
Section 3.
Meetings of Members. Except where otherwise noted, references in these Bylaws
to any meetings of the members shall mean corporate membership meetings conducted
pursuant to this Section 3, and not any meetings required by or referenced in the Process Document.
The quorum, notice, voting, and other meeting requirements set forth
herein shall apply only to corporate membership meetings and do not apply to any other meetings required by or referenced in the
Process Document.
(b)
Special Meetings. Special meetings
of any class of members or of all the members may be called by the Board of
Directors upon the Requisite Board Vote (as defined in Article IV, Section 10 below). In addition, any twenty (20)
Consortium Members may call a meeting of the Consortium Members, any
two (2) Partner Members may call a meeting of the Partner Members, and any two (2) Director Members may call a meeting of
the Director Members. Business
transacted at any special meeting shall be limited to the purpose stated in the
applicable notice.
(a)
Except as otherwise provided by law or by
Article IV, Section 3 (electing directors) or any other provision of these Bylaws,
any corporate action authorized at a duly called and noticed meeting by the
Requisite Member Vote (as defined below) of any class of members will be an act
of such class of members.
Section 12.
Nonliability. The members
shall not be liable for the debts, liabilities, or obligations of this
corporation.
Section 13.
Nontransferability. No member may transfer for value or otherwise its
membership or any right arising therefrom. A successor in interest by
operation of law shall not be deemed a
member unless such successor otherwise satisfies the applicable conditions or
criteria of membership.
Section
14.
Inspection Rights. The right of the
members to have access to the membership list of this corporation or its other
books and records shall be governed by Section 220 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law.
Section 1.
Powers. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of
Incorporation or the Delaware General Corporation Law, the business and affairs
of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its governing
body, which shall be known as the Board of Directors.
Section 2.
Number of Directors; Qualifications. The total number of directors constituting the
Board of Directors shall be at least seven (7) and not more than thirteen
(13). Directors need not be W3C Members or Consortium Members. No two directors may
concurrently be employed by or receiving any remuneration from the same person;
provided, that the foregoing shall not prohibit any transaction between
such person and a director that is effected in such person's ordinary course of
business.
Section 3.
Selection and Term of Office of
Directors. Except for the
individuals serving as of October 2022 as the corporation's initial Consortium
Directors, Partner Directors, and/or Board-Elected Directors, as applicable,
who shall each be elected by the Board then serving, the directors of the
corporation shall be elected as follows:
These provisions for non-voting
observers do not preclude such individuals from exercising voting rights that
may be granted to them (if any) through any other provisions of the Certificate
of Incorporation or these Bylaws.
Section
4.
Vacancies. A vacancy shall be deemed to exist on
the Board in the event that the actual number of directors is less than the
number authorized by these Bylaws for any reason. A vacancy may be filled for the unexpired portion of the
term by the class of members with the power
to elect or designate the applicable directorship; provided, that in the
event (a) there are fewer than four Partner Members due to a
termination of membership in the Corporation of any Partner Member(s), or (b) a
Partner Member declines to designate a Partner Director, any resulting
vacancies in Partner Director seats may be filled for the unexpired portion of
the term by the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent
(66 2/3%) of all Director Members entitled to vote thereon. No reduction in the number of directors shall have the
effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of their term of
office.
Section
5.
Resignation and Removal. Any director may resign at any time upon
notice given in writing addressed
to the Board or officer of this corporation or by electronic
transmission addressed to the
Board or an officer of this corporation. A resignation is effective
when the resignation is delivered unless the resignation specifies a later
effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an event
or events. Any director may be removed with or
without cause, at any time by the class or series of members entitled to elect
such director. Any or all of the directors
may be removed for cause (a) by the Consortium Members, acting by a Requisite
Member Vote, or (b) by all the members (voting together), upon the affirmative
vote of at least a majority of the members present or represented by proxy at a
meeting at which a quorum is present. Pursuant
to Article Eleventh of the Certificate of Incorporation, (i) the Board may also
remove any director for cause by the affirmative vote of at least seventy-five
percent (75%) of the other directors then in office (excluding the director who
is the subject of such vote), and (ii) in the event of the termination of
membership of any Partner Member, the director elected by such Partner Member
shall immediately cease to be, and shall be automatically removed as, a
director of the Corporation.
Section 6.
Regular Board Meetings. Regular
meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held once per quarter, one of which
shall be the annual meeting of the Board. Regular meetings shall be called by
the President, the Chair, or any two (2) directors, and noticed in accordance
with Section 8 below. Any business may be transacted at any regular meeting of
the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present.
Section 7.
Special Meetings. Special
meetings of the Board may be called by the President, the Chair, or any two (2)
directors, and noticed in accordance with Section 8 below. Any
business may be transacted (whether or not specified in the notice of the
meeting) at any special meeting of the Board of Directors at which a quorum is present.
Section 8.
Place of Meetings; Notice. Meetings
of the Board of Directors may be held at a location inside or outside of the State
of Delaware, or by
telephone or other electronic means as permitted in Section 12 below, which is fixed by the Board of
Directors or, in the case of a special meeting, by the person or persons
calling the special meeting. Notice of regular meetings and any special
meetings of the Board of Directors shall state the date, place (if any), and time
of the meeting and shall be given to each director at least four days before any such meeting if given by first-class
mail or forty-eight hours before any such
meeting if given personally, by telephone, including a voice messaging
system, or by other system of technology designed to record and communicate
messages, by facsimile, or by electronic transmission.
Section
9.
Waiver of Notice. Whenever notice is required to be given under
any provision of these Bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled
to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to
notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed
equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a
waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for
the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the
transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or
convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any
regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors or committee of the Board
of Directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by
electronic transmission. All
waivers, consents, and approvals shall be filed with the corporate records or
made a part of the minutes of the meeting. Such filing shall be in
paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in
electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 10.
Quorum. A
majority of the total number of directors then in office shall constitute a
quorum of the Board. Except as otherwise required by the Certificate of
Incorporation, these Bylaws or the Delaware General Corporation Law, the act of
a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present (the
"Requisite Board Vote") shall be the act of the Board. Each director shall
be entitled to one vote.
Section
11.
Action Without a Meeting. Unless
otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action
required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors may
be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board consent to such action
in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action by consent is taken,
the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions shall be filed
with the minutes of proceedings of the Board. Such filing shall be in paper
form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic
form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
Section 12.
Telephone or Electronic Meetings. Directors may participate in a meeting through use of
conference telephones, electronic video screen, or other similar communications
equipment so long as all directors participating in such meeting can hear one
another (or, in the case of any participating directors who are deaf or hard of
hearing, can communicate with one another in real time). Participation in a meeting
pursuant to this Section 12 constitutes presence in person at such meeting.
Section 13.
Reliance. Any director or member of a committee of the Board
shall, in the performance of such director or committee member's duties, be
fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of this corporation
and upon such information, opinions, reports, or statements presented to this
corporation by any of this corporation's officers or employees, or committees
of the Board of Directors, or by any other person as to matters the director
reasonably believes are within such other person's professional or expert
competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of
this corporation.
Section
14.
Inspection. Every
director shall have the right to examine this corporation's list of members and
its other books and records for a purpose reasonably related to the director's
position as a director.
Section 15.
Board Compensation. The
Board may authorize the advance or reimbursement of actual reasonable expenses
incurred by a director in carrying out their duties as a director.
Section 16.
Executive Compensation. For any tax year in which this corporation is
required to register and file reports with the Attorney General of the State of
California, the Board of Directors (or a Board Committee) shall review any
compensation packages (including all benefits) of the President or the chief
executive officer and the Treasurer or chief financial officer, regardless of
job title, and shall approve such compensation only after determining that the
compensation is just and reasonable. This review and approval shall occur when
such officer is hired, when the term of employment of such officer is renewed
or extended, and when the compensation of such officer is modified, unless the
modification applies to substantially all of the employees of this corporation.
Section
17.
Chair of the Board. The Chair of the Board
shall be elected annually from among the directors by the Board of Directors
and shall not be deemed an officer of this corporation. The Chair of the Board
shall serve at the pleasure of the Board and shall hold such position until
their successor is elected and qualified or until their earlier resignation or
removal. The Chair of the Board shall preside at all meetings
of the Board and all meetings of the members unless the Chair designates
another director (which such director shall not be the President) and shall have such other powers and duties as
may be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.
Section 1.
Board Committees.
The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the
directors then in office, create any number of Board Committees, each
consisting of one or more directors. The Board may designate one or more
directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or
disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Appointments to and
removals from any Board Committee shall be made by any method determined by a
majority of the directors then in office. Any such committee, to the extent
provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may
exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the
management of the business and affairs of this corporation except that no such
committee shall have the power or authority to:
(a) approve or
adopt, or recommend to the members, any action or matter (other than the
election or removal of directors) expressly required by these Bylaws, the
Certificate of Incorporation, or the Delaware General Corporation Law to be
submitted to members for approval;
(b) amend
or repeal any resolution of the Board of Directors which by its express terms
is not so amendable or repealable;
(c) adopt,
amend, or repeal these Bylaws; or
(d) adopt
amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation.
Section 2.
Subcommittees. Unless otherwise provided in the resolution
of the Board of Directors designating the Board committee, such committee may
create one or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one or more
members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the
powers and authority of the committee.
Section 3.
Task Forces. The
Board of Directors may establish one or more Task Forces to advise the Board. A
Task Force is not a Board Committee. The members of any Task Force may consist
of directors or non-directors and may be appointed as the Board determines. Task
Forces may not exercise the authority of the Board to make decisions on behalf
of this corporation, but shall be restricted to making recommendations to the
Board or Board Committees, and implementing Board or Board Committee
decisions and policies under the supervision and control of the Board or Board
Committee.
Section 4.
Audit Committee. For any tax year in which this corporation is required to register and
file reports with the Attorney General of the State of California and has gross
revenues of $2 million or more, excluding grant or contract income from
any governmental entity for which the governmental entity requires an accounting, this corporation shall have an
Audit Committee whose members shall be appointed by the Board of
Directors, and who may include both directors and non-directors, subject to the
following limitations: (a) members of the Finance Committee, if any, shall
constitute less than one-half of the membership of the Audit Committee;
(b) the chair of the Audit Committee may not be a member of the Finance Committee,
if any; (c) the Audit Committee may not include any member of the staff,
including the President or chief executive officer and Treasurer or chief
financial officer; (d) the Audit Committee may not include any person
who has a material financial interest in any entity doing business with this
corporation; and (e) Audit Committee members who are not directors may not
receive compensation greater than the compensation paid to directors for their
Board service. The Audit Committee shall: (1) recommend to the full
Board of Directors for approval the retention and, when appropriate, the
termination of an independent certified public accountant to serve as auditor,
(2) subject to the supervision of the full Board, negotiate the compensation of
the auditor on behalf of the Board, (3) confer with the auditor to satisfy the
Audit Committee members that the financial affairs of this corporation are
in order, (4) review and determine whether to accept the audit, and
(5) approve performance of any non-audit services provided to this
corporation by the auditor's firm.
A.
Of Board Committees. Meetings and actions of Board Committees or subcommittees thereof shall
be governed by and held and taken in accordance with the provisions of Article
IV of these Bylaws concerning meetings
and actions of the Board of Directors, with such changes in the content of
those Bylaws as are necessary to substitute the Board Committee and its
members for the Board of Directors. Minutes shall be kept of each meeting of
any Board Committee and shall be filed with the corporate records.
Section
1.
Officers. The officers of this corporation shall be a
President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. This corporation may also have, at
the discretion of the Board of Directors, such other officers as may be
appointed by the Board of Directors. No individual shall hold more than one
office.
Section
2.
Election. The
officers of this corporation shall be elected annually by the Board of
Directors, and each shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, subject to the
rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment. Each officer
shall hold office until their successor is elected and qualified or until their
earlier resignation or removal.
Section
3.
Removal.
Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment,
any officer may be removed, with or without cause, by the Board of Directors upon
the Requisite Board Vote or by an officer on whom such power of removal may be
conferred by the Board of Directors upon the Requisite Board Vote.
Section
4.
Resignation. Any
officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board or Chair of
the Board or by electronic transmission addressed to the Board or Chair of the Board. A
resignation is effective when delivered unless the resignation specifies a
later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of an
event or events. Any
resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of this corporation
under any contract to which the officer is a party.
Section
5.
Vacancies. A
vacancy in any office for any reason shall be filled in the same manner as
these Bylaws provide for election to that office.
Section
6.
President. The
President shall be the chief executive officer of this corporation and
shall, subject to control of the Board, generally supervise, direct, and
control the business and the officers of this corporation. The President shall
not preside at any meeting of the Board of Directors; provided, that in
the absence of the Chair of the Board, or a director designated by the Chair,
the President shall designate a director to preside at such meeting.
The President shall have the
general powers and duties of management usually vested in the office of
President of a corporation and shall have such other powers and duties as may
be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.
Section
7.
Secretary. The
Secretary shall supervise the keeping of a full and complete record of the
proceedings of the Board of Directors, its committees and the membership of
this corporation, shall supervise the giving of such notices as may be proper
or necessary, shall supervise the keeping of the minute books of this
corporation, and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed
by the Board or these Bylaws.
Section 8.
Treasurer. The
Treasurer shall supervise the charge and custody of all funds of this
corporation, the deposit of such funds in the manner prescribed by the Board of
Directors, and the keeping and maintaining of adequate and correct accounts of
this corporation's properties and business transactions, shall render reports
and accountings as required, and shall have such other powers and duties as may
be prescribed by the Board or these Bylaws.
(a) any of its directors or officers,
(b) any organization in which one or more of this corporation's
directors or officers has or have a financial interest, or
(c) any organization for which a director or officer of this corporation
also serves as a director or officer,
shall be void or voidable solely for that reason, or solely because the
director or officer is present at or participates in the meeting of the Board
or committee of the Board which authorizes the contract or transaction, or
solely because any such director's or officer's vote was counted for such
purpose, if:
(i) The material facts as to the director's or officer's
relationship or interest, and as to the contract or transaction, are disclosed
or are known to the Board or the committee, and the Board or committee in good
faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative vote of at
least a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested
directors be less than a quorum; or
(ii) The contract or transaction is fair to this corporation
as of the time it is authorized, approved, or ratified by the Board or
committee.
Section 3.
Conflict of Interest Policy. Each director and officer of this corporation
shall comply with any policies of this corporation regarding conflicts of
interest.
(b) This corporation will pay expenses
as incurred by any Indemnified Person in connection with any Action; provided,
that, if these expenses are to be paid in advance of the final disposition
of an Action, then the payment of expenses will be made only upon delivery to
this corporation of an undertaking, by or on behalf of the person, to repay all
amounts so advanced if it is ultimately determined that the person is not
entitled to be an Indemnified Person or otherwise. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, this corporation shall pay expenses as incurred by any Indemnified
Person in connection with an Action (or part of an Action) initiated by that
person only if that Action (or part of that Action) was authorized by the
Board.
(d) The provisions of this Article VIII will be applicable to all Actions made or commenced after the adoption of this
Article VIII, whether arising from acts or omissions occurring before or after
its adoption. The provisions of this Article VIII will be deemed to be a
contract between this corporation and each director or officer who serves in
that capacity at any time while this Article and the relevant provisions of the
laws of the State of Delaware and other applicable law, if any, are in effect,
and any repeal or modification of this Article VIII will not adversely affect
any right or protection of any Indemnified Person in respect of any act or
omission occurring prior to the time of the repeal or modification.
(e) If any provision of this Article
VIII will be found to be invalid or limited in application by reason of any
law or regulation, that finding will not affect the validity of the remaining
provisions of this Article VIII. The rights of indemnification provided in
this Article VIII will neither be exclusive of, nor be deemed in limitation of,
any rights to which any person described in subsection (a) of this Article VIII may otherwise be entitled or permitted by contract, the Certificate of
Incorporation, vote of the Board, or otherwise, or as a matter of law, both as
to actions in the person's official capacity and actions in any other capacity
while holding that office, it being the policy of this corporation that
indemnification of any Indemnified Person will be made to the fullest extent
permitted by law.
(g) Definitions. As used in this Article
VIII, the following terms will have the following meanings:
"Action" means any threatened, pending, or
completed action, suit, proceeding or inquiry (brought in the right of this
corporation or otherwise), whether civil, criminal, administrative, or
investigative, and whether formal or informal, including appeals arising from
or in connection with the acts or omissions of this corporation or any person
acting within the scope of such person's role with this corporation.
"Eligible Person" means: (1) any individual who is
a former or current director or officer of this corporation; (2) any former or
current director or officer of this corporation, who while a director or officer
of this corporation, is or was serving at the request of this corporation as a
director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise, which includes, without
limitation, employee benefit plans; and (3) the foregoing persons' heirs,
executors, guardians, administrators, assigns, and any other legal
representatives.
"Fines" includes, without limitation, any excise
taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan.
"Indemnified Person" means: any Eligible Person who
was, or is, a party, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in
(including as a witness), any Action by reason of the fact that the person is
an Eligible Person.
Section 2.
Board of Directors Oversight. The Board, or any person or persons on whom
such power may be conferred by the Board, shall make policy with regard to
grants. The Board shall retain ultimate control over all grants,
contributions, and other financial assistance given by this corporation.
Section 3.
Refusal; Withdrawal. The Board, in its absolute discretion, shall
have the right to refuse to make any grants or contributions, or to render
other financial assistance, for any or all of the purposes for which the funds
are requested. In addition, the Board, in its absolute discretion, shall have
the right to withdraw its approval of any grant at any time and use the funds
for other purposes within the scope of the purposes expressed in the
Certificate of Incorporation, subject to any charitable trust imposed on such
funds and any rights of third parties under any contract relating to such
grant.
Section 4.
Accounting. The Board shall determine under what
circumstances to require that grantees furnish a periodic accounting to show
that the funds granted by this corporation were expended for the purposes that
were approved by the Board.
Section
5.
Restrictions on Contributions. Unless otherwise
determined by resolution of the Board in particular cases, this corporation
shall retain complete control and discretion over the use of all contributions
it receives, and all contributions received by this corporation from
solicitations for specific grants shall be regarded as for the use of this
corporation and not for any particular organization or individual mentioned in
the solicitation. This corporation may accept contributions earmarked by the
donor exclusively for allocation to one or more foreign organizations or
individuals only if the Board of this corporation: (a) has determined that the
specific charitable activity for which the donation was made furthers this
corporation's exempt purposes; (b) has approved in advance disbursements of
funds to support such charitable activity; (c) retains discretion and control
as to the use of the contributions received by this corporation; and (d) exercises
appropriate supervision to ensure funds are actually spent for the intended
purposes.
Section 2.
Contracts, Notes, and Checks. All
contracts entered into on behalf of this corporation must be authorized by the
Board of Directors or any person or persons on whom such power may be conferred
by the Board, and, except as otherwise provided by law, every check, draft,
promissory note, money order, or other evidence of indebtedness of this
corporation shall be signed by any person or person on whom such power may be
conferred by the Board.
Section 3.
Amendments. As provided
in the Certificate of Incorporation, the Consortium Members or the Board of
Directors may amend or repeal these Bylaws or adopt new bylaws. Any amendment
or repeal of these Bylaws or the adoption of new bylaws shall require:
(a) if by the Consortium Members acting alone, the Requisite Member Vote;
or
(b) if by the Board, (i) the affirmative vote of at least seventy-five
percent (75%) of the directors then in office with (ii) Consortium Member
approval by the Requisite Member Vote.
Section
4.
Required Financial Audits. For any tax year in which this corporation is
required to register and file reports with the Attorney General of the State of
California and has gross revenues of $2 million or more,
excluding grant or contract income from any governmental entity for which the
governmental entity requires an accounting, this corporation shall obtain a financial audit. Whether or
not they are required by law, for any tax year in which this corporation is
required to register and file reports with the Attorney General of the State of
California, any audited financial statements obtained by this corporation shall
be made available for inspection by the Attorney General and the general public
within nine months after the close of the fiscal year to which the statements
relate, and shall remain available for three (3) years (1) by making them
available at this corporation's principal, regional, and district offices
during regular business hours and (2) either by mailing a copy to any person
who so requests in person or in writing or by posting them on this
corporation's website.
Section
5.
Governing Law. These Bylaws shall
be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware as amended from time to time, so as to give full effect and validity
to the intent and meaning of these Bylaws.