California Code, Corporations Code - CORP § 1512

(a) For the purposes of Sections 1509, 1510, and 1511, a shareholder includes (1) any person named in a share certificate as a shareholder or (2) any person named as a shareholder on the records of a central depository, bank, or broker-dealer with respect to shares which are subject to the control of the central depository, bank, or broker-dealer.

(b) A beneficiary of a trust, a beneficiary of the estate of a decedent, or an employee with respect to a pension, retirement, or health care trust or fund is not a shareholder of any shares standing in the name of the trust, the fund, the decedent, or the estate of the decedent.

(c) A person who is a shareholder by reason of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall provide the corporation with a photocopy of a receipt of a statement from the central depository, bank, or broker-dealer showing the person to be a shareholder and the corporation shall accept the photocopy as sufficient evidence thereof.