Title 37 — Title 37

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) PERSON. Such term includes any natural person, firm, association, corporation, business trust partnership, feder…

The business and affairs of a cooperative shall be managed by a board of not less than five trustees, each of whom shall be a member of the cooperative or of another cooperative which shall be a member thereof, or a person designated by the governing body or board of directors of…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the bylaws may provide that the territory in which a cooperative supplies electric energy to its members shall be divided into two or more voting districts and that, in respect of each such voting district, a designated number …

The officers of a cooperative shall consist of a president, one or more vice- presidents, a secretary, and a treasurer, who shall be elected annually by the board of trustees. The cooperative may elect a chairperson of the board who shall be elected by and from the board of trust…

Any two or more cooperatives, each of which is hereinafter designated a “consolidating cooperative,” may consolidate into a new cooperative, hereinafter designated the “new cooperative,” by complying with the following requirements: The proposition for the consolidation of the co…

Any one or more cooperatives, each of which is hereinafter designated a “merging cooperative,” may merge into another cooperative, hereinafter designated the “surviving cooperative,” by complying with the following requirements: The proposition for the merger of the merging coope…

The effect of consolidation or merger shall be as follows: The several cooperatives, parties to the consolidation or merger, shall be a single cooperative which, in the case of consolidation, shall be the new cooperative provided for in the articles of consolidation and, in the c…

Any corporation organized under the laws of this state for the purpose, among others, of supplying electric energy to its members may be converted into a cooperative and become subject to this chapter with the same effect as if originally organized under this chapter by complying…

(a) A cooperative which has not commenced business may dissolve voluntarily by delivering to the Secretary of State articles of dissolution, executed and acknowledged on behalf of the cooperative by a majority of the incorporators, which shall state: (1) The name of the cooperati…

Articles of incorporation, amendment, consolidation, merger, conversion or dissolution, as the case may be, when executed and acknowledged and accompanied by such affidavits as may be required by applicable provisions of this chapter, shall be presented to the Secretary of State …

Cooperative, nonprofit membership corporations may be organized under this chapter for the purpose of supplying electric energy and promoting and extending the use thereof, for the purpose of promoting and extending the use of water and water systems and sanitary sewer systems an…

Revenues of a cooperative for any fiscal year in excess of the amount thereof necessary to defray expenses of the cooperative and of the operation and maintenance of its facilities during such fiscal year; to pay interest and principal obligations of the cooperative coming due in…

Statement; Invitations for Competing or Alternative Proposals; Exceptions; Effect of Violation. A cooperative may not sell or lease all or any substantial portion of its property, unless such sale or lease is authorized at a duly held meeting of the members thereof by the affirma…

The private property of the members of a cooperative shall be exempt from execution for the debts of the cooperative, and no member shall be liable or responsible for any debts of the cooperative. A cooperative shall not be liable to its members for any outage of service or volta…

Any mortgage, deed of trust or other instrument executed by a cooperative or foreign corporation transacting business in this state pursuant to this chapter, which, by its terms, creates a lien upon real and personal property then owned or after acquired and which is recorded as …

Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of this chapter or under the provisions of the articles of incorporation or bylaws of a cooperative, waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the ti…

No person who is authorized to take acknowledgments under the laws of this state shall be disqualified from taking acknowledgments of instruments executed in favor of a cooperative or to which it is a party, by reason of being an officer, director or member of such cooperative. H…

Any corporation or association organized under generally similar laws of another state shall be allowed to carry on any proper activities, operations and functions in this state upon compliance with the general regulations applicable to foreign corporations desiring to do busines…

Cooperatives transacting business in this state pursuant to this chapter shall be deemed to be general welfare cooperatives and exempt in all respects from the jurisdiction and control of the Public Service Commission of this state. History: (Acts 1939, No. 231, p. 371; Code 1940…

No bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of any cooperative or foreign corporation transacting business in this state pursuant to this chapter shall be issued or sold until the consent to the issuance and sale thereof shall have been given by the Department of Finance, as prov…

Law. The provisions of the Alabama Securities Law shall not apply to any note, bond or other evidence of indebtedness issued by any cooperative transacting business in this state pursuant to this chapter to the United States of America, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, o…

A cooperative shall have the power: (1) To sue and be sued in its corporate name. (2) To adopt a corporate seal and alter the same at its pleasure. (3) To generate, manufacture, purchase, acquire and transmit electric energy and to distribute, sell, supply and dispose of electric…

Cooperative; When Account in Dispute. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them herein: (1) RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE. A cooperative corporation formed under Chapter 6 or Chapter 7 of Title 37, or any successo…

The name of each cooperative primarily engaged in the distribution of electricity or other services shall include the word “cooperative”; and the name of each cooperative primarily engaged in generating or transmitting electricity for delivery to an electric distributor shall inc…

For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section: (1) RURAL AREA. Any area within this state not included within the boundaries of any incorporated or unincorporated city, town, village, or borough having …

Any electric cooperative presently or hereafter organized and any corporation converted into an electric cooperative under the provisions of Article 1 of this chapter shall have, in addition to its present or other powers, the power to furnish telephone service in rural areas to …

(a) Any such electric cooperative shall have power: (1) To supply telephone service in rural areas to its members, to governmental agencies and political subdivisions, to other persons, and to business entities not in excess of 40 percent of the number of its members; provided th…

The name of an electric cooperative which engages in the furnishing of telephone service may include the word “telephone” and need not include the word “electric” if it is not engaged in the furnishing of electrical energy. The words “telephone” and “cooperative” shall not both b…

Service as with Electricity. Except as otherwise provided in this article, electric cooperatives shall possess and exercise all powers in connection with the construction, acquisition and operation of telephone systems and in connection with furnishing telephone service as they n…

Service or Both. Electric cooperatives are authorized to supply to their members and other persons they are authorized to serve only electrical energy or only telephone service, or both. History: (Acts 1949, No. 339, p. 509, §6.)

The power to furnish telephone service conferred in this article on electric cooperatives is exclusive, and no other nonprofit membership corporation or organization, including improvement authorities organized under the provisions of Article 1 of this chapter, shall furnish such…

Expansion of Facilities. It shall be the duty of the Alabama Public Service Commission to encourage the improvement and expansion of existing rural telephone facilities and the construction and operation of such additional facilities as are required to assure availability of adeq…

For the extra, new and additional duties imposed upon the Alabama Public Service Commission and the members thereof by this article and for the performance of duties which are and will be hereafter required of said commission and the members thereof under this article, each membe…

Any cooperative organized under the provisions of this chapter prior to September 4, 1951, for the sole purpose of furnishing telephone service is hereby vested with all the powers and authority conferred on cooperatives by Sections 37-6-40 through 37-6-48. No cooperative shall h…

Five or more natural persons or two or more cooperatives may organize a cooperative in the manner provided in this article. History: (Acts 1939, No. 231, p. 371; Code 1940, T. 18, §35.)

The articles of incorporation of a cooperative shall recite in the caption that they are executed pursuant to this chapter, shall be signed and acknowledged by each of the incorporators, and shall state: The name of the cooperative; the address of its principal office; the names …

A cooperative may amend its articles of incorporation by complying with the following requirements: The proposed amendment shall be first approved by the board of trustees and shall then be submitted to a vote of the members at any annual or special meeting thereof, the notice of…

The original bylaws of a cooperative shall be adopted by its Board of Trustees. Thereafter, bylaws shall be adopted, amended, or repealed by its members voting in person, or if the Board of Trustees has so authorized, voting by mail. The bylaws shall set forth the rights and duti…

(a) No person who is not an incorporator shall become a member of a cooperative unless such person shall agree to use electric energy furnished by the cooperative when such electric energy shall be available through its facilities. The bylaws of a cooperative may provide that any…