AN ACT Relating to permitting advance action regarding business opportunities under the business corporation act; amending RCW 23B.01.400, 23B.02.020, 23B.08.700, and 23B.08.720; and adding a new section to chapter 23B.08 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1.  RCW 23B.01.400 and 2012 c 215 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this title.

(1) "Articles of incorporation" include amended and restated articles of incorporation and articles of merger.

(2) "Authorized shares" means the shares of all classes a domestic or foreign corporation is authorized to issue.

(3) "Conspicuous" means so prepared that a reasonable person against whom the record is to operate should have noticed it. For example, printing in italics or boldface or contrasting color, or typing in capitals or underlined, is conspicuous.

(4) "Corporate action" means any resolution, act, policy, contract, transaction, plan, adoption or amendment of articles of incorporation or bylaws, or other matter approved by or submitted for approval to a corporation's incorporators, board of directors or a committee thereof, or shareholders.

(5) "Corporation" or "domestic corporation" means a corporation for profit, including a social purpose corporation, which is not a foreign corporation, incorporated under or subject to the provisions of this title.

(6) "Deliver" includes (a) mailing, (b) for purposes of delivering a demand, consent, notice, or waiver to the corporation or one of its officers, directors, or shareholders, transmission by facsimile equipment, and (c) for purposes of delivering a demand, consent, notice, or waiver to the corporation or one of its officers, directors, or shareholders under RCW 23B.01.410 or chapter 23B.07, 23B.08, 23B.11, 23B.13, 23B.14, or 23B.16 RCW delivery by electronic transmission.

(7) "Distribution" means a direct or indirect transfer of money or other property, except its own shares, or incurrence of indebtedness by a corporation to or for the benefit of its shareholders in respect to any of its shares. A distribution may be in the form of a declaration or payment of a dividend; a distribution in partial or complete liquidation, or upon voluntary or involuntary dissolution; a purchase, redemption, or other acquisition of shares; a distribution of indebtedness; or otherwise.

(8) "Effective date of notice" has the meaning provided in RCW 23B.01.410.

(9) "Electronic transmission" means an electronic communication (a) not directly involving the physical transfer of a record in a tangible medium and (b) that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by the sender and the recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in a tangible medium by such a sender and recipient.

(10) "Electronically transmitted" means the initiation of an electronic transmission.

(11) "Employee" includes an officer but not a director. A director may accept duties that make the director also an employee.

(12) "Entity" includes a corporation and foreign corporation, not-for-profit corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, two or more persons having a joint or common economic interest, the state, United States, and a foreign governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity.

(13) "Execute," "executes," or "executed" means (a) signed with respect to a written record or (b) electronically transmitted along with sufficient information to determine the sender's identity with respect to an electronic transmission, or (c) with respect to a record to be filed with the secretary of state, in compliance with the standards for filing with the office of the secretary of state as prescribed by the secretary of state.

(14) "Foreign corporation" means a corporation for profit incorporated under a law other than the law of this state.

(15) "Foreign limited partnership" means a partnership formed under laws other than of this state and having as partners one or more general partners and one or more limited partners.

(16) "General social purpose" means the general social purpose for which a social purpose corporation is organized as set forth in the articles of incorporation of the corporation in accordance with RCW 23B.25.040(1)(c).

(17) "Governmental subdivision" includes authority, county, district, and municipality.

(18) "Includes" denotes a partial definition.

(19) "Individual" includes the estate of an incompetent or deceased individual.

(20) "Limited partnership" or "domestic limited partnership" means a partnership formed by two or more persons under the laws of this state and having one or more general partners and one or more limited partners.

(21) "Means" denotes an exhaustive definition.

(22) "Notice" has the meaning provided in RCW 23B.01.410.

(23) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity.

(24) "Principal office" means the office, in or out of this state, so designated in the annual report where the principal executive offices of a domestic or foreign corporation are located.

(25) "Proceeding" includes civil suit and criminal, administrative, and investigatory action.

(26) "Public company" means a corporation that has a class of shares registered with the federal securities and exchange commission pursuant to section 12 or 15 of the securities exchange act of 1934, or section 8 of the investment company act of 1940, or any successor statute.

(27) "Qualified director" means (a) with respect to a director's conflicting interest transaction as defined in RCW 23B.08.700, any director who does not have either (i) a conflicting interest respecting the transaction, or (ii) a familial, financial, professional, or employment relationship with a second director who does have a conflicting interest respecting the transaction, which relationship would, in the circumstances, reasonably be expected to exert an influence on the first director's judgment when voting on the transaction; (b) with respect to section 5 of this act, a qualified director under (a) of this subsection if the business opportunity were a director’s conflicting interest transaction; and (c) with respect to RCW 23B.02.020(5)(k), a director who is not a director (i) to whom the limitation or elimination of the duty of an officer to offer potential business opportunities to the corporation would apply, or (ii) who has a familial, financial, professional, or employment relationship with another officer to whom the limitation or elimination would apply, which relationship would, in the circumstances, reasonably be expected to exert an influence on the director's judgment when voting on the limitation or elimination.

(28) "Record" means information inscribed on a tangible medium or contained in an electronic transmission.

(((28)))(29) "Record date" means the date established under chapter 23B.07 RCW on which a corporation determines the identity of its shareholders and their shareholdings for purposes of this title. The determinations shall be made as of the close of business on the record date unless another time for doing so is specified when the record date is fixed.

(((29)))(30) "Secretary" means the corporate officer to whom the board of directors has delegated responsibility under RCW 23B.08.400(3) for custody of the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors and of the shareholders and for authenticating records of the corporation.

(((30)))(31) "Shares" means the units into which the proprietary interests in a corporation are divided.

(((31)))(32) "Shareholder" means the person in whose name shares are registered in the records of a corporation or the beneficial owner of shares to the extent of the rights granted by a nominee certificate on file with a corporation.

(((32)))(33) "Social purpose" includes any general social purpose and any specific social purpose.

(((33)))(34) "Social purpose corporation" means a corporation that has elected to be governed as a social purpose corporation under chapter 23B.25 RCW.

(((34)))(35) "Specific social purpose" means the specific social purpose or purposes for which a social purpose corporation is organized as set forth in the articles of incorporation of the corporation in accordance with RCW 23B.25.040(2)(a).

(((35)))(36) "State," when referring to a part of the United States, includes a state and commonwealth, and their agencies and governmental subdivisions, and a territory and insular possession, and their agencies and governmental subdivisions, of the United States.

(((36)))(37) "Subscriber" means a person who subscribes for shares in a corporation, whether before or after incorporation.

(((37)))(38) "Tangible medium" means a writing, copy of a writing, or facsimile, or a physical reproduction, each on paper or on other tangible material.

(((38)))(39) "United States" includes a district, authority, bureau, commission, department, and any other agency of the United States.

(((39)))(40) "Voting group" means all shares of one or more classes or series that under the articles of incorporation or this title are entitled to vote and be counted together collectively on a matter at a meeting of shareholders. All shares entitled by the articles of incorporation or this title to vote generally on the matter are for that purpose a single voting group.

(((40)))(41) "Writing" does not include an electronic transmission.

(((41)))(42) "Written" means embodied in a tangible medium.

Sec. 2.  RCW 23B.02.020 and 2009 c 189 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The articles of incorporation must set forth:

(a) A corporate name for the corporation that satisfies the requirements of RCW 23B.04.010;

(b) The number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue in accordance with RCW 23B.06.010 and 23B.06.020;

(c) The street address of the corporation's initial registered office and the name of its initial registered agent at that office in accordance with RCW 23B.05.010; and

(d) The name and address of each incorporator in accordance with RCW 23B.02.010.

(2) The articles of incorporation or bylaws must either specify the number of directors or specify the process by which the number of directors will be fixed, unless the articles of incorporation dispense with a board of directors pursuant to RCW 23B.08.010.

(3) Unless its articles of incorporation provide otherwise, a corporation is governed by the following provisions:

(a) The board of directors may adopt bylaws to be effective only in an emergency as provided by RCW 23B.02.070;

(b) A corporation has the purpose of engaging in any lawful business under RCW 23B.03.010;

(c) A corporation has perpetual existence and succession in its corporate name under RCW 23B.03.020;

(d) A corporation has the same powers as an individual to do all things necessary or convenient to carry out its business and affairs, including itemized powers under RCW 23B.03.020;

(e) All shares are of one class and one series, have unlimited voting rights, and are entitled to receive the net assets of the corporation upon dissolution under RCW 23B.06.010 and 23B.06.020;

(f) If more than one class of shares is authorized, all shares of a class must have preferences, limitations, and relative rights identical to those of other shares of the same class under RCW 23B.06.010;

(g) If the board of directors is authorized to designate the number of shares in a series, the board may, after the issuance of shares in that series, reduce the number of authorized shares of that series under RCW 23B.06.020;

(h) The board of directors must approve any issuance of shares under RCW 23B.06.210;

(i) Shares may be issued pro rata and without consideration to shareholders under RCW 23B.06.230;

(j) Shares of one class or series may not be issued as a share dividend with respect to another class or series, unless there are no outstanding shares of the class or series to be issued, or a majority of votes entitled to be cast by such class or series approve as provided in RCW 23B.06.230;

(k) A corporation may issue rights, options, or warrants for the purchase of shares of the corporation under RCW 23B.06.240;

(l) A shareholder has, and may waive, a preemptive right to acquire the corporation's unissued shares as provided in RCW 23B.06.300;

(m) Shares of a corporation acquired by it may be reissued under RCW 23B.06.310;

(n) The board may authorize and the corporation may make distributions not prohibited by statute under RCW 23B.06.400;

(o) The preferential rights upon dissolution of certain shareholders will be considered a liability for purposes of determining the validity of a distribution under RCW 23B.06.400;

(p) Corporate action may be approved by shareholders by unanimous consent of all shareholders entitled to vote on the corporate action, unless the approval of a lesser number of shareholders is permitted as provided in RCW 23B.07.040, which shareholder consent shall be in the form of a record;

(q) Unless this title requires otherwise, the corporation is required to give notice only to shareholders entitled to vote at a meeting and the notice for an annual meeting need not include the purpose for which the meeting is called under RCW 23B.07.050;

(r) A corporation that is a public company shall hold a special meeting of shareholders if the holders of at least ten percent of the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at the meeting demand a meeting under RCW 23B.07.020;

(s) Subject to statutory exceptions, each outstanding share, regardless of class, is entitled to one vote on each matter voted on at a shareholders' meeting under RCW 23B.07.210;

(t) A majority of the votes entitled to be cast on a matter by a voting group constitutes a quorum, unless the title provides otherwise under RCW 23B.07.250 and 23B.07.270;

(u) Corporate action on a matter, other than election of directors, by a voting group is approved if the votes cast within the voting group favoring the corporate action exceed the votes cast opposing the corporate action, unless this title requires a greater number of affirmative votes under RCW 23B.07.250;

(v) All shares of one or more classes or series that are entitled to vote will be counted together collectively on any matter at a meeting of shareholders under RCW 23B.07.260;

(w) Directors are elected by cumulative voting under RCW 23B.07.280;

(x) Directors are elected by a plurality of votes cast by shares entitled to vote under RCW 23B.07.280, except as otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or a bylaw adopted pursuant to RCW 23B.10.205;

(y) A corporation must have a board of directors under RCW 23B.08.010;

(z) All corporate powers must be exercised by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the corporation managed under the direction of, its board of directors under RCW 23B.08.010;

(aa) The shareholders may remove one or more directors with or without cause under RCW 23B.08.080;

(bb) A vacancy on the board of directors may be filled by the shareholders or the board of directors under RCW 23B.08.100;

(cc) A corporation shall indemnify a director who was wholly successful in the defense of any proceeding to which the director was a party because the director is or was a director of the corporation against reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection with the proceeding under RCW 23B.08.520;

(dd) A director of a corporation who is a party to a proceeding may apply for indemnification of reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection with the proceeding to the court conducting the proceeding or to another court of competent jurisdiction under RCW 23B.08.540;

(ee) An officer of the corporation who is not a director is entitled to mandatory indemnification under RCW 23B.08.520, and is entitled to apply for court-ordered indemnification under RCW 23B.08.540, in each case to the same extent as a director under RCW 23B.08.570;

(ff) The corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer, employee, or agent of the corporation who is not a director to the same extent as to a director under RCW 23B.08.570;

(gg) A corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer, employee, or agent who is not a director to the extent, consistent with law, that may be provided by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, general or specific approval of its board of directors, or contract under RCW 23B.08.570;

(hh) A corporation's board of directors may adopt certain amendments to the corporation's articles of incorporation without shareholder approval under RCW 23B.10.020;

(ii) Unless this title or the board of directors requires a greater vote or a vote by voting groups, an amendment to the corporation's articles of incorporation must be approved by each voting group entitled to vote on the proposed amendment by two-thirds, or, in the case of a public company, a majority, of all the votes entitled to be cast by that voting group under RCW 23B.10.030;

(jj) A corporation's board of directors may amend or repeal the corporation's bylaws unless this title reserves this power exclusively to the shareholders in whole or in part, or unless the shareholders in amending or repealing a bylaw provide expressly that the board of directors may not amend or repeal that bylaw under RCW 23B.10.200;

(kk) Unless this title or the board of directors require a greater vote or a vote by voting groups, a plan of merger or share exchange must be approved by each voting group entitled to vote on the merger or share exchange by two-thirds of all the votes entitled to be cast by that voting group under RCW 23B.11.030;

(ll) Approval by the shareholders of the sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of all, or substantially all, the corporation's property in the usual and regular course of business is not required under RCW 23B.12.010;

(mm) Approval by the shareholders of the mortgage, pledge, dedication to the repayment of indebtedness, or other encumbrance of any or all of the corporation's property, whether or not in the usual and regular course of business, is not required under RCW 23B.12.010;

(nn) Unless the board of directors requires a greater vote or a vote by voting groups, a sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the corporation's property, other than in the usual and regular course of business, must be approved by each voting group entitled to vote on such transaction by two-thirds of all votes entitled to be cast by that voting group under RCW 23B.12.020; and

(oo) Unless the board of directors requires a greater vote or a vote by voting groups, a proposal to dissolve must be approved by each voting group entitled to vote on the dissolution by two-thirds of all votes entitled to be cast by that voting group under RCW 23B.14.020.

(4) Unless its articles of incorporation or its bylaws provide otherwise, a corporation is governed by the following provisions:

(a) The board of directors may approve the issuance of some or all of the shares of any or all of the corporation's classes or series without certificates under RCW 23B.06.260;

(b) A corporation that is not a public company shall hold a special meeting of shareholders if the holders of at least ten percent of the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered at the meeting demand a meeting under RCW 23B.07.020;

(c) A director need not be a resident of this state or a shareholder of the corporation under RCW 23B.08.020;

(d) The board of directors may fix the compensation of directors under RCW 23B.08.110;

(e) Members of the board of directors may participate in a meeting of the board by any means of similar communication by which all directors participating can hear each other during the meeting under RCW 23B.08.200;

(f) Corporate action permitted or required by this title to be taken at a board of directors' meeting may be approved without a meeting if approved by all members of the board under RCW 23B.08.210;

(g) Regular meetings of the board of directors may be held without notice of the date, time, place, or purpose of the meeting under RCW 23B.08.220;

(h) Special meetings of the board of directors must be preceded by at least two days' notice of the date, time, and place of the meeting, and the notice need not describe the purpose of the special meeting under RCW 23B.08.220;

(i) A quorum of a board of directors consists of a majority of the number of directors under RCW 23B.08.240;

(j) If a quorum is present when a vote is taken, the affirmative vote of a majority of directors present is the act of the board of directors under RCW 23B.08.240;

(k) A board of directors may create one or more committees and appoint members of the board of directors to serve on them under RCW 23B.08.250; and

(l) Unless approved by the shareholders, a corporation may indemnify, or make advances to, a director for reasonable expenses incurred in the defense of any proceeding to which the director was a party because of being a director only to the extent such action is consistent with RCW 23B.08.500 through 23B.08.580.

(5) The articles of incorporation may contain the following provisions:

(a) The names and addresses of the individuals who are to serve as initial directors;

(b) The par value of any authorized shares or classes of shares;

(c) Provisions not inconsistent with law related to the management of the business and the regulation of the affairs of the corporation;

(d) Any provision that under this title is required or permitted to be set forth in the bylaws;

(e) Provisions not inconsistent with law defining, limiting, and regulating the powers of the corporation, its board of directors, and shareholders;

(f) Provisions authorizing corporate action to be approved by consent of less than all of the shareholders entitled to vote on the corporate action, in accordance with RCW 23B.07.040;

(g) If the articles of incorporation authorize dividing shares into classes, the election of all or a specified number of directors may be effected by the holders of one or more authorized classes of shares under RCW 23B.08.040;

(h) The terms of directors may be staggered under RCW 23B.08.060;

(i) Shares may be redeemable or convertible (i) at the option of the corporation, the shareholder, or another person, or upon the occurrence of a designated event; (ii) for cash, indebtedness, securities, or other property; or (iii) in a designated amount or in an amount determined in accordance with a designated formula or by reference to extrinsic data or events under RCW 23B.06.010; ((and))

(j) A director's personal liability to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for conduct as a director may be eliminated or limited under RCW 23B.08.320; and

(k) A provision limiting or eliminating any duty of a director or any other person to offer the corporation the right to have or participate in any, or one or more classes or categories of, business opportunities, prior to the pursuit or taking of the opportunity by the director or other person. However, if such provision applies to an officer or related person (as such term is defined in RCW 23B.08.700) of an officer, the board of directors, by action of qualified directors taken in compliance with the same procedures as are set forth in RCW 23B.08.720 and taken subsequent to the inclusion of such provision in the articles of incorporation, (i) must approve the application of such provision to an officer or a related person of that officer, and (ii) may condition the application of such provision to such officer or related person of that officer on any basis.

(6) The articles of incorporation or the bylaws may contain the following provisions:

(a) A restriction on the transfer or registration of transfer of the corporation's shares under RCW 23B.06.270;

(b) Shareholders may participate in a meeting of shareholders by any means of communication by which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other under RCW 23B.07.080;

(c) A quorum of the board of directors may consist of as few as one-third of the number of directors under RCW 23B.08.240;

(d) If the corporation is registered as an investment company under the investment company act of 1940, a provision limiting the requirement to hold an annual meeting of shareholders as provided in RCW 23B.07.010(2); and

(e) If the corporation is registered as an investment company under the investment company act of 1940, a provision establishing terms of directors which terms may be longer than one year as provided in RCW 23B.05.050.

(7) The articles of incorporation need not set forth any of the corporate powers enumerated in this title.

Sec. 3.  RCW 23B.08.700 and 2009 c 189 s 30 are each amended to read as follows:

For purposes of RCW 23B.08.710 through ((23B.08.730))section 5 of this act:

(1) "Conflicting interest" with respect to a corporation means the interest a director of the corporation has respecting a transaction effected or proposed to be effected by the corporation, or by a subsidiary of the corporation or any other entity in which the corporation has a controlling interest, if:

(a) Whether or not the transaction is brought before the board of directors of the corporation for action, the director knows at the time of commitment that the director or a related person is a party to the transaction or has a beneficial financial interest in or so closely linked to the transaction and of such financial significance to the director or a related person that the interest would reasonably be expected to exert an influence on the director's judgment if the director were called upon to vote on the transaction; or

(b) The transaction is brought, or is of such character and significance to the corporation that it would in the normal course be brought, before the board of directors of the corporation for action, and the director knows at the time of commitment that any of the following persons is either a party to the transaction or has a beneficial financial interest in or so closely linked to the transaction and of such financial significance to the person that the interest would reasonably be expected to exert an influence on the director's judgment if the director were called upon to vote on the transaction: (i) An entity, other than the corporation, of which the director is a director, general partner, agent, or employee; (ii) a person that controls one or more of the entities specified in (b)(i) of this subsection or an entity that is controlled by, or is under common control with, one or more of the entities specified in (b)(i) of this subsection; or (iii) an individual who is a general partner, principal, or employer of the director.

(2) "Director's conflicting interest transaction" with respect to a corporation means a transaction effected or proposed to be effected by the corporation, or by a subsidiary of the corporation or any other entity in which the corporation has a controlling interest, respecting which a director of the corporation has a conflicting interest.

(3) "Related person" of ((a director))an individual means (a)(i) the spouse, or a parent or sibling thereof, of the ((director))individual, or a child, grandchild, sibling, parent, or spouse of any thereof, of the ((director))individual, or ((an individual))a natural person having the same home as the ((director))individual, or a trust or estate of which ((an individual))a person specified ((herein))in this subsection (3)(a) is a substantial beneficiary; or (((b)))(ii) a trust, estate, incompetent, conservatee, or minor of which the ((director))individual is a fiduciary and (b) with respect to section 5 of this act, in addition to the persons under (a) of this subsection, (i) an entity controlled by the individual or any person specified in (a)(i) or (ii) of this subsection; (ii) an entity, other than the corporation, of which the individual is a director, general partner, agent or employee; (iii) a person that controls one or more of the entities specified in (b)(ii) of this subsection or an entity that is controlled by, or is under common control with, one or more of the entities specified in (b)(ii) of this subsection; or (iv) a natural person who is a general partner, principal, or employer of the individual.

(4) "Required disclosure" means disclosure by the director who has a conflicting interest of (a) the existence and nature of the director's conflicting interest, and (b) all facts known to the director respecting the subject matter of the transaction that an ordinarily prudent person would reasonably believe to be material to a judgment about whether or not to proceed with the transaction.

(5) "Time of commitment" respecting a transaction means the time when the transaction becomes effective or, if made pursuant to contract, the time when the corporation, or its subsidiary or the entity in which it has a controlling interest, becomes contractually obligated so that its unilateral withdrawal from the transaction would entail significant loss, liability, or other damage.

Sec. 4.  RCW 23B.08.720 and 1989 c 165 s 118 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Directors' action respecting a transaction is effective for purposes of RCW 23B.08.710(2)(a) if the transaction received the affirmative vote of a majority, but no fewer than two, of those qualified directors on the board of directors or on a duly empowered committee of the board who voted on the transaction after either required disclosure to them, to the extent the information was not known by them, or compliance with subsection (2) of this section, provided that action by a committee is so effective only if:

(a) All its members are qualified directors; and

(b) Its members are either all the qualified directors on the board or are appointed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the qualified directors on the board.

(2) If a director has a conflicting interest respecting a transaction, but neither the director nor a related person of the director specified in RCW 23B.08.700(3)(a) (i) and (ii) is a party to the transaction, and if the director has a duty under law or professional canon, or a duty of confidentiality to another person, respecting information relating to the transaction such that the director may not make the disclosure described in RCW 23B.08.700(4)(b), then disclosure is sufficient for purposes of subsection (1) of this section if the director (a) discloses to the directors voting on the transaction the existence and nature of the director's conflicting interest and informs them of the character and limitations imposed by that duty before their vote on the transaction, and (b) plays no part, directly or indirectly, in their deliberations or vote.

(3) A majority, but no fewer than two, of all the qualified directors on the board of directors, or on the committee, constitutes a quorum for purposes of action that complies with this section. Directors' action that otherwise complies with this section is not affected by the presence or vote of a director who is not a qualified director.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 23B.08 RCW to read as follows:

(1) If a director or officer or related person of either pursues or takes advantage, directly or indirectly, of a business opportunity, that action may not be enjoined or set aside, or give rise to an award of damages or other sanctions, in a proceeding by a shareholder or by or in the right of the corporation on the ground that such opportunity should have first been offered to the corporation, if:

(a) Before the director, officer, or related person becomes legally obligated respecting the opportunity, the director or officer brings it to the attention of the corporation: and

(i) Action by qualified directors disclaiming the corporation's interest in the opportunity is taken in compliance with the procedures set forth in RCW 23B.08.720, as if the decision being made concerned a director's conflicting interest transaction, or

(ii) Shareholders' action disclaiming the corporation's interest in the opportunity is taken in compliance with the procedures set forth in RCW 23B.08.730, as if the decision being made concerned a director's conflicting interest transaction,

except that, in the case of both (a)(i) and (ii) of this subsection, rather than making "required disclosure" as defined in RCW 23B.08.700(4), in each case the director or officer must have made prior disclosure to those acting on behalf of the corporation of all material facts concerning the business opportunity that are then known to the director or officer; or

(b) The duty to offer the corporation the right to have or participate in the particular business opportunity or the class or category in to which that particular business opportunity falls has been limited or eliminated pursuant to a provision of the articles of incorporation (and in the case of officers and their related persons, made effective by action of qualified directors) in accordance with RCW 23B.02.020(5)(k).

(2) In any proceeding seeking equitable relief or other remedies based upon an alleged improper pursuit or taking advantage of a business opportunity by a director or officer, the fact that the director or officer did not employ the procedure described in subsection (1)(a)(i) or (ii) of this section before taking advantage of the opportunity does not create an inference that the opportunity should have been first presented to the corporation or alter the burden of proof otherwise applicable to establish that the director or officer breached a duty to the corporation in the circumstances.