17:27-5.3. Filing of agreement; approval by commissioner; review

Every such agreement of merger or consolidation with such certificate of the secretaries and the tentative approval of the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance indorsed thereon shall be filed in the office of the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance and at the expiration of 30 days thereafter the commissioner shall indorse his final approval thereon unless within said 30 days, 5% or more of the member policyholders shall file with the commissioner objections to such agreement, in which case the commissioner shall call a hearing thereon and shall cause not less than 10 days' notice thereof to be given to such objectors and to each corporation to the agreement. Within 30 days after the conclusion of such hearing, the commissioner shall indorse such agreement with his approval or disapproval. If the commissioner shall disapprove the agreement, he shall forthwith file a memorandum in the department stating the reasons for his disapproval, and shall mail a copy of the memorandum to each of the corporations which is a party to the agreement. The commissioner shall withhold his approval only if he shall find that the agreement is contrary to law, or unreasonable or inequitable to the objectors. The commissioner's disapproval of such agreement shall be subject to review, hearing and relief in the Superior Court.

A duplicate or certified copy of any agreement which has been indorsed with the approval of the commissioner shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the county or counties where the office or offices of the domestic contracting corporation or corporations is, or are, located and thereupon such agreement may be carried into effect as provided therein.

L.1956, c. 149, p. 616, s. 3.