21-409. Board of directors; benefit director; annual benefit report; contents; liability.

(1) The board of directors of a benefit corporation that is a publicly traded corporation shall, and the board of any other benefit corporation may, include a director, who:

(a) Shall be designated the benefit director; and

(b) Shall have, in addition to the powers, duties, rights, and immunities of the other directors of the benefit corporation, the powers, duties, rights, and immunities provided in this section.

(2) The benefit director shall be elected and may be removed in the manner provided by the Nebraska Model Business Corporation Act. The benefit director shall be an individual who is independent. The benefit director may serve as the benefit officer at the same time as serving as the benefit director. The articles of incorporation or bylaws of a benefit corporation may prescribe additional qualifications of the benefit director not inconsistent with this subsection.

(3) The benefit director shall prepare, and the benefit corporation shall include in the annual benefit report to shareholders required by section 21-413, the opinion of the benefit director on all of the following:

(a) Whether the benefit corporation acted in accordance with its general public benefit purpose and any specific public benefit purpose in all material respects during the period covered by the benefit report;

(b) Whether the directors and officers complied with subsection (1) of section 21-408 and subsection (1) of section 21-410, respectively; and

(c) If, in the opinion of the benefit director, the benefit corporation or its directors or officers failed to act or comply in the manner described in subdivisions (3)(a) and (b) of this subsection, a description of the ways in which the benefit corporation or its directors or officers failed to act or comply.

(4) The action or inaction of an individual in the capacity of a benefit director constitutes for all purposes an action or inaction of that individual in the capacity of a director of the benefit corporation.

(5) Regardless of whether the articles of incorporation or bylaws of a benefit corporation include a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors authorized by section 21-220, a benefit director is not personally liable for an act or omission in the capacity of a benefit director unless the act or omission constitutes self-dealing, willful misconduct, or a knowing violation of law.

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