(a) Upon the request of a member or transferee, for purposes reasonably related to the interest of that person as a member or a transferee, a manager or, if the limited liability company is member-managed, a member in possession of the requested information, shall promptly deliver, in writing, to the member or transferee, at the expense of the limited liability company, a copy of the information required to be maintained by paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 17701.13, and any written operating agreement of the limited liability company.
(b) Each member, manager, and transferee has the right, upon reasonable request, for purposes reasonably related to the interest of that person as a member, manager, or transferee, to each of the following:
(1) To inspect and copy during normal business hours any of the records required to be maintained pursuant to Section 17701.13.
(2) To obtain in writing from the limited liability company, promptly after becoming available, a copy of the limited liability company’s federal, state, and local income tax returns for each year.
(c) In the case of a limited liability company with more than 35 members, each of the following shall apply:
(1) A manager shall cause an annual report to be sent to each of the members not later than 120 days after the close of the fiscal year. The report, which may be sent by electronic transmission by the limited liability company (paragraph (1) of subdivision (i) of Section 17701.02) shall contain a balance sheet as of the end of the fiscal year and an income statement and a statement of cashflows for the fiscal year.
(2) Members representing at least 5 percent of the voting interests of members, or three or more members, may make a written request to a manager for an income statement of the limited liability company for the initial three-month, six-month, or nine-month period of the current fiscal year ending more than 30 days prior to the date of the request, and a balance sheet of the limited liability company as of the end of that period. The statement shall be delivered or mailed to the members within 30 days thereafter.
(3) The financial statements referred to in this section shall be accompanied by the report thereon, if any, of the independent accountants engaged by the limited liability company or, if there is no report, the certificate of the manager of the limited liability company that the financial statements were prepared without audit from the books and records of the limited liability company.
(d) A manager shall promptly furnish to a member a copy of any amendment to the articles of organization or operating agreement executed by a manager pursuant to a power of attorney from the member. The articles of organization or operating agreement may be sent by electronic transmission by the limited liability company.
(e) The limited liability company shall send or cause information to be sent in writing to each member or holder of a transferable interest within 90 days after the end of each taxable year the information necessary to complete federal and state income tax or information returns and, in the case of a limited liability company with 35 or fewer members, a copy of the limited liability company’s federal, state, and local income tax or information returns for the year.
(f) In addition to the remedies provided in Sections 17713.06 and 17713.07 and any other remedies, a court of competent jurisdiction may enforce the duty of making and mailing or delivering the information and financial statements required by this section and, for good cause shown, extend the time therefor.
(g) In any action under this section or under Section 17713.07, if the court finds the failure of the limited liability company to comply with the requirements of this section is without justification, the court may award an amount sufficient to reimburse the person bringing the action for the reasonable expenses incurred by that person, including attorney’s fees, in connection with the action or proceeding.
(h) Any waiver of the rights provided in this section shall be unenforceable.
(i) Any request, inspection, or copying by a member or holder of a transferable interest may be made by that person or by that person’s agent or attorney.
(j) Upon complaint that a limited liability company is failing to comply with the provisions of this section, or to afford to the members rights given to them in the articles of organization or operating agreement, the Attorney General may, in the name of the people of the State of California, send to the office required to be maintained pursuant to Section 17701.13, notice of the complaint.
(k) If the answer of the limited liability company is not received within 30 days of the date the notice was transmitted, or if the answer is not satisfactory, and if the enforcement of the rights of the aggrieved persons by private civil action, by class action, or otherwise, would be so burdensome or expensive as to be impracticable, the Attorney General may institute, maintain, or intervene in any court of competent jurisdiction or before any administrative agency for relief by way of injunction, the dissolution of entities, the appointment of receivers, or any other temporary, preliminary, provisional, or final remedies as may be appropriate to protect the rights of members or to restore the position of the members for the failure to comply with the requirements of Section 17701.13 or the articles of organization or the operating agreement. In any action, suit, or proceeding, there may be joined as parties all persons and entities responsible for or affected by the activity.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 775, Sec. 10. (AB 506) Effective January 1, 2016.)