(1) Any holder of shares of a savings bank shall be entitled to receive the value of these shares, as specified in subsection (2) of this section, if (a) the savings bank is voluntarily liquidating, converting to a savings bank without capital stock, being acquired, merging, or consolidating, (b) the shareholder voted, in person or by proxy, against the liquidation, conversion, acquisition, merger, or consolidation, at a meeting of shareholders called for the purpose of voting on such transaction, and (c) the shareholder delivers a written demand for payment, with the stock certificates, to the savings bank within thirty days after such meeting of shareholders. The value of shares shall be paid in cash, within ten days after the later of the effective date of the transaction or the completion of the appraisal as specified in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) The value of such shares shall be determined as of the close of business on the business day before the shareholders' meeting at which the shareholder dissented, by three appraisers, one to be selected by the owners of two-thirds of the dissenting shares, one by the board of directors of the institution that will survive the transaction, and the third by the two so chosen. The valuation agreed upon by any two appraisers shall govern. If such appraisal is not completed by the later of the effective date of the transaction or the thirty-fifth day after receipt of the written demand and stock certificates, the director shall cause an appraisal to be made.

(3) The dissenting shareholders shall bear, on a pro rata basis based on the number of dissenting shares owned, the cost of their appraisal and one-half of the cost of a third appraisal, and the surviving institution shall bear the cost of its appraisal and one-half the cost of the third appraisal. If the director causes an appraisal to be made, the cost of that appraisal shall be borne equally by the dissenting shareholders and the surviving institution, with the dissenting shareholders sharing their half of the cost on a pro rata basis based on the number of dissenting shares owned.

The institution that is to survive the transaction may fix an amount which it considers to be not more than the fair market value of the shares of a savings bank at the time of the stockholder's meeting approving the transaction, which it will pay dissenting shareholders entitled to payment in cash. The amount due under such accepted offer or under the appraisal shall constitute a debt of the surviving institution.

Findings—Construction—1994 c 256: See RCW 43.320.007.