Members and Directors.

Ala. Code tit. 10A, ch. 3, art. 2, div. A

in effect

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.01 Members.

10A-3-2.01. Members. (a) A nonprofit corporation may have one or more classes of members or may have no members. If the nonprofit corporation has one or more classes of members, the designation of the class or classes, the manner of election or appointment and the qualifications and rights of the members of each class shall be set forth in the governing documents. If the nonprofit corporation has no members, that fact shall be set forth in the certificate of formation. A nonprofit corporation may issue certificates evidencing membership therein. (b) The members of the nonprofit corporation shall not be liable for obligations of the corporation. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §11; §10-3A-26; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.02 Meetings of Members, Remote Communication.

10A-3-2.02. Meetings of Members, Remote Communication. (a) Unless the board of directors determines to hold the meeting of the members solely by means of remote communication in accordance with subsections (d), (e), and (f), meetings of members may be held at the place, either within or without Alabama, as may be provided in the bylaws and, in the absence of any provision, all meetings shall be held at the registered office of the corporation in Alabama. (b) An annual meeting of the members shall be held at the time as may be provided in the bylaws. Failure to hold the annual meeting at the designated time shall not work a forfeiture or dissolution of the corporation. (c) Special meetings of the members may be called by the president or by the board of directors. Special meetings of the members may also be called by other officers or persons or number or proportion of members as may be provided in the governing documents. In the absence of a provision fixing the number or proportion of members entitled to call a meeting, a special meeting of members may be called by members having one-twentieth of the votes entitled to be cast at the meeting. (d) Members may participate in any meeting of the members by means of remote communication to the extent the governing authority authorizes participation for that meeting. Participation as a member by means of remote communication shall be subject to guidelines and procedures as the governing authority adopts and shall be in conformity with this subsection. (e) Members participating in a meeting of the members by means of remote communication shall be deemed present and may vote at that meeting if the corporation has implemented reasonable measures: (1) to verify that each person participating remotely as a member is a member; and (2) to provide members participating remotely a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the members, including an opportunity to communicate, and to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting, substantially concurrently with the proceedings. (f) Unless the certificate of incorporation or bylaws require the meeting of members to be held at a place, the governing authority may determine that any meeting of the members shall not be held at any place and shall instead be held solely by means of remote communication, but only if the corporation implements the measures specified in subsection (e). (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §13; §10-3A-28; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171; Act 2021-299, §5.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.03 Notice of Members’ Meetings.

10A-3-2.03. Notice of Members’ Meetings. Unless otherwise provided in the nonprofit corporation’s governing documents, notice stating the place, if any, day, and hour of the meeting and, in case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting, by or at the direction of the president, or the secretary, or the officers or persons calling the meeting, to each member entitled to vote at the meeting. If the board of directors has authorized participation by means of remote communication pursuant to Section 10A-3A-2.02(d), (e), and (f), the notice to the members must describe the means of remote communication to be used. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §14; §10-3A-29; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171; Act 2021-299, §5.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.04 Waiver of Notice.

10A-3-2.04. Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given to any member or director of a corporation under the provisions of this title or this chapter or under the provisions of the nonprofit corporation’s governing documents, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to the notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be equivalent to the giving of the notice. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §15; §10-3A-30; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.05 Voting of Members.

10A-3-2.05. Voting of Members. (a) The right of the members, or any class or classes of members, to vote may be limited, enlarged or denied to the extent specified in the nonprofit corporation’s governing documents. Unless so limited, enlarged or denied, each member, regardless of class, shall be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote of members. (b) A member entitled to vote may vote in person or, unless the nonprofit corporation’s governing documents otherwise provide, may vote by proxy executed in writing by the member, or by his or her duly authorized attorney-in-fact. No proxy shall be valid after 11 months from the date of its execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy. Where directors or officers are to be elected by members, the bylaws may provide that the elections may be conducted by mail. (c) The governing documents of a nonprofit corporation may provide that in all elections of directors every member entitled to vote shall have the right to cumulate his or her vote and to give one candidate a number of votes equal to his or her vote multiplied by the number of directors to be elected, or by distributing the votes on the same principle among any number of the candidates. (d) If a nonprofit corporation has no members or its members have no right to vote, the directors shall have the sole voting power. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §16; §10-3A-31; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.06 Quorum of Members.

10A-3-2.06. Quorum of Members. The bylaws may provide the number or percentage of members entitled to vote represented in person or by proxy, or the number or percentage of votes represented in person or by proxy, which shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of members. In the absence of any provision, members holding one-tenth of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter to be voted upon, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum. A majority of the votes entitled to be cast on a matter to be voted upon by the members present or represented by proxy at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be necessary for any action to be taken unless a greater proportion is required by this title or this chapter or by the nonprofit corporation’s governing documents. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §17; §10-3A-32; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.07 Greater Voting Requirements.

10A-3-2.07. Greater Voting Requirements. Whenever, with respect to any action to be taken by the members or directors of a nonprofit corporation, the governing documents of the nonprofit corporation require the vote or concurrence of a greater proportion of the directors or members or any class of members than required by this title or this chapter, the provisions of the governing documents shall control. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §18; §10-3A-33; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.08 Governing Authority; Board of Directors.

10A-3-2.08. Governing Authority; Board of Directors. (a) All corporate powers shall be exercised by or under authority of, and the business and affairs of a nonprofit corporation shall be managed under the direction of a board of directors except as may be otherwise provided in this chapter or the certificate of formation. If any provision is made in the certificate of formation, the power and duties conferred or imposed upon the board of directors by this chapter shall be exercised or performed to the extent and by the governing authority as shall be provided in the certificate of formation. Directors shall be natural persons but need not be residents of Alabama unless the governing documents so require. The governing documents may prescribe other qualifications for directors. The board of directors shall have authority to fix the compensation of directors unless otherwise provided in the certificate of formation. (b) The directors of the corporation shall not, as such, be liable for obligations of the corporation. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §19; §10-3A-34; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.09 Number and Election of Directors; Terms; Removal from Office.

10A-3-2.09. Number and Election of Directors; Terms; Removal from Office. (a) The number of directors of a nonprofit corporation shall be not less than one. Subject to this limitation, unless the number of directors is fixed by the certificate of formation or the bylaws, the board of directors may fix the number of directors from time to time. The number of directors to serve on the initial board of directors shall be fixed by the certificate of formation. Unless the certificate of formation or bylaws require an amendment to the certificate or the bylaws, the number of directors may be increased or decreased from time to time by the board of directors. No decrease in number shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director. (b) The directors constituting the initial board of directors shall be named in the certificate of formation and shall hold office until the first annual election of directors or for any other period as may be specified in the governing documents. Thereafter, directors shall be elected or appointed in the manner and for the terms provided in the governing documents of the nonprofit corporation. In the absence of a provision fixing the term of office, the term of office of a director shall be one year. (c) Directors may be divided into classes and the terms of office of the several classes need not be uniform. Each director shall hold office for the term to which he or she is elected or appointed and until his or her successor shall have been elected or appointed and qualified. (d) A director may be removed from office pursuant to any procedure therefor provided in the certificate of formation. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §20; §10-3A-35; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171; Act 2021-299, §5.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.10 Board of Directors; Vacancies.

10A-3-2.10. Board of Directors; Vacancies. (a) Any vacancy occurring in the board of directors and any directorship to be filled by reason of an increase in the number of directors may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors, though less than a quorum of the board of directors, unless the governing documents of the nonprofit corporation provide that a vacancy or directorship so created shall be filled in some other manner, in which case the provision shall control. (b) A director elected or appointed, as the case may be, to fill a vacancy shall be elected or appointed for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office. (c) Any directorship to be filled by reason of an increase in the number of directors may be filled by the board of directors for a term of office continuing only until the next election of directors. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §21; §10-3A-36; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.11 Quorum of Directors.

10A-3-2.11. Quorum of Directors. (a) A majority of the number of directors fixed by the bylaws, or in the absence of a bylaw fixing the number of directors, then of the number stated in the certificate of formation, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless otherwise provided in the governing documents of the nonprofit corporation; but in no event shall a quorum consist of less than one-third of the number of directors so fixed or stated. The act of the majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors, unless the act of a greater number is required by this title or this chapter or by the nonprofit corporation’s governing documents. (b) If a quorum is present when the meeting is convened, the directors present may continue to do business, taking action by a vote of a majority of a quorum as fixed above, until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough directors to leave less than a quorum as fixed above, or the refusal of any director present to vote. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §22; §10-3A-37; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.12 Board of Directors; Committees.

10A-3-2.12. Board of Directors; Committees. If the governing documents of a nonprofit corporation so provide, the board of directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the directors in office, may designate and appoint one or more committees each of which shall consist of two or more directors, which committees, to the extent provided in the resolution, or in the governing documents of the nonprofit corporation, shall have and exercise all the authority of the board of directors, except that no committee shall have the authority of the board of directors in reference to amending, altering, or repealing the bylaws; electing, appointing, or removing any member of any committee or any director or officer of the corporation; amending the certificate of formation, restating the certificate of formation, adopting a plan of merger or adopting a plan of consolidation with another nonprofit corporation or other entity authorizing the conversion of the nonprofit corporation into another form of entity; authorizing the sale, lease, exchange, or mortgage of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the corporation; authorizing the voluntary dissolution of the corporation or revoking proceedings therefor; adopting a plan for the distribution of the assets of the nonprofit corporation; or amending, altering, or repealing any action or resolution of the board of directors which by its terms provides that it shall not be amended, altered, or repealed by the committee. Other committees not having and exercising the authority of the board of directors in the management of the nonprofit corporation may be designated by a resolution adopted by a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The designation and appointment of any committee and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve the board of directors, or any individual director of any responsibility imposed upon it or him or her by law. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §23; §10-3A-38; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.13 Place and Notice of Directors’ Meetings; Committee Meetings.

10A-3-2.13. Place and Notice of Directors’ Meetings; Committee Meetings. (a) Meetings of the board of directors, regular or special, may be held either within or without Alabama. (b) Regular meetings of the board of directors or any committee designated thereby may be held with or without notice as prescribed in the bylaws. Special meetings of the board of directors or any committee designated thereby shall be held upon the notice prescribed in the bylaws. Attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting, except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the board of directors or any committee designated thereby need be specified in the notice of the meeting or the waiver of notice unless required by the bylaws. (c) Except as may be otherwise restricted by the nonprofit corporation’s governing documents, members of the board of directors or any committee designated thereby may participate in a meeting of the board or committee by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at that same time and participation by the means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §24; §10-3A-39; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171.)

Ala. Code § 10A-3-2.14 Action by Members or Directors Without Meeting.

10A-3-2.14. Action by Members or Directors Without Meeting. Any action required by this title or this chapter to be taken at a meeting of the members or directors of a nonprofit corporation or any action which may be taken at a meeting of the members or directors or of a committee of directors may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, is signed by all of the members entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter thereof, all of the directors or all of the members of the committee of directors, as the case may be. The consent shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote and may be stated as such in any filing instrument filed with the Secretary of State. (Acts 1984, No. 84-290, p. 502, §25; §10-3A-40; amended and renumbered by Act 2009-513, p. 967, §171; Act 2020-73, §10.)

Source: Alabama Legislature (alison.legislature.state.al.us)URL: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabamaFetched: 10/20/2026