2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XXII - Corporations › Chapter 156d - Business Corporations › Section 8.06 - Staggered Terms for Directors

Section 8.06. STAGGERED TERMS FOR DIRECTORS
(a) The articles of organization may provide for staggering the terms of directors by dividing the total number of directors into 2 or 3 groups, with each group containing 1/2 or 1/3 of the total, as near as may be. In that event, the terms of directors in the first group expire at the first annual shareholders' meeting after their election, the terms of the second group expire at the second annual shareholders' meeting after their election, and the terms of the third group, if any, expire at the third annual shareholders' meeting after their election. At each annual shareholders' meeting held thereafter, directors shall be chosen for a term of 2 years or 3 years, as the case may be, to succeed those whose terms expire.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter or in the articles of organization or bylaws of any public corporation, the terms of the directors of a public corporation shall be staggered by dividing the number of directors into 3 groups, as nearly equal in number as possible; the term of office of those of the first group, ''Class I Directors'', to continue until the first annual meeting following the date such public corporation becomes subject to this subsection and until their successors are elected and qualified; the term of office of those of the second group, ''Class II Directors'', to continue until the second annual meeting following the date the public corporation becomes subject to this subsection and until their successors are elected and qualified; and the term of office of those of the third group, ''Class III Directors'', to continue until the third annual meeting following the date such public corporation becomes subject to this subsection and until their successors are elected and qualified. At each annual meeting of a public corporation subject to this subsection, the successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term continuing until the annual meeting held in the third year following the year of their election and until their successors are elected and qualified. On or before the date on which a public corporation first convenes an annual meeting following the time at which the public corporation becomes subject to this subsection, the board of directors of the public corporation shall adopt a vote designating, from among its members, directors to serve as Class I Directors, Class II Directors and Class III Directors. Notwithstanding this subsection, the articles of organization may confer upon holders of any class or series of preference or preferred stock the right to elect 1 or more directors who shall serve for such term, and have such voting powers, as shall be stated in the articles of organization; provided, however, that no such provision of the articles of organization which confers upon such holders any such right and which is filed with the state secretary after the effective date of this chapter shall become effective unless before its adoption it was approved by a vote of a majority in number of the directors of the public corporation.
(c)(1) Subsection (b) shall apply to every public corporation, whether or not notice of an annual meeting of the public corporation has been given on or prior to the effective date of this chapter, unless the board of directors of the public corporation, or the shareholders of the corporation by a vote of two-thirds of each class of stock outstanding at a meeting duly called for the purpose of the vote, shall adopt a vote providing that the corporation elects to be exempt from the provisions of subsection (b). Upon adoption of the vote, subsection (b) shall, unless otherwise provided in the vote, shall become immediately ineffective with respect to such public corporation and the provisions of section 8.05 shall become immediately effective with respect to the corporation as soon as subsection (b) of this section is no longer effective.
(2) In the event that any public corporation shall so elect by vote of the board of directors to be exempt pursuant to clause (1) the public corporation may at any time thereafter adopt a vote of its board of directors electing to be subject to subsection (b). In the event that any public corporation shall so elect by vote of two-thirds of the shareholders to be exempt pursuant to clause (1) of this subsection the public corporation may at any time thereafter by vote of two-thirds of the shareholders elect to be subject to the provisions of subsection (b). Upon adoption of the vote, subsection (b), unless otherwise provided in the vote, shall immediately become effective.
(3) If a corporation is subject to subsection (b) at the time it ceases to be a public corporation, the corporation shall nonetheless be considered to be a public corporation for purposes of this section for a period of 12 months following the date it ceased to be a public corporation.
(d) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter or in the articles of organization or bylaws of any public corporation, in the case of directors of a public corporation whose terms are staggered pursuant to subsection (b), shareholders may effect, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote in the election of directors, the removal of any director or directors or the entire board of directors only for cause.
(e) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this chapter or in the articles of organization or bylaws of any public corporation, in the case of directors of a public corporation whose terms are staggered pursuant to subsection (b):
(1) vacancies and newly created directorships, whether resulting from an increase in the size of the board of directors, from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of a director or otherwise, shall be filled solely by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors then in office, even though less than a quorum of the board of directors;
(2) any director elected in accordance with clause (1) shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the class of directors in which the vacancy occurred or the new directorship was created and until the director's successor shall have been elected and qualified;
(3) no decrease in the number of directors constituting the board of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director; and
(4) the number of directors of a public corporation subject to subsection (b) shall be fixed only by vote of its board of directors.
(f) As used in subsections (b) to (g), inclusive, the following words shall have the following meanings:
(1) ''Annual meeting'', any annual meeting of shareholders and any special meeting of shareholders in lieu of an annual meeting provided for by law, the articles of organization, bylaws or otherwise.
(2) ''Cause'', with respect to the removal of any director of a public corporation, only (i) conviction of a felony, (ii) declaration of unsound mind by order of court, (iii) gross dereliction of duty, (iv) commission of an action involving moral turpitude, or (v) commission of an action which constitutes intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law if such action in either event results both in an improper substantial personal benefit and a material injury to the public corporation.
(g) Nothing elsewhere in this section shall be considered to amend, modify or otherwise effect the validity of any of the articles of organization or bylaws of any corporation during any period that it elects not to be subject to subsection (b), whether or not currently in effect, providing for staggering the terms of directors as contemplated by subsection (a). No provision of the articles of organization or bylaws of any public corporation that is subject to subsection (b), whether or not currently in effect, shall render inapplicable any provision of subsections (b) to (g), inclusive, or require the board of directors of the corporation to adopt any vote pursuant to subsection (c). No vote adopted by a board of directors electing not to be subject to subsection (b) shall render invalid, or prevent adoption of, any amendment to the corporation's articles of organization as contemplated by section 8.05.