17-6702. Merger or consolidation of domestic and foreign corporations; service of process upon surviving or resulting corporation. (a) Any one or more corporations of this state may merge or consolidate with one or more other corporations of any other state or states of the United States, or of the District of Columbia if the laws of such other jurisdiction permit a corporation of such jurisdiction to merge or consolidate with a corporation of another jurisdiction. The constituent corporations may merge into a single corporation, which may be any one of the constituent corporations, or they may consolidate into a new corporation formed by the consolidation, which may be a corporation of the state of incorporation of any one of the constituent corporations, pursuant to an agreement of merger or consolidation, as the case may be, complying and approved in accordance with this section. In addition, any one or more corporations organized under the laws of any jurisdiction other than one of the United States may merge or consolidate with one or more corporations existing under the laws of this state, if the laws under which the other corporation or corporations are formed permit a corporation of such jurisdiction to merge or consolidate with a corporation of another jurisdiction.

(b) All the constituent corporations shall enter into an agreement of merger or consolidation. The agreement shall state: (1) The terms and conditions of the merger or consolidation; (2) the mode of carrying the same into effect; (3) the manner, if any, of converting the shares of each of the constituent corporations into shares or other securities of the corporation surviving or resulting from the merger or consolidation, or of cancelling some or all of such shares, and, if any shares of any of the constituent corporations are not to remain outstanding, to be converted solely into shares or other securities of the surviving or resulting corporation or to be cancelled, the cash, property, rights or securities of any other corporation or entity which the holders of such shares are to receive in exchange for, or upon conversion of, such shares and the surrender of any certificates evidencing them, which cash, property, rights or securities of any other corporation may be in addition to or in lieu of the shares or other securities of the surviving or resulting corporation; (4) such other details or provisions as are deemed desirable, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a provision for the payment of cash in lieu of the issuance or recognition of fractional shares of the surviving or resulting corporation or of any other corporation the securities of which are to be received in the merger or consolidation, or for some other arrangement with respect thereto consistent with the provisions of K.S.A. 17-6405, and amendments thereto; and (5) such other provisions or facts as shall be required to be set forth in articles of incorporation by the laws of the state which are stated in the agreement to be the laws that shall govern the surviving or resulting corporation and that can be stated in the case of a merger or consolidation. Any of the terms of the agreement of merger or consolidation may be made dependent upon facts ascertainable outside of such agreement, provided that the manner in which such facts shall operate upon the terms of the agreement is clearly and expressly set forth in the agreement of merger or consolidation. The term "facts," as used in the preceding sentence, includes, but is not limited to, the occurrence of any event, including a determination or action by any person or body, including the corporation.

(c) The agreement shall be adopted, approved, certified and executed by each of the constituent corporations in accordance with the laws under which it is formed, and, in the case of a Kansas corporation, in the same manner as provided in K.S.A. 17-6701, and amendments thereto. The agreement shall be filed and shall become effective for all purposes of the laws of this state when and as provided in K.S.A. 17-6701, and amendments thereto, with respect to the merger or consolidation of corporations of this state. In lieu of filing the agreement of merger or consolidation, the surviving or resulting corporation may file a certificate of merger or consolidation, executed in accordance with K.S.A. 2018 Supp. 17-7908, and amendments thereto, which states: (1) The name and jurisdiction of incorporation of each of the constituents; (2) that an agreement of merger or consolidation has been approved, adopted, certified and executed by each of the constituent corporations in accordance with this section; (3) the name of the surviving or resulting corporation; (4) in the case of a merger, such amendments or changes in the articles of incorporation of the surviving corporation as are desired to be effected by the merger, which amendments or changes may amend and restate the articles of incorporation of the surviving corporation in their entirety, or, if no such amendments or changes are desired, a statement that the articles of incorporation of the surviving corporation shall be its articles of incorporation; (5) in the case of a consolidation, that the articles of incorporation of the resulting corporation shall be as are set forth in an attachment to the certificate; (6) that the executed agreement of consolidation or merger is on file at the principal place of business of the surviving or resulting corporation and the address thereof; (7) that a copy of the agreement of consolidation or merger will be furnished by the surviving or resulting corporation, on request and without cost, to any stockholder of any constituent corporation; (8) if the corporation surviving or resulting from the merger or consolidation is to be a corporation of this state, the authorized capital stock of each constituent corporation which is not a corporation of this state; and (9) the agreement, if any, required by subsection (d).

(d) If the corporation surviving or resulting from the merger or consolidation is to be governed by the laws of the District of Columbia or any state or jurisdiction other than this state, it shall agree that it may be served with process in this state in any proceeding for enforcement of any obligation of any constituent corporation of this state, as well as for enforcement of any obligation of the surviving or resulting corporation arising from the merger or consolidation, including any suit or other proceeding to enforce the right of any stockholders as determined in appraisal proceedings pursuant to K.S.A. 17-6712, and amendments thereto, and shall irrevocably appoint the secretary of state as its agent to accept service of process in any such suit or other proceedings and shall specify the address to which a copy of such process shall be mailed by the secretary of state. Process may be served upon the secretary of state under this subsection by means of electronic transmission but only as prescribed by the secretary of state. The secretary of state is authorized to issue such rules and regulations with respect to such service as the secretary of state deems necessary or appropriate. In the event of such service upon the secretary of state in accordance with this subsection, the secretary of state shall forthwith notify such surviving or resulting corporation thereof by letter, directed to such surviving or resulting corporation at its address so specified, unless such surviving or resulting corporation shall have designated in writing to the secretary of state a different address for such purpose, in which case it shall be mailed to the last address so designated. Such letter shall be sent by a mail or courier service that includes a record of mailing or deposit with the courier and a record of delivery evidenced by the signature of the recipient. Such letter shall enclose a copy of the process and any other papers served on the secretary of state pursuant to this subsection. It shall be the duty of the plaintiff in the event of such service to serve process and any other papers in duplicate, to notify the secretary of state that service is being effected pursuant to this subsection and to pay the secretary of state the sum of $40 for the use of the state, which sum and any administrative fees shall be taxed as part of the costs of the proceeding, if the plaintiff shall prevail therein. The secretary of state shall maintain a record of any such service in a manner deemed appropriate by the secretary. The secretary of state shall not be required to retain such information longer than five years from receipt of the service of process.

(e) K.S.A. 17-6701(d), and amendments thereto, shall apply to any merger or consolidation under this section; K.S.A. 17-6701(e), and amendments thereto, shall apply to a merger under this section in which the surviving corporation is a corporation of this state; and K.S.A. 17-6701(f) and (h), and amendments thereto, shall apply to any merger under this section.

History: L. 1972, ch. 52, § 80; L. 1986, ch. 399, § 11; L. 1988, ch. 99, § 40; Revived and amend., L. 1988, ch. 100, § 40; L. 1992, ch. 270, § 16; L. 1998, ch. 189, § 14; L. 2000, ch. 39, § 29; L. 2004, ch. 143, § 50; L. 2016, ch. 110, § 70; July 1.