BYLAWS
BYLAWS
of
(Dated as of February 14, 2019)
ARTICLE 1
Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Principal Office
1.1.Principal Office of the Trust. The Trust may have one or more principal offices within or outside of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts as the Trustees may determine or as they may authorize.
1.2.Agreement and Declaration of Trust. These Bylaws (the "Bylaws") shall be subject to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended or restated from time to time (the "Declaration of Trust"), of Homestead Funds Trust, the Massachusetts business trust established by the Declaration of Trust (the "Trust"). Capitalized terms used in these Bylaws and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE 2
Meetings of Trustees
2.1.Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held without call or notice at such places and at such times as the Trustees may from time to time determine, provided that notice of the first regular meeting following any such determination shall be given to absent Trustees. A regular meeting of the Trustees may be held without call or notice immediately after and at the same place as any meeting of Shareholders.
2.2.Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Trustees may be held at any time and at any place designated in the call of the meeting when called by the Chairman of the Trustees, the President or the Treasurer or by two or more Trustees, sufficient notice thereof being given to each Trustee by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or by the officer or the Trustees calling the meeting.
2.3.Notice. It shall be sufficient notice to a Trustee of a special meeting to send notice by mail at least forty-eight hours, or by telegram, telex or telecopy or other electronic transmission method at least twenty-four hours before the meeting addressed to the Trustee at his or her usual or last known business or residence address (or facsimile number or e-mail address as the case may be) or to give notice to him or her in person or by telephone, voice-mail or e- mail at least twenty-four hours before the meeting. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Trustee if a written waiver of notice, executed by him or her, before or after the meeting, is filed with the records of the meeting, or to any Trustee who attends the meeting without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to him or her. Neither notice of a meeting nor a waiver of a notice need specify the purposes of the meeting.
2.4.Quorum. At any meeting of the Trustees a majority of the Trustees then in office shall constitute a quorum. Any meeting may be adjourned from time to time by a majority of the
votes cast upon the question, whether or not a quorum is present, and the meeting may be held as adjourned without further notice.
ARTICLE 3
Officers and Chairman of the Trustees
3.1.Enumeration; Qualification. The officers of the Trust shall be a President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a Chief Compliance Officer and such other officers, if any, as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion elect. The Trust may also have such agents as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion appoint. Any officer may but need not be a Trustee or a Shareholder. Any two or more offices may be held by the same person.
3.2.Election. The President, the Treasurer, and the Secretary shall be elected by the Trustees. Other officers, if any, may be elected or appointed by the Trustees at the same meeting at which the President, Treasurer and Secretary are elected, or at any other time. If required by the 1940 Act, the Chief Compliance Officer shall be elected or appointed by a majority of the Trustees, as well as a majority of the Trustees who are not Interested Persons of the Trust (the "Independent Trustees"), and otherwise in accordance with Rule 38a-1 (or any successor rule) under the 1940 Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time ("Rule 38a-1"). Vacancies in any office may be filled at any time.
3.3.Tenure. The Chairman of the Trustees, if one is elected, the President, the Treasurer, the Secretary and the Chief Compliance Officer shall hold office until their respective successors are chosen and qualified, or in each case until he or she sooner dies, resigns, is removed with or without cause or becomes disqualified, provided that, if required by the 1940 Act, any removal of the Chief Compliance Officer shall be in accordance with Rule 38a-1. Each other officer shall hold office and each agent of the Trust shall retain authority at the pleasure of the Trustees.
3.4.Powers. Subject to the other provisions of these Bylaws, each officer shall have, in addition to the duties and powers herein and set forth in the Declaration of Trust, such duties and powers as are commonly incident to the office occupied by him or her as if the Trust were organized as a Massachusetts business corporation and such other duties and powers as the Trustees may from time to time designate.
3.5.Chairman of the Trustees. There may be an office of the Chairman of the Trustees, which shall serve on behalf of the Trustees, but shall not be an officer of the Trust. The office of the Chairman of the Trustees may be held by more than one person. Any Chairman of the Trustees shall be elected by a majority of the Trustees, as well as a majority of the Independent Trustees if required by the 1940 Act. If required by the 1940 Act, any Chairman of the Trustees shall be an Independent Trustee and may, but need not, be a shareholder. The powers and the duties of the Chairman of the Trustees shall include any and all such powers and duties relating to the operations of the Trustees as, from time to time, may be conferred upon or assigned to such office by the Trustees or as may be required by law, provided that the Chairman of the Trustees shall have no individual authority to act for the Trust as an officer of the Trust. In carrying out the responsibilities and duties of the office, the Chairman of the Trustees may seek assistance and input from other Trustees or Committees of the Trustees, officers of the Trust
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and the Trust's investment adviser(s) and other service providers, as deemed necessary or appropriate. The Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees if required by the 1940 Act, may appoint one or more persons to perform the duties of the Chairman of the Trustees, in the event of his or her absence at any meeting or in the event of his or her disability.
3.6.President; Vice President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust. Any Vice President shall have such duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or the President.
3.7.Treasurer; Assistant Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be the chief financial and accounting officer of the Trust, and shall, subject to the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and to any arrangement made by the Trustees with a custodian, investment adviser, sub-adviser or manager, or transfer, shareholder servicing or similar agent, be in charge of the valuable papers, books of account and accounting records of the Trust, and shall have such other duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or by the President. Any Assistant Treasurer shall have such duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or the President.
3.8.Secretary; Assistant Secretary. The Secretary shall record all proceedings of the Shareholders and the Trustees in books to be kept therefor, which books or a copy thereof shall be kept at the principal office of the Trust. In the absence of the Secretary from any meeting of the Shareholders or Trustees, an Assistant Secretary, or if there be none or if he or she is absent, a temporary secretary chosen at such meeting shall record the proceedings thereof in the aforesaid books. Any Assistant Secretary shall have such duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees or the President.
3.9.Chief Compliance Officer. The Chief Compliance Officer shall perform the duties and have the responsibilities of the chief compliance officer of the Trust, including if required by the 1940 Act any such duties and responsibilities imposed by Rule 38a-1, and shall have such other duties and powers as may be designated from time to time by the Trustees.
3.10.Resignations. Any officer may resign at any time by written instrument signed by him or her and delivered to the Chairman of the Trustees, if any, the President or the Secretary, or to a meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless specified to be effective at some other time. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with the Trust, no officer resigning and no officer removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period following his or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such removal.
ARTICLE 4
Committees
4.1.Quorum; Voting. Except as provided below or as otherwise specifically provided in the resolutions constituting a Committee of the Trustees and providing for the conduct of its meetings, a majority of the members of any Committee of the Trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and any action of such a Committee may be taken at a meeting by a vote of a majority of the members present (a quorum being present) or evidenced by one or
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more writings signed by such a majority. Members of a Committee may participate in a meeting of such Committee by means of a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time and participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.
Except as specifically provided in the resolutions constituting a Committee of the Trustees and providing for the conduct of its meetings, Section 2.3 of these Bylaws relating to special meetings of the Trustees shall govern the notice requirements for Committee meetings.
ARTICLE 5
Reports
5.1.General. The Trustees and officers shall render reports at the time and in the manner required by the Declaration of Trust or any applicable law. Officers and Committees shall render such additional reports as they may deem desirable or as may from time to time be required by the Trustees.
ARTICLE 6
Fiscal Year
6.1.General. Except as from time to time otherwise determined by the Trustees, the initial fiscal year of the Trust and each series of the Trust shall end on such date as is determined in advance or in arrears by the Trustees or the Treasurer, and the subsequent fiscal years shall end on such date in subsequent years.
ARTICLE 7
Seal
7.1.General. The seal of the Trust shall, subject to alteration by the Trustees, consist of a flat-faced die with the word "Massachusetts", together with the name of the Trust and the year of its organization cut or engraved thereon; provided, however, that unless otherwise required by the Trustees, the seal shall not be necessary to be placed on, and its absence shall not impair the validity of, any document, instrument or other paper executed and delivered by or on behalf of the Trust.
ARTICLE 8
Execution of Papers
8.1.General. Except as the Trustees may generally or in particular cases authorize the execution thereof in some other manner, all deeds, leases, transfers, contracts, bonds, notes, checks, drafts and other obligations made, accepted or endorsed by the Trust shall be executed by the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or by whomever else shall be designated for that purpose by vote of the Trustees, and need not bear the seal of the Trust.
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ARTICLE 9
Uncertificated Shares and Share Certificates
9.1.Uncertificated Shares; Share Certificates. In lieu of issuing certificates for Shares, the Trustees or the transfer agent may either issue receipts therefor or may keep accounts upon the books of the Trust for the record holders of such Shares, who shall in either case be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be the holders of certificates for such Shares as if they had accepted such certificates and shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof.
The Trustees may at any time, but are not required to, authorize the issuance of share certificates. In that event, each Shareholder shall be entitled to a certificate stating the number of Shares owned by him or her, in such form as shall be prescribed from time to time by the Trustees. Any such certificates shall be signed by the President or any Vice President and by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer. Such signatures may be by facsimile if the certificate is signed by a transfer agent, or by a registrar, other than a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust. In case any officer who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed on such certificate shall cease to be such officer before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Trust with the same effect as if he or she were such officer at the time of its issuance.
9.2.Loss of Certificates. In case of the alleged loss or destruction or the mutilation of a share certificate, a duplicate certificate may be issued in place thereof, upon such terms as the Trustees shall prescribe.
9.3.Issuance of New Certificates to Pledgee. A pledgee of Shares transferred as collateral security shall be entitled to a new certificate if the instrument of transfer substantially describes the debt or duty that is intended to be secured thereby. Such new certificate shall express on its face that it is held as collateral security, and the name of pledgor shall be stated thereon, who alone shall be liable as a Shareholder and entitled to vote thereon.
9.4.Discontinuance of Issuance of Certificates. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article 9, the Trustees may at any time discontinue any issuance of share certificates and may, by written notice to each Shareholder, require the surrender of share certificates to the Trust for cancellation. Such surrender and cancellation shall not affect the ownership of Shares in the Trust.
ARTICLE 10
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
10.1.Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election or removal of Trustees as provided in Article IV of the Declaration of Trust, (ii) with respect to any amendment of the Declaration of Trust to the extent and as provided in Article X, Section 8 of the Declaration of Trust, (iii) with respect to any termination of this Trust to the extent and as provided in Article X, Section 4 of the Declaration of Trust (for the avoidance of any doubt, Shareholders shall have no separate right to vote with respect to the termination of the Trust if the Trustees exercise their right to terminate the Trust pursuant to Article X, Section 4 of the Declaration of Trust), and (iv) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as
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may be required by law, the Declaration of Trust, these Bylaws or any registration of the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or any successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees may consider necessary or desirable. Each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote as to any matter on which it is entitled to vote and each fractional Share shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. On any matter submitted to a vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to vote shall, except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws, be voted in the aggregate as a single class without regard to series or classes of Shares, except that (1) when required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees shall have determined that the matter affects one or more series or classes of Shares materially differently, Shares shall be voted by individual series or class and (2) when the Trustees have determined that the matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes, only Shareholders of such series or classes shall be entitled to vote thereon. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. A proxy with respect to Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. Until Shares of the Trust are issued, the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders and may take any action permitted or required of the Shareholders by law, the Declaration of Trust, these Bylaws, or any registration of the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or any successor agency) or any state. Until Shares of any series or class are issued, the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders of that series or class, respectively, and may take any action permitted or required of the Shareholders of that series or class by law, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, or any registration of the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission (or any successor agency) or any state.
Nothing in these Bylaws or the Declaration of Trust shall restrict the power of the Trustees to terminate any series or class of Shares by written notice to the Shareholders of such series or class, whether or not such Shareholders have voted (or are proposed to vote) with respect to a merger, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar transaction involving such series or class of Shares.
10.2.Voting Power and Meetings. Meetings of the Shareholders may be called by a majority of the Trustees for such purpose as may be prescribed by law, by the Declaration of Trust or by these Bylaws. Meetings of the Shareholders may be called by a majority of the Trustees. Meetings of the Shareholders may also be called by a majority of the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of taking action upon any other matter deemed by them to be necessary or desirable. A meeting of Shareholders may be held at any such time, day and place as is designated by the Trustees. Notice of any meeting of Shareholders, stating the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting, shall be given or caused to be given by a majority of the Trustees at least seven days before such meeting to each Shareholder entitled to vote thereat by leaving such notice with the Shareholder at his or her residence or usual place of business or by mailing such notice, postage prepaid, to the Shareholder's address as it appears on the records of the Trust or by providing notice to such Shareholder by electronic transmission or by any other means permitted by applicable law. Such notice may be given by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary or by any other officer or agent designated for such purpose by the Trustees. Whenever notice of a meeting is required to be given to a Shareholder under the Declaration of
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Trust or these Bylaws, a written waiver thereof, executed before or after the meeting by such Shareholder or his or her attorney thereunto authorized and filed with the records of the meeting, shall be deemed equivalent to such notice. Notice of a meeting need not be given to any Shareholder who attends the meeting without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to such Shareholder. No ballot shall be required for any election unless required by a Shareholder present or represented at the meeting and entitled to vote in such election.
10.3.Quorum and Required Vote. Except when a larger quorum is required by any provision of law or the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, thirty percent (30%) of the Shares entitled to vote on a particular matter shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a Shareholders' meeting, except that where any provision of law or the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws permits or requires that holders of any class or series of Shares shall vote as an individual class or series, then thirty percent (30%) (unless a larger quorum is required as specified above) of Shares of that class or series entitled to vote shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by that class or series. Any lesser number shall be sufficient for adjournments. Any adjourned session or sessions may be held, within a reasonable time after the date set for the original meeting, without the necessity of further notice. Except when a different vote is required by any provision of law or the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, a plurality of the quorum of Shares necessary for the transaction of business at a Shareholders' meeting shall decide any questions and a plurality of Shares voted shall elect a Trustee, provided that where any provision of law or of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws permits or requires that the holders of any class or series of Shares shall vote as an individual class or series, then a plurality of the quorum of Shares of that class or series necessary for the transaction of business by that class or series at a Shareholders' meeting shall decide that matter insofar as that class or series is concerned.
10.4.Action by Written Consent. Any action taken by Shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a majority of Shareholders entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be required by any express provision of law or the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws) consent to the action in writing and such written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Shareholders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.
10.5.Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders who are entitled to vote or act at any meeting or any adjournment thereof, or who are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, the Trustees may from time to time fix a time, which shall be not more than 90 days before the date of any meeting of Shareholders or the date for the payment of any dividend or of any other distribution, as the record date for determining the Shareholders having the right to notice of and to vote at such meeting and any adjournment thereof or the right to receive such dividend or distribution, and in such case only Shareholders of record on such record date shall have the right notwithstanding any transfer of Shares on the books of the Trust after the record date; or without fixing such record date the Trustees may for any of such purposes close the register or transfer books for all or any part of such period.
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ARTICLE 11
Provisions Relating to the Conduct of the Trust's Business
11.1.Forum for Adjudication of Disputes. Unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any Trustee, officer, or other employee of the Trust to the Trust or the Trust's Shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act, Chapter 182 of the Massachusetts General Laws or the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, (iv) any action to interpret, apply, enforce or determine the validity of the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws or any agreement contemplated by any provision of the 1940 Act, the Declaration of Trust or these Bylaws, or (v) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall be within the federal or state courts in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (each, a "Covered Action"). Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in shares of beneficial interest of the Trust shall be (i) deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 11.1, and (ii) deemed to have waived any argument relating to the inconvenience of the forum referenced above in connection with any action or proceeding described in this Section 11.1.
If any Covered Action is filed in a court other than in a federal or state court sitting within The Commonwealth of Massachusetts (a "Foreign Action") in the name of any Shareholder, such Shareholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts in connection with any action brought in any such courts to enforce the first paragraph of this Section 11.1 (an "Enforcement Action") and (ii) having service of process made upon such Shareholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such Shareholder's counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such Shareholder.
If any provision or provisions of this Section 11.1 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision(s) in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Section 11.1 (including, without limitation, each portion of any sentence of this Section 11.1 containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) and the application of such provision to other persons and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
ARTICLE 12
Preferences, Rights and Privileges of the Trust's Classes of Shares
12.1.General. Each class of shares of the Trust or of a particular series of the Trust, as the case may be, will represent interests in the same portfolio of investments of the Trust (or that series) and be identical in all respects, except as set forth below: (a) each class of shares shall be charged with the expense of any Distribution Plan adopted by the Trust pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 with respect to such class of shares, (b) each class of shares will be charged with any incremental shareholder servicing expense attributable solely to such class, as determined by the Trustees, (c) each class of shares shall be charged with any other expenses properly allocated to such class, as determined by the Trust, (d) each class of shares
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shall vote as a separate class on matters which pertain to any Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan pertaining to such class of shares, (e) each class of shares will have only such exchange privileges as may from time to time be described in the Trust's prospectus with respect to such class, (f) each class of shares shall bear such designation as may be approved from time to time by the Trustees and (g) reinvestments of distributions from the Trust paid with respect to the shares of a particular class will be paid in additional shares of such class.
ARTICLE 13
Amendment to the Bylaws
13.1.General. Except to the extent that the Declaration of Trust or applicable law requires a vote or consent of Shareholders or a higher vote or consent by the Trustees, these Bylaws may be amended, changed, altered or repealed, in whole or part, only by resolution of a majority of the Trustees then in office at any meeting of the Trustees, or by one or more writings signed by such Trustees.
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