EXHIBIT 3.1
RESTATED
ARTICLES
OF INCORPORATION
OF
NV
ENERGY, INC.
(Effective
Date: December 23, 2008)
History of
Changes
Original
Articles Filed December 12, 1983
Amended-Restated
Articles on July 11, 1985 and Filed August 14, 1985
Amended-Restated
Articles on May 18, 1987 and Filed October 23, 1987
Amended-Restated
Articles on May 16, 1989 and Filed May 22, 1989
Amended-Restated
Articles on May 21, 1990 and Filed October 5, 1990
Amended
in Articles of Merger Filed on July 28, 1999
Amendment
to Restated Articles Filed May 24, 2006
Amendment
to Restated Articles Filed November 19, 2008
RESTATED
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
NV
ENERGY, INC.
ARTICLE
I
NAME
The name of the corporation shall be NV
Energy, Inc.
ARTICLE
II
PRINCIPAL PLACE OF
BUSINESS
The
Corporation’s principal office or place of business in the State of Nevada shall
be at such location as may be from time to time designated by the Board of
Directors. The Corporation may maintain an office or offices in such other
locations within or without the State of Nevada as may be from time to time
designated by the Board of Directors or pursuant to the By-laws of the
Corporation, and the Corporation may conduct all Corporation business of every
kind and nature relative to the purposes of the Corporation, including the
holding of meetings of directors and stockholders, outside the State of Nevada
as well as in the State of Nevada.
ARTICLE
III
PURPOSE
The purpose for which the Corporation
is organized is to transact any or all lawful business for which corporations
may be incorporated under the Nevada Revised Statutes,
Chapter 78.
ARTICLE
IV
TERM OF
EXISTENCE
The Corporation shall have a perpetual
existence.
ARTICLE
V
CAPITAL STOCK AND AMENDMENTS
TO
ARTICLES OF
INCORPORATION
Authorized Capital
Stock
Section
1:
The amount of the total authorized
capital stock of the Corporation is three hundred fifty million (350,000,000)
shares of common stock of $1.00 par value. Said shares may be issued
by the Corporation from time to time for such consideration as may be fixed from
time to time by the Board of Directors.
Voting
Rights
Section
2:
The holders of common stock shall
exclusively possess full voting rights for the election of directors and for all
other purposes. Each holder of record of shares of common stock
entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall, as to all matters in
respect of which such stock has voting power, be entitled, except as otherwise
provided herein or in the By-Laws of the Corporation, to one vote for each share
of such stock held and owned by him, as shown by the stock books of the
Corporation, and may cast such vote in person or by proxy.
Preemptive
Rights
Section
3:
No holder of any stock, or of rights or
options to purchase stock of the Corporation of any class, now or hereafter
authorized, shall have any preferential or preemptive right to purchase or
subscribe for any part of any stock of the Corporation, now or hereafter
authorized or any bonds, certificates of indebtedness, debentures, options,
warrants or other securities convertible into or evidencing the right to
purchase stock of the Corporation, but any such stock or securities convertible
into or evidencing the right to purchase stock may at any time be issued and
disposed of by the Board of Directors to such purchasers, in such manner, for
such lawful consideration and upon such terms as the Board of Directors may, in
its discretion, determine without offering any thereof on the same terms or on
any terms to all or any stockholders, as such, of the Corporation.
Scrip
Certificates
Section
4:
No certificates for fractional shares
of any class of stock shall be issued. In lieu thereof, scrip
certificates or other evidences of ownership of fractional interests in shares
of the stock of the Corporation may be issued by the Corporation representing
rights to such fractional shares and exchangeable, when accompanied by other
certificates in such amount as to represent in the aggregate one or more full
shares of stock, for certificates for full shares of stock. The
holders of scrip certificates or other evidences of ownership of fractional
interests in shares of stock of the Corporation will not be entitled to any
rights as stockholders of the Corporation until the scrip certificates are so
exchanged. Such scrip certificates may, at the election of the Board
of Directors of the Corporation, be in bearer form, shall be non-dividend
bearing, non-voting and shall have such expiration date as the Board of
Directors of the Corporation shall determine at the time of the authorization or
issuance of such scrip certificates.
Amendments of Articles of
Incorporation
Section
5:
The provisions of the Articles of
Incorporation, except as expressly otherwise herein provided or otherwise
required by law, may be amended or altered by a vote of the holders of a
majority of the common stock of the Corporation then issued, outstanding and
entitled to vote.
ARTICLE
VI
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
The members of the governing board of
the Corporation shall be known as Directors, and the number of Directors shall
be as fixed in the By-Laws and may, from time to time, be increased or described
by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the entire Board of Directors provided
that the number shall not be increased to more than fifteen
(15). Directors need not be stockholders of the Corporation, however,
they shall be at least twenty-one (21) years of age and at least a majority of
them shall be citizens of the United States.
The Directors of this Corporation shall
be divided into three classes: Class I, Class II and Class III. Such
classes shall be as nearly equal in number as possible. The term of
office of the initial Class I Directors shall expire at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders in 1986; the term of office of the initial Class II Directors shall
expire at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders in 1987; and the term of office of
the initial Class III Directors shall expire at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders in 1988; or in each case thereafter when their respective
successors are elected and have qualified. At each annual election
held after the initial election of Directors according to classes, the Directors
chosen to succeed those whose terms then expire, shall be identified as being of
the same class of the Directors they succeed and shall be elected for a term
expiring at the third succeeding Annual Meeting of Stockholders or in each case
thereafter when their respective successors are elected and have
qualified. If the number of Directors has changed, any increase or
decrease in Directors shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain
all classes as nearly equal in number as possible, but in no case shall the
decrease in number of Directors shorten the term of any incumbent
Director.
A Director or
Directors may be removed from office only by the vote of stockholders
representing not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the issued and outstanding
capital stock entitled to vote generally in the election of
Directors.
Vacancies occurring in the Board of
Directors for any reason, including any newly created directorships resulting
from an increase in the number of Directors shall be filled by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the remaining Directors, though less than a
quorum. Each Director so chosen shall hold office until the
expiration of the term of Director, if any, whom he or she has been chosen to
succeed, or if none, until the expiration of the term of the class assigned to
the newly created directorship to which he or she has been elected and until his
or her successor shall be duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier
death, resignation or removal.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of
these Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Corporation (and
notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, these
Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Corporation), the affirmative
vote of the holders of sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) or more of the
Common Stock of the Corporation then issued, outstanding and entitled to vote,
shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any provisions inconsistent with,
this Article VI, unless two-thirds (2/3) of the entire Board of Directors
approves any such amendment, in which case, the affirmative vote of the holders
of a majority of the Common Stock of the Corporation then issued, outstanding
and entitled to vote shall be required.
ARTICLE
VII
STOCK
NON-ASSESSABLE
The capital stock, after the amount of
the subscription price, or par value, has been paid in, shall not be subject to
assessment to pay the debts of the Corporation.
ARTICLE
VIII
FAIR PRICE
PROVISIONS
Section
1:
(A)
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In
addition to any affirmative vote required by law or these Articles of
Incorporation, and except as otherwise expressly provided in paragraph 2
of this Article VIII:
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(i) any
merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any Subsidiary (as hereinafter
defined) with (a) any Interested Stockholder (as hereinafter defined) or
(b) any other corporation (whether or not itself an Interested Stockholder)
which is, or after such merger or consolidation would be, an Affiliate (as
hereinafter defined) of an Interested Stockholder; or
(ii) any
sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one
transaction or a series of transactions) to or with any Interested Stockholder
of any assets of the Corporation or any Subsidiary having an aggregate Fair
Market Value (as hereinafter defined) of $1,000,000 or more; or
(iii) the
issuance or transfer by the Corporation or any Subsidiary (in one transaction or
a series of transactions) of any securities of the Corporation or any Subsidiary
to any Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder in
exchange for cash, securities or other property (or a combination thereof)
having any aggregate Fair Market Value of $1,000,000 or more; or
(iv) the
adoption of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the
Corporation proposed by or on behalf of an Interested Stockholder or any
Affiliate of any Interested Stockholder; or
(v) any
reclassification of securities (including any reverse stock split), or
recapitalization of the Corporation, or any merger or consolidation of the
Corporation with any of its Subsidiaries or any other transaction (whether or
not with or into or otherwise involving an Interested Stockholder) which has the
effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the
outstanding shares of any class of equity or convertible securities of the
Corporation of any Subsidiary which is directly or indirectly owned by any
Interested Stockholder or any Affiliate of any Interested
Stockholder;
shall
require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds
percent (66 2/3%) of the then outstanding shares of common stock of the
Corporation authorized to be issued from time to time under Article V of
these Articles of Incorporation (the "Common Stock"). Such
affirmative vote shall be required notwithstanding the fact that no vote may be
required, or that a lesser percentage may be specified, by law or in any
agreement with any national securities exchange or otherwise.
(B)
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The
term "Business Combination" as used in this Article VIII shall mean
any transaction which is referred to in any one or more of
clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A) of this
paragraph 1.
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Section
2:
The provisions of paragraph 1 of
this Article VIII shall not be applicable to any particular Business
Combination, and such Business Combination shall require only such affirmative
vote as is required by law and any other provision of these Articles of
Incorporation, if all of the conditions specified in either of the following
subparagraphs (A) or (B) are met:
(A)
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The
Business Combination shall have been approved by a majority of the
Continuing Directors (as hereinafter defined); provided, however, that
such approval shall only be effective if obtained at a meeting at which a
Continuing Director Quorum (as hereinafter defined) is present,
or
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(B)
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All
of the following conditions have been
met:
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(i)
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The
aggregate amount of (x) cash and (y) Fair Market Value as of the date of
the consummation of the Business Combination of consideration other than
cash, to be received per share by holders of the Corporation's Common
Stock in such Business Combination transaction shall be at least equal to
the highest amount determined under sub-clauses (a), (b) and (c)
below:
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(a)
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(if
applicable) the highest per share price (including any brokerage
commissions, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers' fees) paid by the
Interested Stockholders for any share of Common Stock acquired by it
(1) within the two-year period immediately prior to the first public
announcement of the proposal of the Business Combination (the
"Announcement Date") or (2) in the transaction in which it became an
Interested Stockholder, whichever is
higher;
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(b)
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the
Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the Announcement Date or on
the date on which the Interested Stockholder became an Interested
Stockholder (such latter date is referred to in this Article VIII as the
"Determination Date"), whichever is higher;
and
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(c)
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(if
applicable) the price per share equal to the Fair Market Value per share
of Common Stock determined pursuant to subparagraph (B)(i)(b) above,
multiplied by the ratio of (1) the highest per share price (including
any brokerage commissions, transfer taxes and soliciting dealers' fees)
paid by the Interested Stockholder for any shares of Common Stock acquired
by it within the two-year period immediately prior to the Announcement
Date to (2) the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on the
first day in such two-year period in which the Interested Stockholder
acquired any shares of Common
Stock.
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(ii)
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After
such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder and prior
to the consummation of such Business Combination: (a) except as
approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors, there shall have been
no failure to declare and pay at the regular date therefor any full
quarterly dividends (whether or not cumulative) on any stock of the
Corporation having preferential dividend rights; (b) there shall have
been (1) no reduction in the annual rate of dividends paid on the
Common Stock (except as necessary to reflect any subdivision of the Common
Stock), except as approved by a majority of the Continuing Directors, and
(2) an increase in such annual rate of dividends as necessary to
reflect any reclassification (including any reverse stock split),
recapitalization, reorganization or any similar transaction which has the
effect of reducing the number of outstanding shares of the Common Stock,
unless the failure so to increase such annual rate is approved by a
majority of the Continuing Directors; and (c) such Interested
Stockholder shall not have become the beneficial owner of any additional
shares of Common Stock except as part of the transaction which results in
such Interested Stockholder becoming an Interested
Stockholder. The approval by a majority of the Continuing
Directors of an exception to the requirements set forth in
clauses (a) and (b) above shall only be effective if obtained at a
meeting at which a Continuing Director Quorum is
present.
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(iii)
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After
such Interested Stockholder has become an Interested Stockholder, such
Interested Stockholder shall not have received the benefit, directly or
indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder) of any loans,
advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial assistance or any tax
credits or other tax advantages provided by the Corporation, whether in
anticipation of or in connection with such Business Combination or
otherwise.
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(iv)
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A
proxy or information statement describing the proposed Business
Combination and complying with the requirements of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder (or any subsequent
provisions replacing such Act, rules or regulations) shall be mailed to
public stockholders of the Corporation at least 30 days prior to the
consummation of such Business Combination (whether or not such proxy or
information statement is required to be mailed pursuant to such Act or
subsequent provisions).
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Section
3:
For the purpose of this
Article VIII
(A) The
term “person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, or other
entity.
(B) The
term “Interested Stockholder” shall mean any person (other than the Corporation
or any Subsidiary and other than any profit-sharing, employee stock ownership,
or other employee benefit plan of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or any
trustee or fiduciary with respect to any such plan when acting in such capacity)
who or which:
(i) is
the beneficial owner (as hereinafter defined) of more than ten percent (10%) of
the Common Stock; or
(ii) is
an Affiliate (as hereinafter defined) of the Corporation and at any time within
the two-year period immediately prior to the date in question was the beneficial
owner of ten percent (10%) or more of the Common Stock; or
(iii) is
an assignee of or has otherwise succeeded to any shares of Common Stock which
were at any time within the two-year period immediately prior to the date in
question beneficially owned by any Interested Stockholder, if such assignment or
succession shall have occurred in the course of a transaction or series of
transactions not involving a public offering within the meaning of the
Securities Act of 1933.
(C) A
person shall be a “beneficial owner” of any Common Stock:
(i) which
such persons or any of its Affiliates or Associates (as hereinafter defined)
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly; or
(ii) which
such person or any of its Affiliates or Associates has, directly or indirectly,
(a) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or
only after the passage of time), pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, or
understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise, or (b) the right to vote pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding; or
(iii) which
is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other person with which
such person or any of its Affiliates or Associates has any agreement,
arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or
disposing of any shares of Common Stock.
(D) For
purposes of determining whether a person is an Interested Stockholder pursuant
to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph 3, the number of shares of
Common Stock deemed to be outstanding shall include shares deemed owned through
application of subparagraph (C) of this paragraph 3 but shall not
include any other shares of Common Stock which may be issuable pursuant to any
agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights,
warrants or options, or otherwise.
(E) The
term “Affiliate” or “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to
such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as in effect on April 1, 1985, or
amendments thereto.
(F) The
term “Subsidiary” means any corporation of which a majority of any class of
equity security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, provided,
however, that for the purposes of the definition of Interested Stockholder set
forth in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph 3, the term “Subsidiary”
shall mean only a corporation of which a majority of each class of equity
security is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation.
(G) The
term “Continuing Director” means any member of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation (the “Board”) who is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder
and was a member of the Board prior to the time that the Interested Stockholder
became an Interested Stockholder, and any successor of a Continuing Director who
is unaffiliated with the Interested Stockholder and is recommended to succeed a
Continuing Director by a majority of Continuing Directors, provided that such
recommendation or election shall only be effective if made at a meeting at which
a Continuing Director Quorum is present.
(H) The
term “Continuing Director Quorum” means six Continuing Directors capable of
exercising the powers conferred upon them under the provisions of the Articles
of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Corporation or by law.
(I) The
term “Fair Market Value” means: (1) in the case of stock, the
highest closing sale price during the 30-day period immediately preceding the
date in question of a share of such stock on the Composite Tape for New York
Stock Exchange-Listed Stocks, or, if such stock is not quoted on the Composite
Tape, on the New York Stock Exchange, or, if such stock is not listed on such
Exchange, on the principal United States securities exchange registered under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on which such stock is listed, or, if such
stock is not listed on any such exchange, the highest closing bid quotation with
respect to a share of such stock during the 30-day period preceding the date in
question on the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., Automated
Quotations System or any system then in use, or if no such quotations are
available, the fair market value on the date in question of such stock as
determined by the Board in good faith, and (ii) in the case of the property
other than cash or stock, the fair market value of such property on the date in
question as determined in good faith by a majority of Continuing Directors,
provided that such determination shall only be effective if made at a meeting at
which a Continuing Director Quorum is present.
(J) In
the event of any Business Combination in which the Corporation survives, the
phrase “other consideration to be received” as used in subparagraphs (B)(i)
and (ii) of paragraph 2 of this Article VIII shall include the shares of
Common Stock retained by the holders of such shares.
Section
4:
Nothing contained in this
Article VIII shall be construed to relieve any Interested Stockholder from
any fiduciary obligation imposed by law.
Section
5:
Notwithstanding any other provisions of
these Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Corporation (and
notwithstanding the fact that a lesser percentage may be specified by law, these
Articles of Incorporation or the By-Laws of the Corporation), the affirmative
vote of the holders of sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) or more of the
shares of Common Stock shall be required to amend or repeal, or adopt any
provisions inconsistent with this Article VIII.
ARTICLE
IX
SPECIAL
PROVISIONS
Section
1:
The private property of the
stockholders, directors, or officers shall not be subject to the payment of any
corporate debts to any extent whatsoever.
Section
2:
(A) To
the fullest extent that the laws of the State of Nevada, as in effect on
March 18, 1987, or as thereafter amended, permit elimination or limitation
of the liability of directors and officers, no Director, officer, employee,
fiduciary or authorized representative of the Company shall be personally liable
for monetary damages as such for any action taken, or any failure to take any
action, as a Director, officer or other representative capacity.
(B) This
Article shall not apply to any action filed prior to March 18, 1987, nor to
any breach of performance or failure of performance of duty by a Director,
officer, employee, fiduciary, or authorized representative occurring prior to
March, 1987. Any amendment or repeal of this Article which has the
effect of increasing Director liability shall operate prospectively only, and
shall not affect any action taken, or any failure to act, prior to its
adoption.
Section
3:
(A) Right to
Indemnification. Except as prohibited by law, every director
and officer of the company shall be entitled as a matter of right to be
indemnified by the company against reasonable expense and any liability paid or
incurred by such person in connection with any actual or threatened claim,
action, suit or proceeding, civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or
other, whether brought by or in the right of the company or otherwise, in which
he or she may be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of such person
being or having been a Director or officer of the company or by reason of the
fact that such person is or was serving at the request of the company as a
Director, officer, employee, fiduciary or other representative of the
Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other entity (such claim, action, suit, or proceeding
hereinafter being referred to as “action”); provided, however, that no such
right of indemnification shall exist with respect to an action brought by a
director or officer against the company (other than a suit for indemnification
as provided in paragraph (B)). Such indemnification shall
include the right to have expenses incurred by such person in connection with an
action paid in advance by the company prior to final disposition of such action,
subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by law. As used
herein, “expense” shall include fees and expenses of counsel selected by such
person; and “liability” shall include amounts of judgments, excise taxes, fines
and penalties, and amounts paid in settlement.
(B) Right of Claimant to Bring
Suit. If a claim under paragraph (A) of this Section is
not paid in full by the company within thirty days after a written claim has
been received by the company, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit
against the company to recover the unpaid amount of the claim, and, if
successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall also be entitled to be paid
the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any
such action that the conduct of the claimant was such that under Nevada law the
company would be prohibited from indemnifying the claimant for the amount
claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the
company. Neither the failure of the company (including its Board of
Directors, independent legal counsel and its stockholders) to have made a
determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of
the claimant is proper in the circumstances because the conduct of the claimant
was not such that indemnification would be prohibited by law, nor an actual
determination by the company (including the Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the conduct of the claimant was such
that indemnification would be prohibited by law, shall be a defense to the
action or create a presumption that the conduct of the claimant was such that
indemnification would be prohibited by law.
(C) Insurance and
Funding. The Company may purchase and maintain insurance to
protect itself and any person eligible to be indemnified hereunder against any
liability or expense asserted or incurred by such person in connection with any
action, whether or not the company would have the power to indemnify such person
against such liability or expense by law or under the provisions of this
Section 3. The company may make other financial arrangements
which include a trust fund, program of self-insurance, grant a security interest
or other lien on any assets of the corporation, establish a letter of credit,
guaranty or surety as set forth in 1987 Statutes of Nevada, Chapter 28 to
ensure the payment of such sums as may become necessary to effect
indemnification as provided herein.
(D) Non-Exclusive; Nature and
Extent of Rights. The right of indemnification provided for
herein (1) shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights, whether now
existing or hereafter created, to which those seeking indemnification hereunder
may be entitled under any agreement, by-law or article provision, vote of
stockholders or directors or otherwise, (2) shall be deemed to create
contractual rights in favor of persons entitled to indemnification hereunder,
(3) shall continue as to persons who have ceased to have the status
pursuant to which they were entitled or were denominated as entitled to
indemnification hereunder and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs and legal
representatives of persons entitled to indemnification hereunder and
(4) shall be applicable to actions, suits or proceedings commenced after
the adoption hereof, whether arising from acts or omissions occurring before or
after the adoption hereof. The right of indemnification provided for
herein may not be amended, modified or repealed so as to limit in any way the
indemnification provided for herein with respect to any acts or omissions
occurring prior to the adoption of any such amendment or repeal.
Section
4:
In furtherance, and not in limitation,
of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors, by majority vote of
those present at any called meeting, is expressly authorized:
(A) To
hold its meetings, to have one or more offices, and to keep the books of the
Corporation, except as may be otherwise specifically required by the laws of the
State of Nevada, within or without the State of Nevada, at such places as may be
from time to time designated by it.
(B) To
determine from time to time whether, and if allowed under what conditions and
regulations, the accounts and books of the Corporation (other than the books
required by law to be kept at the principal office of the Corporation in
Nevada), or any of them, shall be open to inspection of the stockholders, and
the stockholders’ rights in this respect are and shall be restricted or limited
accordingly.
(C) To
make, alter, amend and rescind the By-Laws of the Corporation, to fix the amount
to be reserved as working capital, to fix the times for the declaration and
payment of dividends, and to authorize and cause to be executed mortgages and
liens upon the real and personal property of the Corporation.
(D) To
designate from its number an executive committee, which, to the extent provided
by the By-Laws of the Corporation or by resolution of the Board of Directors,
shall have and may exercise in the intervals between meetings of the Board of
Directors, the powers thereof which may lawfully be delegated in respect of the
management of the business and the affairs of the Corporation, and shall have
power to authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to such papers as
may require it. The Board of Directors may also, in its discretion,
designate from its number a finance committee and delegate thereto such of the
powers of the Board of Directors as may be lawfully delegated, to be exercised
when the Board is not in session.
ARTICLE
X
OTHER CONSTITUENCIES
PROVISIONS
In taking action, including (but not
limited to) action which may involve or relate to a change or potential change
in the control of the Corporation, the Board of Directors of the Corporation
shall be entitled to consider, without limitation, (1) both the long-term
and the short-term interests of the Corporation and its stockholders and
(2) the effects that the Corporation’s actions may have in the short-term
or in the long-term upon any of the following: (i) the prospects
for potential growth, development, productivity, and profitability of the
Corporation; (ii) the Corporation’s current employees; (iii) the
Corporation’s creditors; and (iv) the ability of the Corporation to
provide, as a going concern, goods, services, employment opportunities and
employment benefits and otherwise to contribute to the communities in which it
does business and to serve the public interest. Nothing in this
paragraph shall create any duties owed by any Director to any person or entity
to consider or afford any particular weight to any of the
foregoing. For purposes of this paragraph, “control” shall mean the
possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of the Corporation, whether through the
ownership of voting stock, by contract or other.