FPL Group, Inc.,
Bylaws
Article I. Meetings
of Shareholders | Article II. Directors | Article
III. Officers | Article IV. Stock Certificates | Article
V. Dividends | Article VI. Indemnification | Article
VII. Action With Respect to Securities of Other Corporations | Article
VIII. Amendment | Article IX. Continuing
Effect of Bylaw Provisions
Article I. Meetings
of Shareholders
Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the shareholders
of the Corporation shall be held at the time and place designated
by the board of directors of the Corporation.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the shareholders
may be called by the chairman of the board of directors or the president
or the secretary of the Corporation and shall be called upon the
written request of a majority of the entire board of directors or
the holder or holders of not less than a majority of all the outstanding
shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote on the matter
or matters to be presented at the meeting. Such request shall state
the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting. No business shall
be conducted at any special meeting other than the business for which
the special meeting is called as set forth in the notice of the special
meeting. Special meetings shall be held at the time and place designated
by the chief executive officer of the Corporation.
Section 3. Place and Presiding Officer. Meetings of the shareholders
may be held within or without the State of Florida.
Meetings of the shareholders may be presided over by the chairman
of the board, the president or any vice president. The secretary
of the Corporation, or any person chosen by the person presiding
over the shareholders' meeting, shall act as secretary for the meeting.
Section 4. Notice. Written notice stating the place, day
and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the
purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be given
not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the meeting, personally,
by United States mail, or in such other manner as may be permitted
by law, by or at the direction of the chairman of the board, the
president, the secretary, or the officer or persons calling the meeting.
If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited
in the United States mail addressed to the shareholder at his or
her address as it appears on the stock transfer books of the Corporation,
with postage thereon prepaid.
Section 5. Notice of Adjourned Meetings. When a meeting is
adjourned to another time or place, it shall not be necessary to
give any notice of the adjourned meeting if the time and place to
which the meeting is adjourned are announced at the meeting at which
the adjournment is taken, and at the adjourned meeting any business
may be transacted that might have been transacted on the original
date of the meeting. If, however, after the adjournment the board
of directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting, a
notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section
4 of this Article I to each shareholder of record on the new record
date entitled to vote at such meeting.
Section 6. Closing of Transfer Books and Fixing Record Date. For
the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice of, or
to vote at, any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment thereof,
or entitled to receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make
a determination of shareholders for any other purpose, the board
of directors may provide that the stock transfer books shall be closed
for a stated period not to exceed, in any case, sixty days (or such
longer period as may from time to time be permitted by law). If the
stock transfer books shall be closed for the purpose of determining
shareholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a meeting of shareholders,
such books shall be closed for at least ten days immediately preceding
such meeting.
In lieu of closing the stock transfer books, the board of directors
may fix in advance a date as the record date for any determination
of shareholders, such date in any case to be not more than sixty
days (or such longer period as may from time to time be permitted
by law) and, in case of a meeting of shareholders, not less than
ten days prior to the date on which the particular action requiring
such 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 such dividend is adopted, as the case may
be, shall be the record date for such determination of shareholders.
When a determination of shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting
of shareholders has been made as provided in this Section 6, such
determination shall apply to any adjournment thereof, unless the
board of directors fixes a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 7. Shareholder Quorum and Voting. A majority of the
total number of shares outstanding and entitled to vote, present
in person or represented by proxy thereat, shall constitute a quorum
at a meeting of shareholders for the transaction of business, except
as otherwise provided by law or by the Corporation's Restated Articles
of Incorporation (the "Charter"). If a specified item of
business is required to be voted on by a class or series of shares,
a majority of the total number of shares outstanding and entitled
to vote of such class or series, present in person or represented
by proxy thereat, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders
for the transaction of such item of business by such class or series.
If, however, a quorum does not exist at a meeting, the holders of
a majority of the shares present at such meeting and entitled to
vote may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other
than by announcement at the meeting, until the requisite number of
shares entitled to vote shall be present. At any such adjourned meeting
at which a quorum exists, any business may be transacted which might
have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed. After
a quorum has been established at a meeting, the subsequent withdrawal
of shareholders, so as to reduce the number of shares entitled to
vote at the meeting below the number required for a quorum, shall
not affect the validity of any action taken at the meeting or any
adjournment thereof.
If a quorum exists, action on a matter (including the election of
directors) shall be approved by the shareholders of the Corporation
if the matter receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the
total number of shares represented at the meeting and entitled to
vote on such matter, unless the matter is one upon which, by express
provision of law a greater vote is required or from time to time
permitted by action of the board of directors, or by the Charter
or these bylaws a greater or different vote is required, in either
which case such express provision shall govern and control the requisite
vote requirement.
Section 8. Inspectors of Election. Prior to each meeting
of shareholders, the board of directors shall appoint not less than
two nor more than seven inspectors of election who shall have such
duties and perform such functions in connection with the meeting
as shall be determined by the board of directors.
Article II. Directors
Section 1. Function. All corporate powers shall be exercised
by or under the authority of, and the business and affairs of the
Corporation shall be managed under the direction of, the board of
directors.
Section 2. Number. The number of directors of the Corporation
shall not be less than three nor more than sixteen. The authorized
number of directors, within the limits above specified, shall be
determined by the affirmative vote of a majority of the entire board
of directors given at a regular or special meeting thereof. No decrease
in the number of directors constituting the board of directors shall
shorten the term of any incumbent director.
At each annual meeting the shareholders shall elect directors to
hold office until the next succeeding annual meeting. Each director
so elected shall hold office for the term of which he or she is elected
and until his or her successor shall have been elected and qualified
or until his or her earlier resignation, retirement, removal from
office or death. No person who shall have attained the age of 72
years by the date of election shall be eligible for election as a
director of the Corporation, and no director who shall have attained
the age of 70 years by the date of election shall be eligible for
election as chairman of the board of directors; provided, however,
that these limitations shall not be applied in a manner which would
cause the involuntary retirement of an employee of the Corporation.
Section 3. Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring in the board
of directors, including any vacancy created by reason of an increase
in the number of directors, shall be filled only by a majority vote
of the directors then in office, and directors so chosen shall hold
office for a term expiring at the next annual meeting of shareholders.
Section 4. Removal. A director may be removed by the majority
vote of the entire board of directors. A director may also be removed
by shareholders, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote
of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of the then outstanding
shares of Voting Stock (as defined in the Charter), voting together
as a single class. Except as may otherwise be provided by law, cause
for removal shall be construed to exist only if the director whose
removal is proposed has been convicted of a felony by a court of
competent jurisdiction and such conviction is no longer subject to
direct appeal or has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction
to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his
or her duty to the Corporation in a matter of substantial importance
to the Corporation, and such adjudication is no longer subject to
direct appeal.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and except as otherwise provided
by law, in the event that holders of any class or series of Preferred
Stock are entitled, voting separately as a class, to elect one or
more directors, the provisions of this Section 4 shall apply, in
respect to the removal of a director so elected, to the vote of the
holders of the outstanding shares of that class or series and not
to the vote of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock voting together
as a single class.
Section 5. Quorum and Voting. A majority of the number of
directors fixed by, or in the manner provided in, these bylaws shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided, however,
that whenever, for any reason, a vacancy occurs in the board of directors,
the quorum shall consist of a majority of the remaining directors
until the vacancy has been filled. The act of the majority of the
directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall
be the act of the board of directors.
Section 6. Executive and Other Committees. The board of directors,
by resolution adopted by a majority of the entire board of directors,
may designate from among its members an executive committee and one
or more other committees. Each committee of the board of directors
shall have such powers and functions as may be delegated to it by
resolution adopted by the entire board of directors, except as prohibited
by law.
The board of directors, by resolution adopted in accordance with
this Section 6, shall designate a chairman for each committee it
establishes who shall preside at all meetings of the committee and
who shall have such additional duties as shall from time to time
be designated by the board of directors.
The board of directors, by resolution adopted in accordance with
this Section 6, may designate one or more directors as alternate
members of any such committee, who may act in the place and stead
of any absent member or members at any meeting of such committee.
Section 7. Meetings. Regular meetings of the board of directors
shall be held without notice at the location of and immediately after
the adjournment of the annual meeting of shareholders in each year,
and at such other time and place, as may be determined by the board
of directors. Notice of the time and place of special meetings of
the board of directors shall be given to each director either by
personal delivery, telegram, cablegram, or by telephone at least
two days prior to the meeting. Notice may also be given through the
postal service if mailed at least five days prior to the meeting.
Notice of a meeting of the board of directors need not be given
to any director who signs a waiver of notice either before or after
the meeting. Attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute
a waiver of notice of such meeting and a waiver of any and all objections
to the place of the meeting, the time of the meeting, or the manner
in which it has been called or convened, except when a director states,
at the beginning of the meeting, any objection to the transaction
of business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
Except as otherwise provided in the Charter, neither the business
to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting
of the board of directors need be specified in the notice or waiver
of notice of such meeting.
A majority of the directors present, whether or not a quorum exists,
may adjourn any meeting of the board of directors to another time
and place. Notice of any such adjourned meeting shall be given to
the directors who were not present at the time of the adjournment
and, unless the time and place of the adjourned meeting are announced
at the time of adjournment, to the other directors.
Meetings of the board of directors may be called by the chairman
of the board, the president, or by any two directors.
Members of the board of directors may participate in a meeting of
such board by means of a conference telephone or similar communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting
can hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means
shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
Meetings of the board of directors shall be presided over by the
chairman of the board, or if such position is vacant or such person
is absent, by the president. If neither the chairman of the board
nor the president is present, the directors shall elect a chairman
for the meeting from one of their members present.
Section 8. Action Without a Meeting. Any action required
to be taken at a meeting of the directors or any action which may
be taken at a meeting of the directors or a committee thereof, may
be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth
the action so to be taken, signed by all of the directors or all
the members of the committee, as the case may be, is filed in the
minutes of the proceedings of the board or of the committee. Such
consent shall have the same effect as a unanimous vote.
Article III. Officers
Section 1. Types. The officers of the Corporation shall consist
of a chairman of the board, a president, a secretary, a treasurer
and such vice presidents and other officers as may be appointed by
the board of directors or by a duly appointed officer authorized
by these bylaws or by resolution of the board of directors to appoint
officers.
The chief executive officer of the Corporation shall be either the
chairman of the board or the president as determined by the board
of directors.
The chief executive officer of the Corporation shall have the authority
to appoint one or more assistant treasurers, assistant controllers
and assistant secretaries.
Section 2. Appointment and Term. The officers of the Corporation
shall be appointed by the board of directors or by a duly appointed
officer authorized to appoint officers. Each officer shall hold office
until the first board of directors meeting immediately following
the annual shareholders' meeting next occurring after his or her
appointment to office and until his or her successor shall have been
appointed or until his or her earlier resignation, retirement, removal
from office or death.
Section 3. Duties. All officers of the Corporation shall
have such authority and shall perform such duties as generally pertain
to their respective offices and shall have such additional authority
and perform such additional duties as may from time to time be determined
by resolution of the board of directors.
Section 4. Removal of Officers. Any officer may be removed
by the board of directors at any time with or without cause. Any
officer appointed by the chief executive officer may be removed by
the chief executive officer at any time with or without cause.
Removal of any officer shall be without prejudice to the contract
rights, if any, of the person so removed; provided, however, the
appointment of any officer shall not of itself create contract rights.
Article IV. Stock
Certificates
Certificates representing shares in the Corporation shall be signed
by the president or a vice president and the secretary or an assistant
secretary. In addition, such certificates may be signed by a transfer
agent or a registrar (other than the Corporation itself) and may
be sealed with the seal of the Corporation or a facsimile thereof.
Any or all of the signatures on such certificates may be facsimile.
In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or
whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall
have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before
such certificate is issued, such certificate may be issued by the
Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer,
transfer agent or registrar at the date of its issuance.
Each certificate representing shares shall state upon the face thereof:
the name of the Corporation; that the Corporation is organized under
the laws of Florida; the name of the person or persons to whom issued;
the number and class of shares and the designation of the series,
if any, which such certificate represents; and the par value of each
share represented by such certificate or a statement that the shares
are without par value.
Article V. Dividends
The board of directors of the Corporation may, from time to time,
declare, and the Corporation may pay, dividends on its outstanding
shares in the manner and upon the terms and conditions provided by
law and by the Charter.
Article VI. Indemnification
Section 1. Right to Indemnification. Each person who was
or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or was
or is called as a witness or was or is otherwise involved in any
Proceeding in connection with his or her status as an Indemnified
Person, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation
to the fullest extent permitted under the Florida General Corporation
Act (the "Act"), as the same now exists or may hereafter
be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent
that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification
rights than the Act permitted the Corporation to provide prior to
such amendment). Such indemnification shall cover all expenses incurred
by an Indemnified Person (including, but not limited to, attorneys'
fees and other expenses of litigation) and all liabilities and losses
(including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA or other
excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement)
incurred by such person in connection therewith.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, except with respect to indemnification
specified in Section 3 of this Article VI, the Corporation shall
indemnify an Indemnified Person in connection with a Proceeding (or
part thereof) initiated by such person only if authorization for
such Proceeding (or part thereof) was not denied by the board of
directors of the Corporation prior to 60 days after receipt of notice
thereof from such person.
For purposes of this Article VI:
(i) a "Proceeding" is an action, suit or proceeding, whether
civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and any appeal
therefrom;
(ii) an "Indemnified Person" is a person who is or was
(A) a director or officer of the Corporation, (B) a director, officer
or other employee of the Corporation serving as a trustee or fiduciary
of an employee benefit plan of the Corporation, (C) an agent or non-officer
employee of the Corporation as to whom the Corporation has agreed
to grant such indemnity, or (D) serving at the request of the Corporation
in any capacity with any entity or enterprise other than the Corporation
and as to whom the Corporation has agreed to grant such indemnity.
Section 2. Expenses. Expenses, including attorneys' fees,
incurred by a person indemnified pursuant to Section 1 of this Article
VI in defending or otherwise being involved in a Proceeding shall
be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of
such Proceeding, including any appeal therefrom, (i) in the case
of a director or officer of the Corporation or director, officer
or other employee of the Corporation serving as a trustee or fiduciary
of any employee benefit plan of the Corporation, upon receipt of
an undertaking ("Undertaking") by or on behalf of such
person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined
that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation;
or (ii) in the case of any other person, upon such terms and as the
board of directors, the chairman of the board or the president of
the Corporation deems appropriate.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with a Proceeding (or
part thereof) initiated by such person, except a Proceeding authorized
by Section 3 of this Article VI, the Corporation shall pay said expenses
in advance of final disposition only if authorization for such Proceeding
(or part thereof) was not denied by the board of directors of the
Corporation prior to 60 days after receipt of a request for such
advancement accompanied by an Undertaking.
A person to whom expenses are advanced pursuant to this Section
2 shall not be obligated to repay pursuant to an Undertaking until
the final determination of any pending Proceeding in a court of competent
jurisdiction concerning the right of such person to be indemnified
or the obligation of such person to repay pursuant to such Undertaking.
Section 3. Protection of Rights. If a claim under Section
1 of this Article VI is not promptly paid in full by the Corporation
after a written claim has been received by the Corporation or if
expenses pursuant to Section 2 of this Article VI have not been promptly
advanced after a written request for such advancement accompanied
by an Undertaking has been received by the Corporation, the claimant
may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to
recover the unpaid amount of the claim or the advancement of expenses.
If successful, in whole or in part, in such suit, such claimant shall
also be entitled to be paid the reasonable expense thereof. It shall
be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to
enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any Proceeding
in advance of its final disposition where the required Undertaking
has been tendered to the Corporation) that indemnification of the
claimant is prohibited by law, but the burden of proving such defense
shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation
(including its board of directors, independent legal counsel, or
its shareholders) to have made a determination, if required, prior
to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant
is proper in the circumstances, nor an actual determination by the
Corporation (including its board of directors, independent legal
counsel, or its shareholders) that indemnification of the claimant
is prohibited, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption
that indemnification of the claimant is prohibited.
Section 4. Miscellaneous.
(i) Power to Request Service and to Grant Indemnification. The
chairman of the board or the president or the board of directors
may request any director, officer, agent or employee of the Corporation
to serve as its representative in the position of a director or officer
(or in a substantially similar capacity) of an entity or enterprise
other than the Corporation, and may grant to such person indemnification
by the Corporation as described in Section 1 of this Article VI.
(ii) Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights conferred on any
person by this Article VI shall not be exclusive of any other rights
which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute,
provision of the Charter, bylaw, agreement, vote of shareholders
or disinterested directors or otherwise. The board of directors shall
have the authority, by resolution, to provide for such indemnification
of employees or agents of the Corporation or others and for such
other indemnification of directors, officers, employees or agents
as it shall deem appropriate.
(iii) Insurance Contracts and Funding. The Corporation may
maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director,
officer, employee or agent of or person serving in any other capacity
with, the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint
venture, trust or other enterprise (including serving as a trustee
or fiduciary of any employee benefit plan) against any expenses,
liabilities or losses, whether or not the Corporation would have
the power to indemnify such person against such expenses, liabilities
or losses under the Act. The Corporation may enter into contracts
with any director, officer, agent or employee of the Corporation
in furtherance of the provisions of this Article VI, and may create
a trust fund, grant a security interest or use other means (including,
without limitation, a letter of credit) to ensure the payment of
such amounts as may be necessary to effect the advancing of expenses
and indemnification as provided in this Article VI.
(iv) Contractual Nature. The provisions of this Article VI
shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer,
agent or employee and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors
and administrators of such person. This Article VI shall be deemed
to be a contract between the Corporation and each person who, at
any time that this Article VI is in effect, serves or served in any
capacity which entitles him or her to indemnification hereunder and
any repeal or other modification of this Article VI or any repeal
or modification of the Act, or any other applicable law shall not
limit any rights of indemnification for Proceedings then existing
or arising out of events, acts or omissions occurring prior to such
repeal or modification, including without limitation, the right to
indemnification for Proceedings commenced after such repeal or modification
to enforce this Article VI with regard to Proceedings arising out
of acts, omissions or events arising prior to such repeal or modification.
(v) Savings Clause. If this Article VI or any portion hereof
shall be invalidated or held to be unenforceable on any ground by
any court of competent jurisdiction, the decision of which shall
not have been reversed on appeal, the Corporation shall nevertheless
indemnify each Indemnified Person as to costs, charges and expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in
settlement with respect to any Proceeding, including an action by
or in the right of the Corporation, to the fullest extent permitted
by any applicable portion of this Article that shall not have been
invalidated and as permitted by applicable law.
Article VII. Action
With Respect to Securities of Other Corporations
Unless otherwise directed by the board of directors, the chief executive
officer or his or her designee shall have power to vote and otherwise
act on behalf of the Corporation, in person or by proxy, at any meeting
of shareholders of or with respect to any action of shareholders
of any other corporation in which the Corporation may hold securities
and to otherwise exercise any and all rights and powers which the
Corporation may possess by reason of its ownership of securities
in such other corporation.
Article VIII. Amendment
The power to adopt, alter, amend or repeal bylaws shall be vested
in the board of directors. Bylaws adopted by the board of directors
may be repealed or changed, and new bylaws may be adopted by shareholders
only if such repeal, change or adoption is approved by the affirmative
vote of the holders of at least 75% of the then outstanding Voting
Stock (as defined in the Charter), voting together as a single class.
Article IX. Continuing
Effect of Bylaw Provisions
Any provisions contained in these bylaws which, at the time of its
adoption, was authorized or permitted by applicable law shall continue
to remain in full force and effect until such time as such provision
is specifically amended in accordance with these bylaws, notwithstanding
any subsequent modification of such law (except to the extent such
bylaw provision expressly provides for its modification by or as
a result of any such subsequently enacted law).
As amended 2/12/01.

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