porations law, or the business corporations law, and not as new enactments.

References in laws not repealed to provisions of laws incorporated into the general laws herein before enumerated and repealed, shall be construed as applying to the provisions so incorporated.

Nothing in this chapter or in the other general laws hereinbefore specified shall be construed to amend or repeal any provision of the Criminal or Penal Code or to impair any right or liability which any existing corporation, its officers, directors, stockholders or creditors may have or be subject to or which any such corporation, other than a railroad corporation, had or was subject to on April 30, 1891, by virtue of any special act of the legislature creating such corporation or creating or defining any such right or liability, unless such special act is repealed by this chapter.

Law revived.

§ 37. Chapter three hundred of the laws of eighteen hundred and fifty-five, entitled "An act to incorporate the Baptist Historical Society of the city of New York," which was inadvertently repealed by the transportation corporations law, is revived and re-enacted, and shall be of the same force and effect as if it had not been repealed.

When notice or lapse of time unnecessary.

§ 38. Whenever under the provisions of any of the corporate laws a corporation is authorized to take any action after notice to its members or after the lapse of a prescribed period of time, such action may be taken without notice and without the lapse of any period of time, if such action be authorized or approved, and such requirements be waived in writing by every member of such corporation, or by his attorney thereunto authorized.

This section added by chap. 672, Laws of 1895.

As to acts of directors.

§ 39. Whenever, under the provisions of any of the corporate laws, a corporation is authorized to take any action by the agree ment or action of its directors, managers or trustees, such agreement or action may be taken by such directors, regularly convened as a board, and acting by a majority of a quorum, except when otherwise expressly required by law or the by-laws of the corporation and any such agreement shall be executed in behalf of the corporation by such officers as shall be designated by the board of directors, managers or trustees. At any meeting at which every member of the board of directors shall be present, though held without notice, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted if the meeting had been duly called. Except when otherwise required by law or the by-laws of the corporation, special meetings of the members of the corporation may be called in the same manner as the annual meeting thereof.

Thus amended by chap. 355, Laws of 1901.

See section 2 of the amendatory act as to its effect.

Alteration and repeal of charter.

§ 40. The charter of every corporation shall be subject to alteration, suspension and repeal, in the discretion of the legislature.

This section added by chap. 672, Laws of 1895.

No contributions for political purposes.

§ 41. No corporation or joint-stock association doing business in this state, except a corporation or association organized or maintained for political purposes only, shall directly or indirectly pay or use or offer, consent or agree to pay or use any money or property for or in aid of any political party, committee or organization, or for, or in aid of, any corporation, joint-stock or other association organized or maintained for political purposes, or for, or in aid of, any candidate for political office or for nomination for such office, or for any political purpose whatever, or

for the reimbursement or indemnification of any person for moneys or property so used. Any officer, director, stockholder, attorney or agent of any corporation or joint-stock association which violates any of the provisions of this section, who participates in, aids, abets or advises or consents to any such violation, and any person who solicits or knowingly receives any money or property in violation of this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary or county jail for not more than one year and a fine of not more than one thousand dollars. No person shall be excused from attending and testifying, or producing any books, papers or other documents before any court or magistrate, upon any investigation, proceeding or trial, for a violation of any of the provisions of this section, upon the ground or for the reason that the testimony or evidence, documentary, or otherwise, required of him may tend to convict him of a crime or to subject him to a penalty or forfeiture; but no person shall be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter or thing concerning which he may so testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, and no testimony so given or produced shall be received against him upon any criminal investigation or proceeding.

This section added by chap. 239, Laws of 1906.