Does a Religious Corporation Have to Make their Minutes Publicly Available?
Full Question:
Answer:
There is a right of inspection of minutes on written demand for “reasonably related “ purpose by any member unless the articles or bylaws say otherwise. CA law provides as follows:
"Except as otherwise provided in the articles or bylaws, the
accounting books and records and minutes of proceedings of the
members and the board and committees of the board shall be open to
inspection upon the written demand on the corporation of any member
at any reasonable time, for a purpose reasonably related to such
person's interests as a member.
Except as otherwise provided in the articles or bylaws, a
member may inspect and copy the record of all the members' names,
addresses and voting rights, at reasonable times, upon five business
days' prior written demand upon the corporation for a purpose
reasonably related to the member's interest as a member."
Please see the following CA statutes applicable to non-profit religious organizations:
9510. (a) Each corporation shall keep:
(1) Adequate and correct books and records of account.
(2) Minutes of the proceedings of its members, board and
committees of the board.
(3) A record of its members giving their names and addresses and
the class of membership held by each.
(b) Those minutes and other books and records shall be kept either
in written form or in any other form capable of being converted into
clearly legible tangible form or in any combination of the
foregoing. When minutes and other books and records are kept in a
form capable of being converted into clearly legible paper form, the
clearly legible paper form into which those minutes and other books
and records are converted shall be admissible in evidence, and
accepted for all other purposes, to the same extent as an original
paper record of the same information would have been, provided that
the paper form accurately portrays the record.
9511. Except as otherwise provided in the articles or bylaws, a
member may inspect and copy the record of all the members' names,
addresses and voting rights, at reasonable times, upon five business
days' prior written demand upon the corporation for a purpose
reasonably related to the member's interest as a member.
9512. Except as otherwise provided in the articles or bylaws, the
accounting books and records and minutes of proceedings of the
members and the board and committees of the board shall be open to
inspection upon the written demand on the corporation of any member
at any reasonable time, for a purpose reasonably related to such
person's interests as a member.
9513. Every director shall have the right at any reasonable time to
inspect and copy all books, records and documents of every kind and
to inspect the physical properties of the corporation of which such
person is a director for a purpose reasonably related to such person'
s interests as a director.
9514. (a) Upon refusal of a lawful demand for inspection under this
chapter, the superior court of the proper county, or the county
where the books or records in question are kept, may enforce the
demand or right of inspection with just and proper conditions or may,
for good cause shown, appoint one or more competent inspectors or
independent accountants to audit the financial statements kept in
this state and investigate the property and funds of any corporation
and of any subsidiary corporation thereof, domestic or foreign,
keeping records in this state and to report thereon in such manner as
the court may direct.
(b) All officers and agents of the corporation shall produce to
the inspectors or accountants so appointed all books and documents in
their custody or power, under penalty of punishment for contempt of
court.
(c) All expenses of the investigation or audit shall be defrayed
by the applicant unless the court orders them to be paid or shared by
the corporation.
9160. Every corporation shall keep at its principal office in this
state the original or a copy of its articles and bylaws as amended to
date, which shall be open to inspection by the members at all
reasonable times during office hours. If the corporation has no
office in this state, it shall upon the written request of any member
furnish to such member a copy of the articles or bylaws as amended
to date.