South Carolina § 35-2-102 - "Control share acquisition" defined.

§ 35-2-102. "Control share acquisition" defined.

(a) As used in this article, "control share acquisition" means the acquisition (directly or indirectly) by any person of ownership of, or the power to direct the exercise of voting power with respect to, issued and outstanding control shares.

(b) For purposes of this section, shares acquired within ninety days or shares acquired pursuant to a plan to make a control share acquisition are considered to have been acquired in the same acquisition.

(c) For purposes of this section, a person who acquires shares in the ordinary course of business for the benefit of others in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this article has voting power only of shares in respect of which that person would be able to exercise or direct the exercise of votes without further instruction from others.

(d) The acquisition of any shares of an issuing public corporation does not constitute a control share acquisition if the acquisition is consummated in any of the following circumstances:

(1) before the effective date of this chapter;

(2) pursuant to a contract existing before the effective date of this chapter;

(3) pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution;

(4) pursuant to the satisfaction of a pledge or other security interest created in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this article;

(5) pursuant to a merger or plan of share exchange in compliance with law if the issuing public corporation is a party to the agreement of merger or plan of share exchange.

(e) The acquisition of shares of an issuing public corporation in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this article by or from:

(1) any person whose voting rights had previously been authorized by shareholders in compliance with this article; or

(2) any person whose previous acquisition of shares of an issuing public corporation would have constituted a control share acquisition but for subsection (d) does not constitute a control share acquisition, unless the acquisition entitles any person (directly or indirectly, alone or as a part of a group) to exercise or direct the exercise of voting power of the corporation in the election of directors in excess of the range of the voting power otherwise authorized.

HISTORY: 1988 Act No. 444, SECTION 5, eff April 22, 1988.