Rhode Island General Laws Title 7. Corporations, Associations, and Partnerships § 7-1.2-703. Closing of transfer books and fixing record date

(a) For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment of a meeting of shareholders, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any other proper purpose, the board of directors of a corporation may provide that stock transfer books are closed for a stated period, not less than that specified in any applicable bylaw and not more than sixty (60) days.  In lieu of closing the stock transfer books, the bylaws, or in the absence of an applicable bylaw, the board of directors may fix in advance a date as the record date for any determination of shareholders, the date in any case to be not more than sixty (60) days prior to the date on which the particular action, requiring the determination of shareholders, is to be taken.  If the stock transfer books are not closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of shareholders, or shareholders entitled to receive payment of a dividend, the date on which notice of the meeting is mailed or the date on which the resolution of the board of directors declaring the dividend is adopted, as the case may be, is the record date for the determination of shareholders.  When a determination of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been made as provided in this section, the determination applies to any adjournment of the meeting.

(b) In order that the corporation may determine the shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the board of directors may fix a record date, which record date may not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the board of directors.  If no record date has been fixed by the board of directors, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, when no prior action by the board of directors is required by this chapter, is the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the corporation by delivery to its registered office in this state, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the corporation having custody of the book in which proceedings of meetings of shareholders are recorded.  Delivery made to a corporation's registered office must be by hand or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.  If no record date has been fixed by the board of directors and prior action by the board of directors is required by this chapter, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting is the close of business on the day on which the board of directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

(c) A determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a shareholders' meeting is effective for any adjournment of the meeting unless the board of directors fixes a new record date.