Synopsis
This bill continues the practice of amending periodically the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the “Act”) to keep it current and to maintain its national preeminence. The following is a section-by-section review of the proposed amendments of the Act. Section 1. This section amends Section 17-101 of the Act in several respects. New definitions are added for “document” and “electronic transmission,” which terms appear in new Section 17-113 among other places in the Act. This section also amends the definitions of “general partner” and “limited partner.” The changes to the definition of “general partner” confirm that the term includes a general partner of the limited partnership generally and a general partner associated with a series of the limited partnership, and the changes to the definition of “limited partner” confirm that the term includes a limited partner of the limited partnership generally and a limited partner associated with a series of the limited partnership. This section also amends Section 17-101 to include definitions for “series,” “protected series” established in accordance with Section 17-218(b) of the Act, and “registered series” formed in accordance with Section 17-221 of the Act. Section 2. This section amends Section 17-102(3) of the Act to provide that the name of a limited partnership must be such as to distinguish it from the name of any registered series of a limited partnership, and also amends Section 17-102(4) to confirm that the name of a limited partnership may contain the words “public benefit.” Section 3. This section amends Section 17-103 of the Act to provide that the exclusive right to the use of a name for a registered series of a limited partnership may be reserved by a person intending to form such a registered series in accordance with Section 17-221 and to adopt that name pursuant to Section 17-221(e) of the Act. Section 4. This section amends Section 17-104(d) of the Act to provide that if a limited partnership’s certificate of limited partnership has been cancelled pursuant to Section 17-1110 of the Act, its registered agent may resign without appointing a successor registered agent. The amendment also adds requirements regarding the content and form of the certificate of resignation filed with the Delaware Secretary of State when the registered agent resigns without appointing a successor, and provides that such information regarding the communications contact that must be included in such a certificate shall not be deemed public. This section also amends Sections 17-104(d) and 17-104(e) of the Act to include references to protected series and registered series, as appropriate, and amends Section 17-104(g) to conform with the addition of the defined term “electronic transmission” in Section 17-101. Sections 5. This sections amends Section 17-105 of the Act to include references to protected series and registered series, as appropriate. Section 6. This section adds new Section 17-112 of the Act to provide that, upon motion by the Attorney General, the Court of Chancery may cancel the certificate of limited partnership of any domestic limited partnership for abuse or misuse of its limited partnership powers, privileges or existence. Section 7. This section adds new Section 17-113 of the Act, which establishes non-exclusive, safe harbor methods to reduce certain acts or transactions to a written or electronic document and to sign and deliver a document manually or electronically. The terminology in Section 17-113(a) is based on analogous provisions in existing Sections 17-302(e) and 17-405(d) of the Act, the Delaware Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (“UETA”), and the Model Business Corporation Act, with modifications. Section 17-113(a) permits limited partnership transactions (such as entering into agreements of merger not filed with the Secretary of State) to be documented, signed and delivered through “Docusign” and similar electronic means.