Exhibit 3.4
BYLAWS
OF
AMSURG HOLDINGS, INC.
ARTICLE I.
OFFICES
Section 1.The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 160 Greentree Drive, Suite 101, in the City of Dover, County of Kent, 19904. The name of its registered agent at such address is the National Registered Agents, Inc.
Section 2.The corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE II.
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
Section 1.All meetings of the stockholders for the election of directors may be held within or outside of the State of Delaware or at such place as may be fixed from time to time by the Board of Directors, or at such other place as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of the meeting. Meetings of stockholders for any other purpose may be held at such time and place, within or without the State of Delaware, as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.
Section 2.Annual meetings of stockholders shall be held at such date and time as shall be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. To be properly brought before an annual meeting business must be (a) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, (b) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder. The chairman of the annual meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
Section 3.Written notice of the annual meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting.
Section 4.The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting,
either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.
Section 5.Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by statute or by the certificate of incorporation, may be called by the president and shall be called by the president or secretary at the request in writing of a majority of the Board of Directors, or at the request in writing of stockholders owning a majority in amount of the entire capital stock of the corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote. Such request shall state the purpose or purposes of the proposed meeting.
Section 6.Written notice of a special meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting, to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting.
Section 7.Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.
Section 8.The holders of a majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the stockholders for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by statute or by the certificate of incorporation. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, the stockholders entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
Section 9.When a quorum is present at any meeting, the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock having voting power present in person or represented by proxy shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the statutes or of the certificate of incorporation, a different vote is required in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question.
Section 10.Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation each stockholder shall at every meeting of the stockholders be entitled to one vote in person or by proxy for each share of the capital stock having voting power held by such stockholder, but no proxy shall be voted on after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period.
Section 11.Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation, or any
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action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted. Prompt notice of the taking of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written consent shall be given to those stockholders who have not consented in writing.
ARTICLE III.
DIRECTORS
Section 1.The number of directors which shall constitute the whole board shall be not less than one nor more than eight. The number of directorships at any time shall be that number most recently fixed by action of the Board of Directors or stockholders, or absent such action, shall be the number of directors elected at the preceding annual meeting of stockholders, or the meeting held in lieu thereof, plus the number elected since any such meeting to account for any increase in the size of the board.
Section 2.Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2 shall be eligible for election as directors. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors of the corporation may be made at a meeting of stockholders by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or by any stockholder of the corporation entitled to vote for the election of directors at the meeting who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 2. Such nominations, other than those made by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, shall be made pursuant to timely notice in writing to the secretary of the corporation. The chairman of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a nomination was not made in accordance with the procedures proscribed by the Bylaws, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the meeting and the defective nomination shall be disregarded.
Section 3.Vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and the directors so chosen shall hold office until the next annual election and until their successors are duly elected and shall qualify, unless sooner displaced. If there are no directors in office, then an election of directors may be held in the manner provided by statute. If, at the time of filling any vacancy or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office shall constitute less than a majority of the whole board (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), the Court of Chancery may, upon application of any stockholder or stockholders holding at least ten percent of the total number of the shares at the time outstanding having the right to vote for such directors, summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships, or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in office.
Section 4.The business of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its Board of Directors which may exercise all such powers of the corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute or by the certificate of incorporation or by these bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
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Section 5.Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board of Directors or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.
Section 6.Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or by law, any director or the entire board of directors may be removed, with or without cause, by the holders of a majority of shares entitled to vote at an election of directors.
ARTICLE IV.
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1.The Board of Directors of the corporation may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or without the State of Delaware.
Section 2.The first meeting of each newly elected Board of Directors shall be held at such time and place as shall be fixed by the vote of the stockholders at the annual meeting and no notice of such meeting shall be necessary to the newly elected directors in order legally to constitute the meeting, provided a quorum shall be present. In the event of the failure of the stockholders to fix the time or place of such first meeting of the newly elected Board of Directors, or in the event such meeting is not held at the time and place so fixed by the stockholders, the meeting may be held at such time and place as shall be specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board of Directors, or as shall be specified in a written waiver signed by all of the directors.
Section 3.Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the board.
Section 4.Special meetings of the board may be called by the president without notice to each director; special meetings shall be called by the president or secretary in like manner and on like notice on the written request of two directors unless the board consists of only one director; in which case special meetings shall be called by the president or secretary in like manner and on like notice on the written request of the sole director.
Section 5.At all meetings of the board, a majority of the directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and the act of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute or by the certificate of incorporation. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board of Directors, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present.
Section 6.Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the board or
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committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the board or committee.
Section 7.Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
ARTICLE V.
COMMITTEES
Section 1.The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole board, designate one or more committees, each committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee.
Section 2.Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation, and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the certificate of incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending the bylaws of the corporation; and, unless the resolution or the certificate of incorporation expressly so provide, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock or to adopt a certificate of ownership and merger. Such committee or committees shall have such name or names as may be determined from time to time by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors.
Section 3.Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors when required.
ARTICLE VI.
NOTICES
Section 1.Whenever, under the provisions of the statutes or of the certificate of incorporation or of these bylaws, notice is required to be given to any director or stockholder, it shall not be construed to mean personal notice, but such notice may be given in writing, by mail, addressed to such director or stockholder, at his address as it appears on the records of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the United States mail. Notice to directors may also be given by telegram.
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Section 2.Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the statutes or of the certificate of incorporation or of these bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto.
ARTICLE VII.
OFFICERS
Section 1.The officers of the corporation shall be chosen by the Board of Directors at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders and shall be a president and a secretary. The Board of Directors may also choose a chairman, vice-presidents and one or more assistant secretaries. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws otherwise provide.
Section 2.The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the board.
Section 3. The salaries of all officers and agents of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board of Directors.
Section 4.The officers of the corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualify. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of Directors. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the corporation shall be filled by the Board of Directors.
Section 5.Chairman. The chairman, if any, shall preside at all meetings of the stockholders and the Board of Directors, shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Board of Directors are carried into effect and shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 6.President. The president shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation and shall have general and active management of the business of the corporation. He shall execute bonds, mortgages and other contracts requiring a seal, under the seal of the corporation, except where required or permitted by law to be otherwise signed and executed and except where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors to some other officer or agent of the corporation.
Section 7.Vice Presidents. In the absence of the president or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the vice-president (or in the event there be more than one vice-president, the vice-presidents in the order designated by the directors, or in the absence of any designation, then in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the president, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president. The vice-presidents shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 8.Secretary. The secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and all meetings of the stockholders and record all the proceedings of the meetings of
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the corporation and of the Board of Directors in a book to be kept for that purpose and shall perform like duties for the standing committees when required. He shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the stockholders and special meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or president, under whose supervision he shall be. He shall have custody of the corporate seal of the corporation and he, or an assistant secretary, shall have authority to affix the same to any instrument requiring it and when so affixed, it may be attested by his signature or by the signature of such assistant secretary. The Board of Directors may give general authority to any other officer to affix the seal of the corporation and to attest the affixing by his signature.
Section 9.Assistant Secretary. The assistant secretary, or if there be more than one, the assistant secretaries in the order determined by the Board of Directors (or if there be no such determination, then in the order of their election) shall, in the absence of the secretary or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe.
Section 10.Treasurer. The treasurer shall have the custody of the corporation’s funds and securities, shall keep or cause to be kept full and accurate account of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the corporation, and shall deposit or cause to be deposited all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The treasurer shall disburse or cause to be disbursed the funds of the corporation as required in the ordinary course of business or as may be ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements, and shall render to the President and directors at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors, or whenever they may require it, an account of all of his transactions as Treasurer and the financial condition of the corporation. The treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be incident to such office or as prescribed from time to time by the Board of Directors. The treasurer shall give the corporation a bond, if required by the Board of Directors, in a sum and with one or more sureties satisfactory to the Board of Directors for the faithful performance of the duties of such office and for the restoration to the corporation in case of such officer’s death, resignation, retirement or removal from office, of all books, papers, vouchers, money and other property of whatever kind in his possession or under such officer’s control belonging to the corporation.
ARTICLE VIII.
CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES
Section 1.The shares of the corporation shall be represented by a certificate or shall be uncertificated. If shares are certificated, certificates shall be signed by, or in the name of the corporation by, the chairman of the Board of Directors, or the president or a vice-president, and by the treasurer or an assistant treasurer, or the secretary or an assistant secretary of the corporation.
Section 2. Any of or all the signatures on a certificate 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, it may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if he were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
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Section 3.The Board of Directors may direct a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates or uncertificated shares, the Board of Directors may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or to give the corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
Section 4.Upon surrender to the corporation or the transfer agent of the corporation of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books. Upon receipt of proper transfer instructions from the registered owner of uncertificated shares such uncertificated shares shall be canceled and issuance of new equivalent uncertificated shares or certificated shares shall be made to the person entitled thereto and the transaction shall be recorded upon the books of the corporation.
ARTICLE IX.
RECORD DATE
Section 1.In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty days prior to any other action. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stock holders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting: provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
Section 2.The corporation shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends, and to vote as such owner, and to hold liable for calls and assessments a person registered on its books as the owner of shares, and shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
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ARTICLE X.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1.Dividends. Dividends upon the capital stock of the corporation, subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, if any, may be declared by the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting, pursuant to law. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property, or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of the certificate of incorporation. Before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any funds of the corporation available for dividends such sum or sums as the directors from time to time, in their absolute discretion, think proper as a reserve or reserves to meet contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for repairing or maintaining any property of the corporation, or for such other purpose as the directors shall think conducive to the interest of the corporation, and the directors may modify or abolish any such reserve in the manner in which it was created.
Section 2.Annual Statement. The Board of Directors shall present at each annual meeting, and at any special meeting of the stockholders when called for by vote of the stockholders, a full and clear statement of the business and condition of the corporation.
Section 3.Checks. All checks or demands for money and notes of the corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.
Section 4.Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be the calendar year.
Section 5.Seal. The corporation shall have no seal.
Section 6.Amendments. These bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed or new bylaws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board of Directors, when such power is conferred upon the Board of Directors by the certificate of incorporation, at any regular meeting of the stockholders or of the Board of Directors or at any special meeting of the stockholders or of the Board of Directors if notice of such alteration, amendment, repeal or adoption of new bylaws be contained in the notice of such special meeting. If the power to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws is conferred upon the Board of Directors by the certificate of incorporation it shall not divest or limit the power of the stockholders to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws.
ARTICLE XI.
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1.The corporation shall indemnify its officers, directors, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware.
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