North Carolina § 55A-8-31 - Director conflict of interest.

§ 55A-8-31. Director conflict of interest.

A conflict of interest transaction is a transaction with the corporation in which a director of the corporation has a direct or indirect interest. A conflict of interest transaction is not voidable by the corporation solely because of the director's interest in the transaction if any one of the following is true: The material facts of the transaction and the director's interest were disclosed or known to the board of directors or a committee of the board and the board or committee authorized, approved, or ratified the transaction; The material facts of the transaction and the director's interest were disclosed or known to the members entitled to vote and they authorized, approved, or ratified the transaction; or The transaction was fair to the corporation. For purposes of this section, a director of the corporation has an indirect interest in a transaction if: Another entity in which he has a material financial interest or in which he is a general partner is a party to the transaction; or Another entity of which he is a director, officer, or trustee is a party to the transaction and the transaction is or should be considered by the board of directors of the corporation. For purposes of subdivision (a)(1) of this section, a conflict of interest transaction is authorized, approved, or ratified if it receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors on the board of directors (or on the committee) who have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction, but a transaction shall not be authorized, approved, or ratified under this section by a single director. If a majority of the directors who have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction vote to authorize, approve, or ratify the transaction, a quorum is present for the purpose of taking action under this section. The presence of, or a vote cast by, a director with a direct or indirect interest in the transaction does not affect the validity of any action taken under subdivision (a)(1) of this section if the transaction is otherwise authorized, approved, or ratified as provided in that subdivision. For purposes of subdivision (a)(2) of this section, a conflict of interest transaction is authorized, approved, or ratified by the members if it receives a majority of the votes entitled to be counted under this subsection. Votes cast by or voted under the control of a director who has a direct or indirect interest in the transaction, and votes cast by or voted under the control of an entity described in subdivision (b)(1) of this section, shall not be counted in a vote of members to determine whether to authorize, approve, or ratify a conflict of interest transaction under subdivision (a)(2) of this section. The vote of these members, however, is counted in determining whether the transaction is approved under other sections of this Chapter. A majority of the votes, whether or not present, that are entitled to be cast in a vote on the transaction under this subsection constitutes a quorum for the purpose of taking action under this section. The articles of incorporation, bylaws, or a resolution of the board may impose additional requirements on conflict of interest transactions. History (1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 801, s. 26; 1993, c. 398, s. 1.) NORTH CAROLINA COMMENTARY This section generally conforms to G.S. 55-8-31 , except that subsection (e), which states an obvious proposition, was brought forward from the Model Act solely to avoid any contrary implication that might be created by its omission. Legal Periodicals. - For article, "Duties of Nonprofit Corporate Directors - Emphasizing Oversight Responsibilities," see 90 N.C. L. Rev. 1845 (2012).