Section 5239 - No personal liability to third party for monetary damages on part of volunteer director or volunteer executive officer caused by negligent act or omission(a) There shall be no personal liability to a third party for monetary damages on the part of a volunteer director or volunteer executive officer of a nonprofit corporation subject to this part, caused by the director's or officer's negligent act or omission in the performance of that person's duties as a director or officer, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The act or omission was within the scope of the director's or executive officer's duties.(2) The act or omission was performed in good faith.(3) The act or omission was not reckless, wanton, intentional, or grossly negligent.(4) Damages caused by the act or omission are covered pursuant to a liability insurance policy issued to the corporation, either in the form of a general liability policy or a director's and officer's liability policy, or personally to the director or executive officer. In the event that the damages are not covered by a liability insurance policy, the volunteer director or volunteer executive officer shall not be personally liable for the damages if the board of directors of the corporation and the person had made all reasonable efforts in good faith to obtain available liability insurance.(b) "Volunteer" means the rendering of services without compensation. "Compensation" means remuneration whether by way of salary, fee, or other consideration for services rendered. However, the payment of per diem, mileage, or other reimbursement expenses to a director or executive officer does not affect that person's status as a volunteer within the meaning of this section.(c) "Executive officer" means the president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer of a corporation, or such other individual who serves in like capacity, who assists in establishing the policy of the corporation.(d) Nothing in this section shall limit the liability of the corporation for any damages caused by acts or omissions of the volunteer director or volunteer executive officer.(e) This section does not eliminate or limit the liability of a director or officer for any of the following: (1) As provided in Section 5233 or 5237.(2) In any action or proceeding brought by the Attorney General.(f) Nothing in this section creates a duty of care or basis of liability for damage or injury caused by the acts or omissions of a director or officer.(g) This section is only applicable to causes of action based upon acts or omissions occurring on or after January 1, 1988.(h) As used in this section as applied to nonprofit public benefit corporations which have an annual budget of less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) and that are exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, the condition of making "all reasonable efforts in good faith to obtain available liability insurance" shall be satisfied by the corporation if it makes at least one inquiry per year to purchase a general liability insurance policy and that insurance was not available at a cost of less than 5 percent of the previous year's annual budget of the corporation. If the corporation is in its first year of operation, this subdivision shall apply for as long as the budget of the corporation does not exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in its first year of operation. An inquiry pursuant to this subdivision shall obtain premium costs for a general liability policy with an amount of coverage of at least five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).
Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 634, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1994.