Section 14-4-80. Renewal of charter

   (a) Any railroad, canal, navigation, express, or telegraph company heretofore incorporated by an Act of the General Assembly or by a certificate of the Secretary of State may have its charter renewed and its corporate existence extended for a period of 30 years by filing with the Secretary of State at any time within six months prior to the expiration of its charter an application signed with its corporate name and under its corporate seal, in which it shall state:

   (1) The name of the corporation;

   (2) When and how it was incorporated, giving the date of its original charter and all amendments and renewals thereto; and

   (3) That it desires a renewal of its charter as set out in the original charter and amendments thereto.

Upon filing such application, the corporation shall pay to the Secretary of State a fee of $100.00 to be paid by him into the state treasury.

(b) Such corporation shall file with the application an abstract from the minutes of the corporation, duly certified by the president and secretary of the corporation, showing that the application for renewal has been authorized by resolution which has been duly adopted by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote thereon at a meeting held for the purpose of passing upon such resolution.

(c) Upon the filing of the application and abstract, the Secretary of State shall issue to the petitioning corporation a certificate under the seal of the state renewing its charter for a period of 30 years from the date of its expiration. The Secretary of State shall keep on file the application and abstract and shall record the application, the abstract, and the certificate granting the renewal in a book kept for that purpose.

(d) Upon filing the application and abstract and the issuance of the certificate prescribed, the corporation shall be conclusively presumed to have accepted the renewal of its charter; and the corporation shall be a body corporate and shall continue in existence for the space of 30 years with all the powers, privileges, and liabilities granted in the original charter and the amendments thereto, so far as the same are not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of the state, in force on April 1, 1969, or thereafter.

Ga. L. 1893, p. 88, §§ 1-3; Civil Code 1895, §§ 1836, 1837, 1838; Civil Code 1910, §§ 2193, 2194, 2195; Code 1933, §§ 22-501, 22-502, 22-503; Code 1933, §§ 22-4301, 22-4302, 22-4303, enacted by Ga. L. 1968, p. 565, § 1; Ga. L. 1969, p. 152, § 102; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 14.