The owner of shares of a state bank which were voted against a merger to result in a state bank, or against the conversion of a state bank into a national bank, shall be entitled to receive their value in cash, if and when the merger or conversion becomes effective, upon written demand made to the resulting state or national bank at any time within thirty days after the effective date of the merger or conversion, accompanied by the surrender of the stock certificates. The value of such shares shall be determined, as of the date of the shareholders' meeting approving the merger or conversion, 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 resulting state or national bank, and the third by the two so chosen. The valuation agreed upon by any two appraisers shall govern. If the appraisal is not completed within ninety days after the merger or conversion becomes effective, the director shall cause an appraisal to be made.

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 resulting bank shall bear the cost of its appraisal and one-half of 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 resulting bank, with the dissenting shareholders sharing their half of the cost on a pro rata basis based on the number of dissenting shares owned.

The resulting state or national bank may fix an amount which it considers to be not more than the fair market value of the shares of a merging or the converting bank at the time of the stockholders' meeting approving the merger or conversion, which it will pay dissenting shareholders of the bank entitled to payment in cash. The amount due under such accepted offer or under the appraisal shall constitute a debt of the resulting state or national bank.

Reviser's note: This section was amended by 1994 c 92 § 146 and by 1994 c 256 § 58, each without reference to the other. Both amendments are incorporated in the publication of this section pursuant to RCW 1.12.025(2). For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).

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