(a) The corporation's registered agent shall be an agent of such corporation upon whom any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the corporation may be served.

(b) Whenever a corporation shall fail to appoint or maintain a registered agent in this State, or whenever its registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office, then the Secretary of State shall be an agent of such corporation upon whom any such process, notice, or demand may be served. Service on the Secretary of State of any such process, notice, or demand shall be made by delivering to and leaving with him or her, or with any clerk having charge of the corporation department of his or her office, duplicate copies of such process, notice, or demand. In the event any such process, notice, or demand is served on the Secretary of State, he or she shall immediately cause one of the copies thereof to be forwarded by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the corporation at its registered office.

(c) The Secretary of State shall keep a record of all processes, notices, and demands served upon the Secretary under this section, and shall record therein the time of such service and the Secretary's action with reference thereto.

(d) Nothing herein contained shall limit or affect the right to serve any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon a corporation in any other manner now or hereafter permitted by law, or by rule. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)