Title 7, Corporations and Associations
0 chapters · 1,168 sections in this title.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-101 Short title
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This article shall be known and may be cited as the Colorado Cooperative Act. Source: L. 96: Entire article R&RE, p. 478, � 1, effective July 1. Editor's note: This section is similar to former � 7-56-101 as it existed prior to 1996.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-102 Legislative declaration
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(1) The general assembly finds and declares that: (a) The cooperative form of doing business provides an efficient and effective method for persons to market their goods and services and to obtain services and supplies and it is in the best interests of the people of the state of…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-103 Definitions
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As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) Agricultural cooperative means a cooperative in which the members, including landlords and tenants, are all producers of agricultural products. (2) Agricultural products means agronomic, horticultural, viticultur…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-104 Filings by the secretary of state
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(1) Part 3 of article 90 of this title, providing for the filing of documents, applies to any document filed or to be filed by the secretary of state pursuant to this article. (2) Repealed. (3) to (6) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2002, p. 1815, � 17, effective July 1, 2002; p. 1679,…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-105 Effective time and date of documents. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 96: Entire article R&RE, p. 482, � 1, effective July 1. L. 2002: Entire section repealed, p. 1861, � 163, effective July 1; entire section repealed, p. 1728, � 163, effective October 1.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-106 Periodic and other reports
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(1) Part 5 of article 90 of this title, providing for periodic reports from reporting entities, applies to cooperatives formed under or subject to this article. (2) The commissioner of agriculture may, by regulation, require reports from any cooperative formed pursuant to this ar…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-107 Cooperative records
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(1) A cooperative shall keep as permanent records minutes of all meetings of its members and of the board, a record of all actions taken by the members or the board without a meeting by a written unanimous consent in lieu of a meeting, and a record of all waivers of notices of me…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-201 Articles of incorporation
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(1) A cooperative may be formed pursuant to this article for the transaction of any lawful business. One or more persons may act as the incorporator or incorporators of a cooperative by delivering articles for the cooperative to the secretary of state for filing pursuant to part …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-202 Amendment of articles
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(1) A cooperative may amend its articles at any time to add or change a provision that is required or permitted in the articles or to delete a provision not required in the articles. Whether a provision is required or permitted in the articles is determined as of the effective da…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-203 Restated articles
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(1) The board may restate the articles at any time with or without membership action. (2) The restatement may include one or more amendments to the articles. If the restatement includes an amendment requiring approval by the members, it shall be adopted as provided in section 7-5…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-204 Cooperatives desiring to relinquish provisions of this article
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(1) Any cooperative formed under or that has elected to be subject to this article may relinquish being bound by the provisions of this article by amending its articles in the manner provided in section 7-56-202 (2); except that the amendment shall be approved by a two-thirds maj…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-205 Entities formed under other law but subject to this article
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Any domestic entity or foreign entity authorized to transact business or conduct activities in this state and engaged in any of the activities enumerated in this article but formed under any other law may be considered for all purposes as subject to this article by amending its c…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-206 Cooperative name. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 96: Entire article R&RE, p. 489, � 1, effective July 1. L. 97: (1)(f) amended, p. 759, � 21, effective July 1, 1998. L. 2000: Entire section repealed, p. 990, � 109, effective July 1. 7-56-207. Use of the term cooperative - penalty for unlawful use. (Repealed) Source: …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-207 Use of the term “cooperative” - penalty for unlawful use. (Repealed)
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C.R.S. 7-56-207Statutes current through Chapter 65 of the 2026 Regular Session, effective as of April 20, 2026. The text of this section is not final. It will not be final until compared to, and updated from, the text provided by the Colorado Office of Legislative Legal Services …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-208 Bylaws
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(1) The initial board of each cooperative formed under this article shall, within thirty days after the articles become effective, adopt bylaws for the government and management of its affairs that are not inconsistent with law or the articles of the cooperative. Such bylaws may …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-209 Agricultural marketing cooperatives
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(1) It is hereby recognized that agriculture is characterized by individual production in contrast to the group or factory system that characterizes other forms of industrial production; that the ordinary form of corporate organization permits industrial groups to combine for the…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-210 Renewable energy cooperatives
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(1) It is the policy of this state to encourage local ownership of renewable energy generation facilities to improve the financial stability of rural communities. (2) Subject to the provisions of this article, a renewable energy cooperative may be organized for the purpose of pro…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-301 Members
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(1) Subject to the provisions of this section and under the terms and conditions prescribed in the articles or bylaws adopted by it, a cooperative may limit admission as members or issue common stock only to persons engaged in the particular business or utilizing the goods or ser…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-302 Member meetings - how called - notice
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(1) In its bylaws, each cooperative shall provide for one or more regular member meetings annually. Either the board or such officers as are designated in the bylaws shall have the right to call a special meeting of the members at any time, and the president, or other officer des…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-303 Members' list for meeting
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(1) After fixing a record date for a meeting of the membership, the cooperative shall prepare a list of the names and addresses of all its members who are entitled to be given notice of the meeting. The members' list shall be available for inspection by any member or member's age…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-304 Quorum
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(1) A quorum for conducting business at all meetings of the members shall be five percent of the total number of members or thirty members present in person at the meeting, whichever is less. Members present and voting in person or in any other manner authorized by the cooperativ…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-305 Member voting
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(1) (a) Members of a cooperative may vote either in person or, if provided in the articles or the bylaws of the cooperative or a resolution of the board with respect to a particular issue, by any of the following methods: (I) Mail or electronic transmission if a means is provided…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-306 Reserves, distributions, and patronage refunds
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(1) A cooperative shall periodically set aside a portion of net margins, per unit retains, or other funds that is reasonable as determined by the board or in accordance with the articles or bylaws, for reserves, distributions, patronage refunds, capital, or other lawful business …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-307 Inspection of cooperative records by member
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(1) A member is entitled to inspect and copy, at the member's expense, during regular business hours at a reasonable location stated by the cooperative, any of the records described in section 7-56-107 (4) if the member meets the requirements of subsection (2) of this section and…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-308 Scope of member's inspection right
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(1) A member's agent or attorney has the same inspection and copying rights as the member. (2) The right to copy records under section 7-56-307 includes, if reasonable, the right to receive copies made by photographic, xerographic copying, or other means. (3) The cooperative may …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-309 Court-ordered inspection
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(1) If a cooperative refuses to allow a member, or the member's agent or attorney, who complies with section 7-56-307 to inspect or copy any records that the member is entitled to inspect or copy by said section within a prescribed time limit or, if none, within a reasonable time…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-401 Directors - elections - remuneration - vacancy
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(1) The affairs of a cooperative formed under or subject to this article shall be managed by a board of not less than three directors as provided in the articles or bylaws elected by and from the members of the cooperative or designated representatives of members who are not indi…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-402 Officers - titles - election - duties and authority - removal
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(1) (a) The bylaws shall provide for one or more officers and the titles of those officers. The offices may include a board chair, one or more vice-chairs, a president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, and assistant officers or other officers. The officers s…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-403 Procedures for meetings of the board of directors
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(1) The board shall meet at least annually. The board may establish a time and place for regular board meetings and then may hold regular board meetings at such times without notice. (2) Special meetings of the board shall require at least two days' notice of the date, time, and …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-404 Removal of director by the membership or the board
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(1) At a meeting called expressly for that purpose, as well as any other proper purpose, a director may be removed by the members in the manner provided in this section upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting in person or in any other manner autho…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-405 Removal of director by judicial proceeding
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(1) A director may be removed by the district court for the county in this state in which the street address of the cooperative's principal office is located or, if the cooperative has no principal office in this state, by the district court for the county in which the street add…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-406 Indemnification and personal liability of directors, officers, employees, and agents
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(1) Unless limited in the cooperative’s articles, the cooperative shall have the same powers, rights, and obligations and shall be subject to the same limitations with respect to indemnification and personal liability of directors, officers, employees, and agents as apply to dome…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-407 Persons to be bonded
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At the discretion of the board of a cooperative, any officer, employee, or agent handling funds or negotiable instruments or property of or for the cooperative may be bonded for the faithful performance of the person's duties and obligations. Source: L. 96: Entire article R&RE, p…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-408 Registered office and registered agent - repeal. (Repealed)
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Source: L. 96: Entire article R&RE, p. 505, � 1, effective July 1. L. 2002: IP(2), (3)(a), and (4) amended, p. 1817, � 23, effective July 1; IP(2), (3)(a), and (4) amended, p. 1682, � 21, effective October 1. L. 2003: (5) added by revision, pp. 2356, 2357, �� 347, 348. Editor's n…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-409 Registered agent - service of process
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Part 7 of article 90 of this title, providing for registered agents and service of process, applies to cooperatives formed under or subject to this article. Source: L. 2003: Entire section added, p. 2227, � 87, effective July 1, 2004.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-501 Powers
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(1) Every cooperative has the power, except as specifically limited by this article or by its own articles or bylaws: (a) To have perpetual existence and succession by its domestic entity name unless limited by the articles; (b) To sue and be sued and to complain and defend in co…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-502 Marketing or purchasing contracts
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Cooperatives limiting membership to agricultural producers may make and execute marketing or purchasing contracts requiring the members to sell or purchase, for any period of time not over ten years, all or any specified part of their agricultural products or specified commoditie…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-503 Remedies for breach of marketing or purchasing contract
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(1) The bylaws or the marketing or purchasing contracts of an agricultural cooperative may fix as liquidated damages specific sums to be paid by a member to the cooperative upon the breach by the member of any provision of the marketing or purchasing contract regarding the sale, …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-504 Inducing breach of marketing or purchasing contract
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Any person who knowingly induces any member of an agricultural cooperative formed under this article, or under similar statutes of another jurisdiction with similar restrictions and rights and operating in this state, to break the member's marketing or purchasing contract or agre…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-505 Purchases of property or other interests
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If a cooperative with preferred stock or preferred equity purchases or otherwise acquires any interest in any property, stock, or interest in another entity, it may, with the consent of the person or persons from whom the property or interests are being acquired, discharge the ob…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-506 Warehouse receipts - interest in warehouse entities
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If a cooperative formed under or that has elected to be subject to this article organizes, forms, operates, owns, controls, has an interest in, owns stock of, or is a member of any commodities warehouse, the warehouse may issue legal warehouse receipts to the cooperative against …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-507 Application of other laws
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(1) If a matter is not addressed in this article, the Colorado Business Corporation Act, articles 101 to 117 of this title, shall apply to the cooperatives formed under or subject to this article; except that a cooperative may elect to have the provisions of the Colorado Revised …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-508 Cooperatives not in restraint of trade
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No cooperative formed under or subject to this article shall solely by its organization and existence be deemed to be a conspiracy or a combination in restraint of trade, an illegal monopoly, or an attempt to lessen competition or to fix prices arbitrarily, nor shall the marketin…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-509 Exemption from securities laws
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Any security, patronage refund, per unit retain certificate, capital credit, evidence of membership, preferred equity certificate, or other equity instrument issued, sold, or reported by a cooperative as an investment in its stock or capital to the patrons of a cooperative formed…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-510 Renewable energy cooperatives - powers
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(1) In addition to the powers granted in this article, renewable energy cooperatives may generate electricity from renewable resources or technologies and transmit and sell electricity at wholesale. (2) No renewable energy cooperative shall sell electricity at retail or have a ce…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-601 Encumbering property
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The board of a cooperative has full power and authority, without approval of its members, to mortgage, pledge, encumber, dedicate to the repayment of indebtedness, whether with or without recourse, or otherwise encumber any or all of the cooperative's property, whether or not in …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-602 Merger, conversion, or consolidation or share or equity capital exchange
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(1) One or more cooperatives formed under or that have elected to be subject to this article may be merged, consolidated, or shares or equity capital exchanged with another domestic cooperative or another domestic entity, or may convert to any form of entity permitted by section …
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-603 Procedure for consolidation, share or equity capital exchange, conversion, and merger
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(1) A plan for consolidation or share or equity capital exchange must state the following: (a) The entity name of each entity planning to consolidate or exchange shares or equity capital and the principal office address of its principal office; (b) The entity name of the survivin…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-604 Merger of parent and subsidiary
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(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 7-56-602 and 7-56-603, by complying with the provisions of this section, any parent cooperative owning one hundred percent of the voting shares, memberships, or interests and having a right to vote of a subsidiary may either merge su…
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-56-604.5 Statement of merger or conversion
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(1) After a plan of merger is approved, the surviving entity shall deliver to the secretary of state, for filing pursuant to part 3 of article 90 of this title, a statement of merger pursuant to section 7-90-203.7. If the plan of merger provides for amendments to the articles of …