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March 19, 2024 Clouds | 34°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Section 9: Internal capital accounts; recall or redemption of shares; interest; collective reserve account

Section 9. (a) Any employee cooperative may establish through its articles of organization or by-laws a system of internal capital accounts, to reflect the book value and to determine the redemption price of membership shares, capital stock, and written notices of allocation. As used in this chapter, ''written notice of allocation'' means a written instrument which discloses to a member the stated dollar amount of such member's patronage allocation and the terms for payment of that amount by the employee cooperative.

(b) The articles of organization or by-laws of an employee cooperative may permit the periodic redemption of written notices of allocation and capital stock, and must provide for recall and redemption of the membership share upon termination of membership in the cooperative. No redemption shall be made if such redemption would result in the liability of any director or officer of the employee cooperative under section sixty-one of said chapter one hundred and fifty-six B.

(c) The articles of organization or by-laws may provide for the employee cooperative to pay or credit interest on the balance in each member's internal capital account.

(d) The articles of organization or by-laws may authorize assignment of a portion of retained net earnings and net losses to a collective reserve account. Earnings assigned to the collective reserve account may be used for any and all corporate purposes as determined by the board of directors.