Article XVII
Corporations
§1. Special corporation laws prohibited -- State- controlled corporations excepted.
No corporation shall be created or have its charter extended, changed or amended by special laws, except those for charitable, educational, penal or reformatory purposes, which are to be and remain under the patronage and control of the state; but the Legislature shall provide, by general laws, for the organization of all corporations hereafter to be created.
§2. Invalidation of charters without bona fide organization and business.
All existing charters, or grants of special or exclusive privileges under which a bona fide organization shall not have taken place and business been commenced in good faith at the time this Constitution takes effect, shall thereafter have no validity.
§3. Laws for benefit of corporation as conditioned on compliance with Constitutional provision.
The Legislature shall not remit the forfeiture of the charter of any corporation now existing nor alter or amend the same nor pass any other general or special law for the benefit of such corporation, except upon the condition that such corporation shall thereafter hold its charter subject to the provisions of this Constitution.
§4. Corporations subject to eminent domain -- Police power.
The exercise of the right of eminent domain shall never be abridged or so construed as to prevent the Legislature from taking the property and franchises of incorporated companies and subjecting them to public use, the same as the property of individuals; and the exercise of the police power of the state shall never be abridged or so construed as to permit corporations to conduct their business in such manner as to infringe the equal rights of individuals or the general well-being of the state.
§5. Casting of votes for directors or managers.
In all elections for directors or managers of a corporation, each member or shareholder may cast the whole number of his votes for one candidate, or distribute them upon two or more candidates, as he may prefer.
§6. Place of business and authorized agent required of foreign corporation.
No foreign corporation shall do any business in this state without having one or more known places of business and an authorized agent or agents in the same upon whom process may be served.
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