Following are summaries of bills enacted into law that may affect filings made and business conducted with the Secretary of State’s office. Unless otherwise indicated, these measures took effect on January 1, 2016. To research any legislation or existing law, please refer to the California Legislative Information website.
Business Entities
Chapter 157, Statutes of 2015 (SB 284 Cannella)
This act extends the sunset date to January 1, 2019 to allow licensed engineers and land surveyors to register as limited liability partnerships or foreign limited liability partnerships.
Chapter 189, Statutes of 2015 (AB 1471 Perea)
Continues Secretary of State's multi-year effort to standardize business entity filing processes and specific content across entity types in support of pending automation through California Business Connect. Among other changes, streamlines specific requirements for conversions, terminations, name registrations and reservations, agent for service of process resignations, disclaimers, and signature requirements.
Chapter 192, Statutes of 2015 (AB 816 Bonta)
Renames the "Consumer Cooperative Corporation Law" as the "Cooperative Corporation Law" and creates new specific provisions regarding the formation and governing of "worker cooperatives."
Chapter 363, Statutes of 2015 (AB 557 Irwin)
Authorizes filing a Certificate of Dissolution without the otherwise necessary letter from the Attorney General for specific qualifying nonprofit corporations that choose not to start doing business or decide to cease doing business within 24 months of forming.
Provides the California Franchise Tax Board with authority to administratively dissolve or surrender specific types of nonprofit corporations that have been suspended or forfeited for 48 consecutive months. Provides for the Secretary of State to post on its website the list of nonprofit corporations subject to Franchise Tax Board administrative dissolution.
Chapter 775, Statutes of 2015 (AB 506 Maienschein)
Makes clarifications to the Revised Uniform Limited Liability Act, including clarifications to transition rules, contents of operating agreements, default rules for allocating profits and losses amongst members, indemnification of members, managers, agents and others and signature requirements for termination documents.
Notary Public
Chapter 42, Statutes of 2015 (AB 1036 Quirk)
Expands the acceptable forms of inmate identification for proof of identity for notarial acts to include forms of identification issued by sheriffs with custody of prisoners.
