(1) When a conversion becomes effective:

(a) All real property and other property owned by, including any interest therein and all title thereto, and every contract right possessed by, the converting eligible entity remain the property and contract rights of the converted eligible entity without transfer, reversion, or impairment;

(b) All debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the converting eligible entity remain the debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the converted eligible entity;

(c) The name of the converted eligible entity may be, but need not be, substituted for the name of the converting eligible entity in any pending action or proceeding;

(d) If the converted eligible entity is a filing entity, a domestic corporation, or a domestic or foreign nonprofit corporation, its public organic record and its private organic rules become effective;

(e) If the converted eligible entity is a nonfiling entity, its private organic rules become effective;

(f) If the converted eligible entity is a limited liability partnership, the filing required to become a limited liability partnership and its private organic rules become effective;

(g) The shares, rights to acquire shares, eligible interests, other securities and obligations of the converting eligible entity are reclassified into shares, other securities, rights to acquire shares or other securities, eligible interests, obligations, cash, other property, or any combination thereof, in accordance with the terms of the conversion, and the shareholders or interest holders of the converting eligible entity are entitled only to the rights provided to them by those terms and to any rights they may have under s. 607.1302 or under the organic law of the converting eligible entity; and

(h) The converted eligible entity is:

1. Deemed to be incorporated or organized under and subject to the organic law of the converted eligible entity;

2. Deemed to be the same entity without interruption as the converting eligible entity; and

3. Deemed to have been incorporated or otherwise organized on the date that the converting eligible entity was originally incorporated or organized.

(2) When a conversion of a domestic corporation to a domestic or foreign eligible entity other than a domestic corporation becomes effective, the converted eligible entity is deemed to:

(a) Appoint the secretary of state as its agent for service of process in a proceeding to enforce the rights of shareholders who exercise appraisal rights in connection with the conversion; and

(b) Agree that it will promptly pay any amount that shareholders are entitled to under ss. 607.1301-607.1340.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation of a domestic corporation or the organic law or organic rules of a domestic or foreign eligible entity other than a domestic corporation, a shareholder or eligible interest holder who becomes subject to interest holder liability in respect of a domestic corporation or domestic or foreign eligible entity other than a domestic corporation as a result of the conversion shall have such interest holder liability only in respect of interest holder liabilities that arise after the conversion becomes effective.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in the organic law or the organic rules of the domestic or foreign eligible entity, the interest holder liability of an interest holder in a converting eligible entity that converts to a domestic corporation who had interest holder liability in respect of such converting eligible entity before the conversion becomes effective shall be as follows:

(a) The conversion does not discharge that prior interest holder liability with respect to any interest holder liabilities that arose before the conversion became effective.

(b) The provisions of the organic law of the eligible entity shall continue to apply to the collection or discharge of any interest holder liabilities preserved by paragraph (a), as if the conversion had not occurred.

(c) The eligible interest holder shall have such rights of contribution from other persons as are provided by the organic law of the eligible entity with respect to any interest holder liabilities preserved by paragraph (a), as if the conversion had not occurred.

(d) The eligible interest holder may not, by reason of such prior interest holder liability, have interest holder liability with respect to any interest holder liabilities that arise after the conversion becomes effective.

(5) A conversion does not require the converting eligible entity to wind up its affairs and does not constitute or cause the dissolution or termination of the entity.

(6) Property held for charitable purposes under the laws of this state by a domestic or foreign eligible entity immediately before a conversion becomes effective may not, as a result of the transaction, be diverted from the objects for which it was donated, granted, devised, or otherwise transferred except and to the extent permitted by or pursuant to the laws of this state addressing cy pres or dealing with nondiversion of charitable assets.

(7) A bequest, devise, gift, grant, or promise contained in a will or other instrument of donation, subscription, or conveyance which is made to the converting eligible entity and which takes effect or remains payable after the conversion inures to the converted eligible entity.

(8) A trust obligation that would govern property if transferred to the converting eligible entity applies to property that is to be transferred to the converted eligible entity after the conversion becomes effective.

History.—s. 158, ch. 2019-90.