(a) A record authorized or required to be delivered to the Secretary of State for filing under this chapter must be completed on a form prescribed by and in a medium permitted by the Secretary of State, and be delivered to the Secretary of State. Unless the Secretary of State determines that a record does not comply with the filing requirements of this chapter, and if all requisite fees have been paid, the Secretary of State shall file the record.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 15901.16, 15902.01, and 15902.07, a record delivered to the Secretary of State for filing under this chapter may specify an effective time and a delayed effective date. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a record filed by the Secretary of State is effective:

(1) if the record does not specify a delayed effective date, on the date the record is filed as evidenced by the Secretary of State’s endorsement of the date on the record;

(2) if the record specifies a delayed effective date on the earlier of:

(A) the specified date; or

(B) the 90th day after the record is filed; or

(c) In case a delayed effective date is specified, the record may be prevented from becoming effective by a certificate stating that by appropriate action it has been revoked and is null and void, executed in the same manner as the original record and delivered to the Secretary of State for filing before the specified effective date. In the case of certificate of merger, a certificate revoking the earlier filing need only be executed on behalf of one of the constituent parties to the merger. If no such revocation certificate is filed, the record becomes effective on the date specified.

(d) If the Secretary of State determines that a record delivered to the Secretary of State for filing does not conform to the law and returns it to the person delivering it, the record may be resubmitted accompanied by a written opinion of the member of the State Bar of California delivering the record or representing the person delivering it, to the effect that the specific provisions of the record objected to by the Secretary of State do conform to law and stating the points and authorities upon which the opinion is based. The Secretary of State shall rely, with respect to any disputed point of law, other than the application of Sections 15901.08, 15901.09, 15909.02, and 15909.05, upon that written opinion in determining whether the record conforms to law. When filed by the Secretary of State upon resubmission, such record is effective retroactively as of the date that the original record was delivered to the Secretary of State for filing.

(Added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 495, Sec. 20. Effective January 1, 2007. Section operative January 1, 2008, pursuant to Section 15912.04.)