AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
Of
FRANKLIN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRUST
a Massachusetts Business Trust
Dated: October 21, 1988
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FRANKLIN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
ARTICLE I Name and Definitions
1. Name
2. Definitions
(a) Trust
(b) Trust Property
(c) Trustees
(d) Shares
(e) Shareholder
(f) Person
(g) 1940 Act
(h) Commission and Principal Underwriter
(i) Declaration of Trust
(j) By-Laws
(k) Interested Person
(1) Investment Manager
(m) Series Company
(n) Series
ARTICLE II Purpose of Trust
ARTICLE III Shares
1. Division of Beneficial Interest
2. Ownership of Shares
3. Investments in the Trust
4. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability
5. Power of Board of Trustees to Change Provisions Relating to Shares
6. Establishment and resignation
(a) Assets Belonging to Series
(b) Liabilities Belonging to Series
(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and Repurchases
(d) Voting
(e) Equality
(f) Fractions
(g) Exchange Privilege
(h) Combination of Series
(i) Elimination of Series
7. Indemnification of Shareholders
ARTICLE IV The Trustees
1. Number, Election and Tenure
2. Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee
3. Powers
4. Payment of Expenses by the Trust
5. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders
6. Ownership of Assets of the Trust
7. Service Contracts
ARTICLE V Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
1. Voting Powers
2. Voting Power and Meetings
3. Quorum and Required Vote
4. Action by Written Consent
5. Record Dates
6. Additional Provisions
ARTICLE VI Net Asset Value, Distributions, and Redemptions
1. Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income and Distributions
2. Redemptions and Repurchases
3. Redemptions at the Option of Trust
ARTICLE VII Compensation and Limitation of
Liability of Trustees
1. Compensation
2. Limitation of Liability
3. Indemnification
ARTICLE VIII Miscellaneous
1. Trustees, Shareholders, etc. Not Personally Liable; Notice
2. Trustee's Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety
3. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees
4. Termination of Trust or Series
5. Merger and Consolidation
6. Filing of Copies, References, Headings
7. Applicable Law
8. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations
9. Amendments
▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇ Only
11.Use of the Name "Franklin"
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
FRANKLIN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRUST
THIS AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST is made and entered into as of
this 21st day of October, 1988 by the Trustees named hereunder.
WHEREAS the Trustees desire and have agreed to manage all property coming
into their hands as trustees of a Massachusetts business trust in accordance
with the provisions hereinafter set forth,
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby direct that this Agreement and
Declaration of Trust be filed with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and do hereby declare that they will hold all cash, securities and
other assets, which they may from time to time acquire in any manner as Trustees
hereunder, IN TRUST, and manage and dispose of the same upon the following terms
and conditions for the pro rata benefit of the holders of Shares in this Trust.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
Section 1. Name. This Trust shall be known as the FRANKLIN GOVERNMENT
SECURITIES TRUST and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under
that name or any other name as they may from time to time determine.
Section 2. Definitions. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by
the context or specifically provided:
(a) The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust established by
this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time;
(b) The "Trust Property" means any and all property, real or personal,
tangible or intangible, which is owned or held by or for the account of the
Trust or the Trustees.
(c) "Trustees" refers to the persons who have signed this Agreement and
Declaration of Trust, so long as they continue in office in accordance with the
terms hereof, and all other persons who may from time to time be duly elected or
appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees in accordance with the provisions
hereof, and reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such
person or persons in their capacity as trustees hereunder;
(d) "Shares" means the shares of beneficial interest into which the
beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time and includes
fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares;
(e) "Shareholder" means a record owner of outstanding Shares;
(f) "Person" means and includes individuals, corporations, partnerships,
trusts, associations, joint ventures and other entities, whether or not legal
entities, and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof,
whether domestic or foreign;
(g) The "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(h) The terms "Commission" and "Principal Underwriter" shall have the
meanings given them in the 1940 Act;
(i) "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of
Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;
(j) "By-Laws" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time to
time;
(k) The term "Interested Person" has the meaning given it in Section
2(a)(19) of the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
(1) "Investment Manager" means a party furnishing services to the Trust
pursuant to any contract described in Article IV, Section 7(a) hereof.
(m) "Series Company" refers to the form of registered open-end investment
company described in Section 18(f)(2) of the 1940 Act or in any successor
statutory provision; and
(n) "Series" refers to each Series of Shares established and designated
under or in accordance with the provisions of Article III.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to conduct, operate and carry on the business
of a managed investment company registered under the 1940 Act through one or
more portfolios invested primarily in securities.
ARTICLE III
Shares
Section 1. Division of Beneficial Interest. The beneficial interest in the
Trust shall at all times be divided into an unlimited number of Shares, with a
par value of $ .01 per Share. The Trustees may authorize the division of Shares
into separate Series, and the different Series shall be established and
designated, and the variations in the relative rights and preferences as between
the different Series shall be fixed and determined, by the Trustees. If no
Series shall be established, the Shares shall have the rights and preferences
provided for herein or in Article III, Section 6 hereof to the extent relevant
and not otherwise provided for herein.
Subject to the provisions of Section 6 of this Article III, each Share
shall have voting rights as provided in Article V hereof, and holders of the
Shares of any Series shall be entitled to receive dividends, when and as
declared with respect thereto in the manner provided in Article VI, Section 1
hereof. No Shares shall have any priority or preference over any other Share of
the same Series with respect to dividends or distributions upon termination of
the Trust or of such Series made pursuant to Article VIII, Section 4 hereof. All
dividends and distributions shall be made ratably among all Shareholders of a
particular Series from the assets belonging to such Series according to the
number of Shares of such Series held of record by such Shareholder on the record
date for any dividend or distribution or on the date of termination, as the case
may be. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any
additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust or any Series. The
Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares of any particular
Series into a greater or lesser number of Shares of that Series without thereby
changing the proportionate beneficial interest of the Shares of that Series in
the assets belonging to that Series or in any way affecting the rights of Shares
of any other Series.
Section 2. Ownership of Shares. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded
on the books of the Trust or a transfer or similar agent for the Trust, which
books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of each Series. No
certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the
Board of Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may
make such rules as they consider appropriate for the transfer of Shares of each
Series and similar matters. The record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust
or any transfer or similar agent, as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to
who are the Shareholders of each Series and as to the number of Shares of each
Series held from time to time by each.
Section 3. Investments in the Trust. The Trustees may accept
investments in the Trust from such Persons, at such times, on such terms, and
for such consideration as they from time to time authorize.
Section 4. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability. Shares
shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided in this
instrument. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder shall be
held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to have
become a party hereto. The death of a Shareholder during the existence of the
Trust shall not operate to terminate the Trust, nor entitle the representative
of any deceased Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in court or
elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but entitles such representative
only to the rights of said deceased Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of
Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or to the whole or any
part of the Trust Property or right to call for a partition or division of the
same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership of Shares constitute the
Shareholders as partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer,
employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally any
Shareholders, nor, except as specifically provided herein, to call upon any
Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other
than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay.
Section 5. Power of Board of Trustees to Change Provisions Relating to
Shares. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration of Trust and
without limiting the power of the Board of Trustees to amend the Declaration of
Trust as provided elsewhere herein, the Board of Trustees shall have the power
to amend this Declaration of Trust, at any time and from time to time, in such
manner as the Board of Trustees may determine in their sole discretion, without
the need for Shareholder action, so as to add to, delete, replace or otherwise
modify any provisions relating to the Shares contained in this Declaration of
Trust, provided that before adopting any such amendment without Shareholder
approval the Board of Trustees shall determine that it is consistent with the
fair and equitable treatment of all Shareholders or that Shareholder approval is
not otherwise required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Board of Trustees
may, for the above-stated purposes, amend the Declaration of Trust to amend any
of the provisions set forth in paragraphs (a) through (i) of Section 6 of this
Article III.
Section 6. Establishment and Designation of Series. The establishment and
designation of any Series of Shares shall be effective upon the resolution by a
majority of the then Trustees, setting forth such establishment and designation
and the relative rights and preferences of such Series, or as otherwise provided
in such resolution.
Shares of each Series established pursuant to this Section 6, unless
otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such Series, shall have the
following relative rights and preferences:
(a) Assets Belonging to Series. All consideration received by the Trust
for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series, together with all assets
in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings,
profits, and proceeds thereof from whatever source derived, including, without
limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such
assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds
in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to that Series for
all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors, and shall be so recorded
upon the books of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income,
earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including,
without limitation, any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation
of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such
proceeds, in whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as "assets
belonging to" that Series. In the event that there are any assets, income,
earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular Series (collectively "General
Assets"), the Trustees shall allocate such General Assets to, between or among
any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as they, in their
sole discretion, deem fair and equitable, and any General Asset so allocated to
a particular Series shall belong to that Series. Each such allocation by the
Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for
all purposes.
(b) Liabilities Belonging to Series. The assets belonging to each
particular Series shall be charged with the liabilities of the Trust in respect
to that Series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to
that Series, and any general liabilities of the Trust which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular Series shall be allocated and
charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the Series in such
manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and
equitable. The liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves so charged to
a Series are herein referred to as "liabilities belonging to" that Series. Each
allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the Trustees
shall be conclusive and binding upon the holders of all Series for all purposes.
Under no circumstances shall the assets allocated or belonging to any particular
Series be charged with liabilities attributable to any other Series. All Persons
who have extended credit which has been allocated to a particular Series, or who
have a claim or contract which has been allocated to any particular Series,
shall look only to the assets of that particular Series for payment of such
credit, claim, or contract.
(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and
Repurchases. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this
Declaration of Trust, including, without limitation, Article VI, no dividend or
distribution (including, without limitation, any distribution paid upon
termination of the Trust or of any Series) with respect to, nor any redemption
or repurchase of, the Shares of any Series shall be effected by the Trust other
than from the assets belonging to such Series, nor, except as specifically
provided in Section 7 of this Article III, shall any Shareholder of any
particular Series otherwise have any right or claim against the assets belonging
to any other Series except to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right
or claim hereunder as a Shareholder of such other Series. The Trustees shall
have full discretion, to the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, to
determine which items shall be treated as income and which items as capital; and
each such determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the
Shareholders.
(d) Voting. All Shares of the Trust entitled to vote on a matter shall
vote separately by Series. That is, the Shareholders of each Series shall have
the right to approve or disapprove matters affecting the Trust and each
respective Series as if the Series were separate companies. There are, however,
two exceptions to voting by separate Series. First, if the 1940 Act requires all
Shares of the Trust to be voted in the aggregate without differentiation between
the separate Series, then all the Trust's Shares shall be entitled to vote on a
one-vote-per-Share basis. Second, if any matter affects only the interests of
some but not all Series, then only the Shareholders of such affected Series
shall be entitled to vote on the matter.
(e) Equality. All the Shares of each particular Series shall represent an
equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to that Series (subject to
the liabilities belonging to that Series), and each Share of any particular
Series shall be equal to each other Share of that Series.
(f) Fractions. Any fractional Share of a Series shall carry
proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole share of that Series,
including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and distributions,
redemption of Shares and termination of the Trust.
(g) Exchange Privilege. The Trustees shall have the authority to provide
that the holders of Shares of any Series shall have the right to exchange said
Shares for Shares of one or more other Series of Shares in accordance with such
requirements and procedures as may be established by the Trustees.
(h) Combination of Series. The Trustees shall have the authority, without
the approval of the Shareholders of any Series unless otherwise required by
applicable law, to combine the assets and liabilities belonging to any two or
more Series into assets and liabilities belonging to a single Series.
(i) Elimination of Series. At any time that there are no Shares
outstanding of any particular Series previously established and designated, the
Trustees may by resolution of a majority of the then Trustees abolish that
Series and rescind the establishment and designation thereof.
Section 7. Indemnification of Shareholders. In case any Shareholder or
former Shareholder shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his
or her being or having been a Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or
omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or
his or her heirs, executors, administrators, or other legal representatives or
in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general
successor) shall be entitled out of the assets of the Trust to be held harmless
from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability.
ARTICLE IV
The Board of Trustees
Section 1. Number, Election and Tenure. The number of Trustees
constituting the Board of Trustees shall be fixed from time to time by a written
instrument signed or by resolution approved at a duly constituted meeting by a
majority of the Board of Trustees, provided, however, that the number of
Trustees shall in no event be less than one nor more than 15. The Board of
Trustees, by action of a majority of the then Trustees at a duly constituted
meeting, may fill vacancies in the Board of Trustees or remove Trustees with or
without cause. Each Trustee shall serve during the continued lifetime of the
Trust until he dies, resigns, is declared bankrupt or incompetent by a court of
appropriate jurisdiction, or is removed, or, if sooner, until the next meeting
of Shareholders called for the purpose of electing Trustees and until the
election and qualification of his successor. Any Trustee may resign at any time
by written instrument signed by him and delivered to any officer of the Trust 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 Trustee resigning
and no Trustee removed shall have any right to any compensation for any period
following his resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such
removal. The Shareholders may fix the number of Trustees and elect Trustees at
any meeting of Shareholders called by the Trustees for that purpose.
Section 2. Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee. The death,
declination, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of one or more
Trustees, or all of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any
existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust.
Whenever a vacancy in the Board of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is
filled as provided in Article IV, Section 1, the Trustees in office, regardless
of their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall
discharge all the duties imposed upon the Trustees by this Declaration of Trust.
As conclusive evidence of such vacancy, a written instrument certifying the
existence of such vacancy may be executed by an officer of the Trust or by a
majority of the Board of Trustees. In the event of the death, declination,
resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of all the then Trustees within
a short period of time and without the opportunity for at least one Trustee
being able to appoint additional Trustees to fill vacancies, the Trust's
investment adviser or investment advisers jointly, if there is more than one,
are empowered to appoint new Trustees subject to the provisions of Section i6(a)
of the 1940 Act.
Section 3. Powers. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust,
the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Board of Trustees, and such
Board shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that
responsibility including the power to engage in securities transactions of all
kinds on behalf of the Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may
adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration of Trust providing for the
regulation and management of the affairs of the Trust and may amend and repeal
them to the extent that such By-Laws do not reserve that right to the
Shareholders; fill vacancies in or remove from their number, and may elect and
remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as they consider
appropriate; appoint from their own number and establish and terminate one or
more committees consisting of two or more Trustees which may exercise the powers
and authority of the Board of Trustees to the extent that the Trustees
determine; employ one or more custodians of the assets of the Trust and may
authorize such custodians to employ subcustodians and to deposit all or any part
of such assets in a system or systems for the central handling of securities or
with a Federal Reserve Bank, retain a transfer agent or a shareholder servicing
agent, or both; provide for the issuance and distribution of Shares by the Trust
directly or through one or more Principal Underwriters or otherwise; redeem,
repurchase and transfer Shares pursuant to applicable law; set record dates for
the determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters; declare and
pay dividends and distributions to Shareholders of each Series from the assets
of such Series; and in general delegate such authority as they consider
desirable to any officer of the Trust, to any committee of the Trustees and to
any agent or employee of the Trust or to any such custodian, transfer or
shareholder servicing agent, or Principal Underwriter. Any determination as to
what is in the interests of the Trust made by the Trustees in good faith shall
be conclusive. In construing the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the
presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Board of Trustees shall have power and
authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, to hold cash uninvested, and to subscribe
for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, pledge,
sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute, write options on, lend or
otherwise deal in or dispose of contracts for the future acquisition or delivery
of fixed income or other securities, and securities of every nature and kind,
including, without limitation, all types of bonds, debentures, stocks,
negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, obligations, evidences of
indebtedness, certificates of deposit or indebtedness, commercial paper,
repurchase agreements, bankers' acceptances, and other securities of any kind,
issued, created, guaranteed, or sponsored by any and all Persons, including,
without limitation, states, territories, and possessions of the United States
and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision, agency, or
instrumentality thereof, any foreign government or any political subdivision of
the U.S. Government or any foreign government, or any international
instrumentality, or by any bank or savings institution, or by any corporation or
organization organized under the laws of the United States or of any state,
territory, or possession thereof, or by any corporation or organization
organized under any foreign law, or in "when issued" contracts for any such
securities, to change the investments of the assets of the Trust; and to
exercise any and all rights, powers, and privileges of ownership or interest in
respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description,
including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with
respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons, to exercise any of
said rights, powers, and privileges in respect of any of said instruments;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, lease, or
write options with respect to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating
to any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(c) To vote, or give assent, or exercise any rights of ownership, with
respect to stock or other securities or property; and to execute and deliver
proxies or powers of attorney to such person or persons as the Trustees shall
deem proper, granting to such person or persons such power and discretion with
relation to securities or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) To exercise powers and right of subscription or otherwise which in any
manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(e) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any trust,
whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its own name or
in the name of a custodian or subcustodian or a nominee or nominees or
otherwise;
(f) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization,
consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any security which is
held in the Trust; to consent to any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase or sale
of property by such corporation or issuer; and to pay calls or subscriptions
with respect to any security held in the Trust;
(g) To join with other security holders in acting through a committee,
depository, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any
security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depository or
trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any
security (whether or not so deposited or transferred) as the Trustees shall deem
proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay, such portion of the expenses and
compensation of such committee, depository or trustee as the Trustees shall deem
proper;
(h) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in favor of or
against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including but not limited to
claims for taxes;
(i) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and any
other combinations or associations;
(j) To borrow funds or other property in the name of the Trust exclusively
for Trust purposes;
(k) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other obligations
of any Person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or otherwise assume
liability for payment thereof;
(1) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust Property such insurance
as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business,
including, without limitation, insurance policies insuring the assets of the
Trust or payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio investments,
and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees,
agents, investment advisers, principal underwriters, or independent contractors
Of the Trust, individually against all claims and liabilities of every nature
arising by reason of holding, being or having held any such office or position,
or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such
Person as Trustee, officer, employee, agent, investment adviser, principal
underwriter, or independent contractor, including any action taken or omitted
that may be determined to constitute negligence, whether or not the Trust would
have the power to indemnify such Person against liability; and
(m) To adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing, share
bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and
benefit plans, trusts and provisions, including the purchasing of life insurance
and annuity contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other
benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the
Trust.
The Trustees shall not be limited to investing in obligations maturing
before the possible termination of the Trust or one or more of its Series. The
Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or future law
or custom in regard to investment by fiduciaries. The Trustees shall not be
required to obtain any court order to deal with any assets of the Trust or take
shy other action hereunder.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses by the Trust. The Trustees are authorized
to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the Trust, or
partly out of the principal and partly out of income, as they deem fair, all
expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in connection
with the Trust, or in connection with the management thereof, including, but not
limited to, the Trustees' compensation and such expenses and charges for the
services of the Trust's officers, employees, investment adviser or manager,
principal underwriter, auditors, counsel, custodian, transfer agent, Shareholder
servicing agent, and such other agents or independent contractors and such other
expenses and charges as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur.
Section 5. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. The Trustees shall have
the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder, or
each Shareholder of any particular Series, to pay directly, in advance or
arrears, for charges of the Trust's custodian or transfer, Shareholder servicing
or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to time by the Trustees, by setting
off such charges due from such Shareholder from declared but unpaid dividends
owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the number of shares in the account of
such Shareholder by that number of full and/or fractional Shares which
represents the outstanding amount of such charges due from such Shareholder.
Section 6. Ownership of Assets of the Trust. Title to all of the assets of
the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees as joint
tenants except that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any
Trust Property to be held by or in the name of one or more of the Trustees, or
in the name of the Trust, or in the name of any other Person as nominee, on such
terms as the Trustees may determine. The right, title and interest of the
Trustees in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in each Person who may
hereafter become a Trustee. Upon the resignation, removal or death of a Trustee
he shall automatically cease to have any right, title or interest in any of the
Trust Property, and the right, title and interest of such Trustee in the Trust
Property shall vest automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and
cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have
been executed and delivered.
Section 7. Service Contracts.
(a) Subject to such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in
the By-Laws, the Trustees may, at any time and from time to time, contract for
exclusive or nonexclusive advisory, management and/or administrative services
for the Trust or for any Series with any corporation, trust, association or
other organization; and any such contract may contain such other terms as the
Trustees may determine, including without limitation, authority for the
Investment Manager, Investment Adviser or Administrator to determine from time
to time without prior consultation with the Trustees what investments shall be
purchased, held, sold or exchanged and what portion, if any, of the assets of
the Trust shall be held uninvested and to make changes in the Trust's
investments, or such other activities as may specifically be delegated to such
party.
(b) The Trustees may also, at any time and from time to time, contract
with any corporation, trust, association or other organization, appointing it
exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or Principal Underwriter for the Shares of
one or more of the Series. Every such contract shall comply with such
requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the By-Laws; and any such
contract may contain such other terms as the Trustees may determine.
(c) The Trustees are also empowered, at any time and from time to time, to
contract with any corporations, trusts, associations or other organizations,
appointing it or them the custodian, transfer agent and/or shareholder servicing
agent for the Trust or one or more of its Series. Every such contract shall
comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the
By-Laws or stipulated by resolution of the Trustees.
(d) The Trustees are further empowered, at any time and from time to time,
to contract with any entity to provide such other services to the Trust or one
or more of the Series, as the Trustees determine to be in the best interests of
the Trust and the applicable Series.
(e) The fact that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees, or officers of the Trust is a
shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, manager,
adviser, principal underwriter, distributor, or affiliate or agent of or
for any corporation, trust, association, or other organization, or for any
parent or affiliate of any organization with which an advisory, management
or administration contract, or principal underwriter's or distributor's
contract, or transfer, shareholder servicing or other type of service
contract may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such
organization, or any parent or affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder or has
an interest in the Trust, or that
(ii) any corporation, trust, association or other organization with
which an advisory, management or administration contract or principal
underwriter's or distributor's contract, or transfer, shareholder
servicing or other type of service contract may have been or may hereafter
be made also has an advisory, management or administration contract, or
principal underwriter's or distributor's contract, or transfer,
shareholder servicing or other service contract with one or more other
corporations, trust, associations, or other organizations, or has other
business or interests,
shall not affect the validity of any such contract or disqualify any
Shareholder, Trustee or officer of the Trust from voting upon or executing the
same, or create any liability or accountability to the Trust or its
Shareholders, provided approval of each such contract is made pursuant to the
requirements of the 1940 Act.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
Section 1. Voting Powers. Subject to the provisions of Article III,
Section 6(d), the Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the
election of Trustees as provided in Article IV, Section 1, (ii) to the same
extent as the stockholders of a Massachusetts business corporation as to whether
or not a court action, proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or
maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the
Shareholders, (iii) with respect to the termination of the Trust or any Series
to the extent and as provided in Article VIII, Section 4, and (iv) with respect
to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by this
Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws or any registration of the Trust with the
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. 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 is 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. At any time when no Shares of a
Series are outstanding, the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders of
that Series with respect to matters affecting that Series, take any action
required by law, this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, to be taken by the
Shareholders.
Section 2. Voting Power and Meetings. Meetings of the Shareholders may be
called by the Trustees for the purpose of electing Trustees as provided in
Article IV, Section 1 and for such other purposes as may be prescribed by law,
by this Declaration of Trust or by the By-Laws. Meetings of the Shareholders may
also be called by the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of taking
action upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or
desirable. A meeting of Shareholders may be held at any place designated by the
Trustees. Written notice of any meeting of Shareholders shall be given or caused
to be given by the Trustees by mailing such notice at least seven (7) days
before such meeting, postage prepaid, stating the time and place of the meeting,
to each Shareholder at the Shareholder's address as it appears on the records of
the Trust. Whenever notice of a meeting is required to be given to a Shareholder
under this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, a written waiver thereof,
executed before or after the meeting by such Shareholder or his attorney
thereunto authorized and filed with the records of the meeting, shall be deemed
equivalent to such notice.
Section 3. Quorum and Required Vote. Except when a larger quorum is
required by applicable law, by the By-Laws or by this Declaration of Trust,
forty percent (40%) of the Shares entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at
a Shareholders' meeting. When any one or more Series is to vote as a single
class separate from any other Shares which are to vote on the same matters as a
separate class or classes, forty percent (40%) of the Shares of each such Series
entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholder's meeting of that
Series. Any meeting of Shareholders may be adjourned from time to time by a
majority of the votes properly cast upon the question of adjourning a meeting to
another date and time, whether or not a quorum is present, and the meeting may
be held as adjourned within a reasonable time after the date set for the
original meeting without further notice. Subject to the provisions of Article
III, Section 6(d), when a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority of the
Shares voted shall decide any questions and a plurality shall elect a Trustee,
except when a larger vote is required by any provision of this Declaration of
Trust or the By-Laws or by applicable law.
Section 4. Action by, Written Consent. Any action taken by Shareholders
may be taken without a meeting if Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares
entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be
required by any express provision of this Declaration of Trust or by the
By-Laws) and holding a majority (or such larger proportion as aforesaid) of the
Shares of any Series entitled to vote separately on the matter 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.
Section 5. Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders
of any Series who are entitled to vote or act at any meeting or any adjournment
thereof, the Trustees may from time to time fix a time, which shall be not more
than ninety (90) days before the date of any meeting of Shareholders, as the
record date for determining the Shareholders of such Series having the right to
notice of and to vote at such meeting and any adjournment thereof, and in such
case only Shareholders of record on such record date shall have such right,
notwithstanding any transfer of shares on the books of the Trust after the
record date. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders of any Series who
are entitled to receive payment of any dividend or of any other distribution,
the Trustees may from time to time fix a date, which shall be before the date
for the payment of such dividend or such other payment, as the record date for
determining the Shareholders of such Series having the right to receive such
dividend or distribution. Without fixing a record date the Trustees may for
voting and/or distribution purposes close the register or transfer books for one
or more Series for all or any part of the period between a record date and a
meeting of Shareholders or the payment of a distribution. Nothing in this
Section shall be construed as precluding the Trustees from setting different
record dates for different Series.
Section 6. Additional Provisions. The By-Laws may include further
provisions for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters.
ARTICLE VI
Net Asset Value, Distributions, and Redemptions
Section 1. Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and
Distributions. Subject to Article III, Section 6 hereof, the Trustees, in their
absolute discretion, may prescribe and shall set forth in the By-laws or in a
duly adopted vote of the Trustees such bases and time for determining the per
Share or net asset value of the Shares of any Series or net income attributable
to the Shares of any Series, or the declaration and payment of dividends and
distributions on the Shares of any Series, as they may deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 2. Redemptions and Repurchases. The Trust shall purchase such
Shares as are offered by any Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation
of a proper instrument of transfer together with a request directed to the Trust
or a Person designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such Shares or in
accordance with such other procedures for redemption as the Trustees may from
time to time authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the net asset value
thereof, in accordance with the By-Laws and applicable law. Payment for said
Shares shall be made by the Trust to the Shareholder within seven days after
the. date on which the request is made in proper form. The obligation set forth
in this Section 2 is subject to the provision that in the event that any time
the New York Stock Exchange is closed for other than weekends or holidays, or if
permitted by the Rules of the Commission during periods when trading on the
Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it impracticable for
the Trust to dispose of the investments of the applicable Series or to determine
fairly the value of the net assets belonging to such Series or during any other
period permitted by order of the Commission for the protection of investors,
such obligations may be suspended or postponed by the Trustees.
The redemption price may in any case or cases be paid wholly or partly in
kind if the Trustees determine that such payment is advisable in the interest of
the remaining Shareholders of the Series-for which the Shares are being
redeemed. Subject to the foregoing, the fair value, selection and quantity of
securities or other property so paid or delivered as all or part of the
redemption price may be determined by or under authority of the Trustees. In no
case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of any corporation or other Person
in transferring securities selected for delivery as all or part of any payment
in kind.
Section 3. Redemptions at the Option of the Trust. The Trust shall have
the right at its option and at any time to redeem Shares of any Shareholder at
the net asset value thereof as described in Section 1 of this Article VI: (i) if
at such time such Shareholder owns Shares of any Series having an aggregate net
asset value of less than an amount determined from time to time by the Trustees
prior to the acquisition of said Shares; or (ii) to the extent that such
Shareholder owns Shares of a particular Series equal to or in excess of a
percentage of the outstanding Shares of that Series determined from time to time
by the Trustees; or (iii) to the extent that such Shareholder owns Shares equal
to or in excess of a percentage, determined from time to time by the Trustees,
of the outstanding Shares of the Trust or of any Series.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees
Section 1. Compensation. The Trustees as. such shall be entitled to
reasonable compensation from the Trust, and they may fix the amount of such
compensation. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any
Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other
services and payment for the same by the Trust.
Section 2. Limitation of Liability. The Trustees shall not be responsible
or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any officer, agent,
employee, manager or Principal Underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee
be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee, but nothing herein
contained shall protect any Trustee against any liability to which he would
otherwise be subject by reason of wilful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his
office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and
every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of
the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be
conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with
respect to their or his capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or
Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
Section 3. Indemnification. The Trustees shall be entitled and empowered
to the fullest extent permitted by law to purchase with Trust assets insurance
for and to provide by resolution or in the By-Laws for indemnification out of
Trust assets for liability and for all expenses reasonably incurred or paid or
expected to be paid by a Trustee or officer in connection with any claim,
action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved by virtue of his
capacity or former capacity with the Trust. The provisions, including any
exceptions and limitations concerning indemnification, may be set forth in
detail in the By-Laws or in a resolution of the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
Section 1. Trustees, Shareholders, etc. Not Personally Liable; Notice. All
Persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the
Trust or any Series shall look only to the assets of the Trust, or, to the
extent that the liability of the Trust may have been expressly limited by
contract to the assets of a particular Series, only to the assets belonging to
the relevant Series, for payment under such credit, contract or claim; and
neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's officers,
employees or agents, whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable
therefor. Nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall protect any Trustee against
any liability to which such Trustee would otherwise be subject by reason of
wilful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or
issued on behalf of the Trust by the Board of Trustees, by any officers or
officer or otherwise may include a notice that this Declaration of Trust is on
file with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and may recite that
the note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate, or undertaking was executed
or made by or on behalf of the Trust or by them as Trustee or Trustees or as
officers or officer or otherwise and not individually and that the obligations
of such instrument are not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders
individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust or
upon the assets belonging to the Series for the benefit of which the Trustees
have caused the note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking to
be made or issued, and may contain such further recital as he or they may deem
appropriate, but the omission of any such recital shall not operate to bind any
Trustee or Trustees or officer or officers or Shareholders or any other person
individually.
Section 2. Trustee's Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, .No Bond or Surety.
The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder shall be
binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable solely for his own
wilful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable
for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees may take advice
of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this
Declaration of Trust, and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in
accordance with such advice nor for failing to follow such advice. The Trustees
shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is
required.
Section 3. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees. No Person
dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the
validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the
application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon
its order.
Section 4. Termination of Trust or Series. Unless terminated as provided
herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of time. The Trust may be
terminated at any time by vote of at least two-thirds (66-2/3%) of the Shares of
each Series entitled to vote, voting .separately by Series, or by the Trustees
by written notice to the Shareholders. Any Series may be terminated at any time
by vote of at least two-thirds (66-2/3%) of the Shares of that Series or by the
Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of that Series.
Upon termination of the Trust (or any Series, as the case may be), after
paying or otherwise providing for all charges, taxes, expenses and liabilities
belonging, severally, to each Series (or the applicable Series, as the case may
be), whether due or accrued or anticipated as may be determined by the Trustees,
the Trust shall, in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees consider
appropriate, reduce the remaining assets belonging, severally, to each Series
(or the applicable Series, as the case may be), to distributable form in cash or
shares or other securities, or any combination thereof, and distribute the
proceeds belonging to each Series (or the applicable Series, as the case may
be), to the Shareholders of that Series, as a Series, ratably according to the
number of Shares of that Series held by the several Shareholders on the date of
termination.
Section 5. Merger and Consolidation. The Trustees may cause the Trust or
one or more of its Series to be merged into or consolidated with another Trust
or company or the Shares exchanged under or pursuant to any state or Federal
statute, if any, or otherwise to the extent permitted by law. Such merger or
consolidation or Share exchange must be authorized by vote of a majority of the
outstanding Shares of the Trust, as a whole, or any affected Series, as may be
applicable; provided that in all respects not governed by statute or applicable
law, the Trustees shall have power to prescribe the procedure necessary or
appropriate to accomplish a sale of assets, merger or consolidation.
Section 6. Filing of Copies, References, Headings. The original or a copy
of this instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be kept at the office of
the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. A copy of this
instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be filed by the Trust with the
Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and with any other governmental
office where such filing may from time to time be required. Anyone dealing with
the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as to whether or
not any such amendments have been made and as to any matters in connection with
the Trust hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may
rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this
instrument or of any such amendments. In this instrument and in any such
amendment, references to this instrument, and all expressions like "herein",
"hereof" and "hereunder", shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended
or affected by any such amendments. Headings are placed herein for convenience
of reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect
the meaning, construction or effect of this instrument. Whenever the singular
number is used herein, the same shall include the plural; and the neuter,
masculine and feminine genders shall include each other, as applicable. This
instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be
deemed an original.
Section. 7. Applicable Law. This Agreement and Declaration of Trust is
created under and is to be governed by and construed and administered according
to the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Trust shall be of the type
commonly called a Massachusetts business trust, and without limiting the
provisions hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which are ordinarily
exercised by such a trust.
Section 8. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations.
(a) The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable, and if
the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such
provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or with other applicable laws and
regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted
a part of the Declaration of Trust; provided, however, that such determination
shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration of Trust or
render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such
determination.
(b) If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and
shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any
other provision Of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.
Section 9. Amendments. This Declaration of Trust may be amended at any time
by an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees.
Section 10. Trust Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to create only
the relationship of Trustee and beneficiary between the Trustees and each
Shareholder from time to time. It is not the intention of the Trustees to create
a general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock association,
corporation, bailment, or any form of legal relationship other than a trust.
Nothing in this Agreement and Declaration of Trust shall be construed to make
the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members
of a joint stock association.
Section 11. Use of the Name "Franklin." Franklin Advisers, Inc., as the
proposed Manager of the Trust's assets, has consented to the use by the Trust of
the identifying word "Franklin" as part of the name of the Trust and in the name
of any Series of Shares. Such consent is conditioned upon the employment of the
Manager, or an affiliate of said Company, as Manager of the Trust and said
Series. The name or identifying words "Franklin" or any variation thereof may be
used from time to time in other connections and for other purposes by the
Manager or affiliated entities. The Manager has the right to require the Trust
to cease using "Franklin" in the name of the Trust and in the names of its
Series if the Trust and said Series cease to employ, for any reason, the
Manager, or an affiliate of said Company, as the Manager or adviser of the Trust
or such Series. Future names adopted by the Trust for itself and its Series
shall be the property of the Manager and its affiliates, and the use of such
names shall be subject to the same conditions set forth in this Section insofar
as such name or identifying words require the consent of the Manager.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trustees named below do hereby set their hands as
of the 21st day of October, 1988.
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