5616 - Acquisition of capital stock.
§ 5616. Acquisition of capital stock. (a) Acquisition.--In the event that the authority shall own 90% or more of all the outstanding capital stock entitled to vote upon liquidation and dissolution and which is not subject by its terms to be called for redemption of any corporation owning a project and organized and existing under the laws of this Commonwealth, the authority shall have the power to acquire the remainder of the stock by eminent domain as a part of a plan for the liquidation of the corporation. (b) Exercise.--The right of eminent domain with respect to the remainder of capital stock shall be exercised by the authority pursuant to this subsection. In the event that the authority has not agreed with an owner of any of the capital stock as to the value of the stock, the authority shall file with the court of common pleas of the county in which the corporation's principal place of business is located its bond for the benefit of the owner and for any other persons who may be found entitled to receive damages for the taking of the capital stock, of which the owner shall be obligee, the condition of which bond shall be that the authority shall pay or cause to be paid to the owner of the stock or to such other persons as may be found entitled to receive damages for the taking of the capital stock, an amount as the owner or such other persons shall be entitled to receive for the taking of the stock, after the amount shall have been agreed upon by the parties or assessed in the manner provided by subsection (d). The bond shall be accompanied by proof that notice of the proposed filing was mailed by registered mail not less than ten days prior to the proposed filing to the owner of the stock at his address as shown by the records of the corporation. Upon approval by the court of the bond, the authority shall be vested with all the right, title and interest in and to the stock, and the owner and all other persons shall cease to have any rights or interest with regard to the stock other than the right to compensation for the taking of it under the procedure set forth in subsection (d). The word "owner," as used in this subsection, shall mean the person in whose name the stock is registered on the books of the corporation. (c) Approval.--In the event that the authority shall have contracted in writing to purchase 90% or more of any outstanding capital stock, it shall have the right to obtain the approval of the court to the bond required by the provisions of subsection (b), but the approval shall not be effective for the purposes of this section unless and until there is also filed with the prothonotary of the court within ten days after the approval a sworn statement by the chairman of the board of the authority, duly attested by the secretary of the authority, that the authority has become the owner of 90% or more of the capital stock. (d) Appraisal.-- (1) If the authority and the former owner of the stock fail to agree as to the amount which the former owner is entitled to receive as compensation for the taking of the stock within 30 days after the approval of the bond by the court under the provisions of subsection (b) or the filing of the required statement under the provisions of subsection (c), either party may apply by petition to the court for the appointment by the court of three disinterested persons to appraise the fair value of the stock immediately prior to its acquisition by the authority without regard to any depreciation or appreciation in consequence of the acquisition. (2) The appraisers or a majority of them shall file their award, which shall include the costs of the appraisal, with the court and shall mail a copy to each party with the date of filing stated thereon. When the award is filed with the court, the prothonotary shall mark the same "confirmed nisi" and, if no exceptions are filed within ten days, he shall enter a decree that the award is confirmed absolutely. If exceptions to the award are filed by either party before the award is confirmed, the court shall hear the same and shall have the power to confirm, modify, change or otherwise correct the award or refer the same back to the same or new appraisers with similar power as to their award.