EX-99.A 2 exa-stf.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

 

DECLARATION OF TRUST

 

OF

 

DWS STATE TAX-FREE INCOME SERIES

 

DATED

 

JUNE 2, 2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I

NAME AND DEFINITIONS

1

 

Section 1.1.

Name

1

 

Section 1.2.

Definitions

1

ARTICLE II

TRUSTEES

3

 

Section 2.1.

General Powers

3

 

Section 2.2.

Certain Specific Powers

4

 

Section 2.3.

Legal Title

6

 

Section 2.4.

Issuance and Repurchase of Shares

6

 

Section 2.5.

Delegation; Committees

6

 

Section 2.6.

Collection and Payment

6

 

Section 2.7.

Expenses

7

 

Section 2.8.

Manner of Acting

7

 

Section 2.9.

By-Laws

7

 

Section 2.10.

Principal Transactions

7

 

Section 2.11.

Number of Trustees

7

 

Section 2.12.

Election and Term

7

 

Section 2.13.

Resignation and Removal

8

 

Section 2.14.

Vacancies

8

ARTICLE III

CONTRACTS

9

 

Section 3.1.

Distribution Contract; Transfer Agent; Shareholder Servicing Agent; Custodian                                                                                                                          9

 

Section 3.2.

Advisory or Management Contract; Administration

9

 

Section 3.3.

Affiliations of Trustees or Officers, Etc

10

 

Section 3.4.

Further Authority of Trustees

10

ARTICLE IV

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS, TRUSTEES AND OTHERS                                                                                                                                           10

 

Section 4.1.

No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, Etc. Generally                                                                                                                           10

 

Section 4.2.

Non-Liability of Trustees, Etc. to Trust or Shareholders

11

 

Section 4.3.

Mandatory Indemnification

11

 

Section 4.4.

No Bond Required of Trustees

13

 

Section 4.5.

No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, Etc                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          13

 

Section 4.6.

Reliance on Experts, Etc

14

 

Section 4.7.

Derivative Actions

14

ARTICLE V

SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

14

 

Section 5.1.

Beneficial Interest

14

 

Section 5.2.

Rights of Shareholders

15

 

Section 5.3.

Trust Only

15

 

Section 5.4.

Issuance of Shares

15

 

Section 5.5.

Ownership of Shares; Small Accounts

15

 

Section 5.6.

Disclosure of Holdings

16

 

Section 5.7.

Notices; Reports

16

 

Section 5.8.

Voting Powers

16

 

Section 5.9.

Meetings of Shareholders; Action by Written Consent

17

 

Section 5.10.

Series

17

 

Section 5.11.

Classes

19

 

Section 5.12.

Establishment and Designation of Series and Classes

19

ARTICLE VI

REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES

20

 

Section 6.1.

Redemption of Shares

20

 

Section 6.2.

Price

20

 

Section 6.3.

Payment

20

 

Section 6.4.

Redemption of Shareholder's Interest

20

 

Section 6.5.

Reductions in Number of Outstanding Shares Pursuant to Net Asset Value Formula                                                                                                                          21

 

Section 6.6.

Suspension of Right of Redemption

21

ARTICLE VII

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE, NET INCOME AND DISTRIBUTIONS                                                                                                                         21

 

Section 7.1.

Determination of Net Asset Value

21

 

Section 7.2.

Distributions to Shareholders

21

 

Section 7.3.

Constant Net Asset Value

22

 

Section 7.4.

Reserves

22

 

Section 7.5.

Determination by Trustees

22

ARTICLE VIII

DURATION; TERMINATION OF TRUST; AMENDMENT; MERGERS, ETC                                                                                                                                                 23

 

Section 8.1.

Duration

23

 

Section 8.2.

Termination of Trust

23

 

Section 8.3.

Amendment Procedure

24

 

Section 8.4.

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

25

ARTICLE IX

MISCELLANEOUS

25

 

Section 9.1.

Filing

25

 

Section 9.2.

Governing Law; Forum Selection

25

 

Section 9.3.

Counterparts and Headings

26

 

Section 9.4.

Reliance by Third Parties

26

 

Section 9.5.

Provisions in Conflict with Law

26

AMENDED AND RESTATED

DECLARATION OF TRUST

OF

DWS STATE TAX-FREE INCOME SERIES

 

DATED: JUNE 2, 2008

 

THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST is made as of this 2nd day of June, 2008 by the Trustees hereunder.

 

WHEREAS,the DWS State Tax-Free Income Series was established pursuant to a Declaration of Trust dated October 24, 1985 (as amended to the date hereof, the “Original Declaration”) for the purposes of carrying on the business of a management investment company;

 

WHEREAS, the Trustees, pursuant to Section 4, Article IX of the Original Declaration, may amend this Declaration with the vote or consent of the Shareholders as required by such Section;

 

WHEREAS, this Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust has been amended in accordance with the provisions of the Original Declaration in effect as of the date hereof;

 

WHEREAS, the Trustees and any successor Trustees elected in accordance with Article II hereof are acquiring and may hereafter acquire assets and properties which they will hold and manage as trustees of a Massachusetts business trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, the Trustees declare that they will hold all cash, securities and other assets and properties, which they may from time to time acquire in any manner as Trustees hereunder, IN TRUST, and that they will manage and dispose of the same upon the following terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders from time to time of shares of beneficial interest in this Trust as hereinafter set forth.

 

 

NAME AND DEFINITIONS

          Name. The name of the trust created hereby is the "DWS State Tax-Free Income Series" 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.

          Definitions. Wherever they are used herein, unless otherwise required by the context or specifically provided, the following terms have the following respective meanings:

 

(a) "By-Laws" means the By-Laws referred to in Section 2.9 hereof, as from time to time amended.

 

(b) "Class" means the two or more Classes as may be established and designated from time to time by the Trustees pursuant to Section 5.12 hereof.

 

(c) The terms "Commission" and "Interested Person" shall have the same meanings given to such terms in the 1940 Act. The term "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" shall have the same meaning given to it in the 1940 Act.

 

(d) "Declaration" means this Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust as further amended from time to time. Reference in this Declaration of Trust to "Declaration," "hereof," "herein," and "hereunder" shall be deemed to refer to this Declaration rather than exclusively to the article or section in which such words appear.

 

(e) "His" shall include the feminine and neuter, as well as the masculine, genders.

 

(f) The "1940 Act"refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (and any successor statute) as the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time, may apply to the Trust or any Series or Class thereof including pursuant to any exemptive or similar relief issued by the Commission or the Staff of the Commission under such Act. In construing the 1940 Act, the Trustees and officers of the Trust may, to the extent deemed appropriate, rely on interpretations of the 1940 Act issued by the Commission or the Staff thereof.

 

(g) "Outstanding Shares" means those Shares shown from time to time on the books of the Trust or its transfer agent as then issued and outstanding, but shall not include Shares which have been redeemed or repurchased by the Trust.

 

(h) "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.

 

(i) "Series" individually or collectively means the two or more Series as may be established and designated from time to time by the Trustees pursuant to Section 5.12 hereof.

 

(j) "Shareholder" means a record owner of Outstanding Shares.

 

(k) "Shares" means the units of interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time, including the Shares of any and all Series and Classes which may be established and designated by the Trustees and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares.

 

(l) The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust established by this Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time.

 

(m) 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.

 

(n) The "Trustees" means at any time the persons who have signed this Declaration, so long as they shall continue in office in accordance with the terms hereof, and all persons who may at that time be duly qualified and serving as Trustees in accordance with the provisions of Article II hereof and reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such person or persons in this capacity or their capacities as Trustees hereunder.

 

 

TRUSTEES

          General Powers. The Trustees shall have exclusive and absolute control over the Trust Property and over the business of the Trust to the same extent as if the Trustees were the sole owners of the Trust Property and business in their own right, but with full powers of delegation except as may otherwise be expressly prohibited by this Declaration. The Trustees shall have power to conduct the business of the Trust and carry on its operations and maintain offices both within and without the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to do all such other things and execute all such instruments as they deem necessary, proper or desirable in order to promote the interests of the Trust. In construing the provisions of this Declaration, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees. Without limiting the foregoing the Trustees shall have power and authority to operate and carry on the business of an investment company and exercise all the powers as are necessary, convenient, appropriate, incidental or customary in connection therewith and may exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised by the trustees of a Massachusetts business trust. The enumeration of any specific power herein shall not be construed as limiting the aforesaid general powers. Such powers of the Trustees may be exercised without order of or resort to any court.

 

The Trustees may construe any of the provisions of this Declaration insofar as the same may appear to be ambiguous or inconsistent with any other provisions hereof, and any such construction hereof by the Trustees in good faith shall be conclusive as to the meaning to be given to such provisions.

 

Any determination made by or pursuant to the direction of the Trustees in good faith and consistent with the provisions of this Declaration shall be final and conclusive and shall be binding upon the Trust, every holder at any time of Shares and any other interested party.

 

 

Certain Specific Powers.

 

(a) Investments.

 

The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by present or future laws, rules, regulations, or customs in regard to trust investments, but shall have full authority and power to make, invest and reinvest in, to buy or otherwise acquire, to hold, for investment or otherwise, to borrow, to sell or otherwise dispose of, to lend or to pledge, to trade in or deal in any and all investments in which they, in their absolute discretion, deem proper to accomplish the purpose of the Trust. In furtherance of, and in no way limiting, the foregoing, the Trustees shall have power and authority:

 

(i) To exercise powers and rights of subscription or otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities;

 

(ii) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating any trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form; or either in their or the Trust's name or in the name of a custodian or a nominee or nominees;

 

(iii) To exercise all rights, powers and privileges of ownership or interest in all securities, repurchase agreements, futures contracts and options and other assets included in the Trust Property, including the right to vote thereon and otherwise act with respect thereto and to do all acts for the preservation, protection, improvement and enhancement in value of all such assets;

 

(iv) To acquire (by purchase, lease or otherwise) and to hold, use, maintain, develop and dispose of (by sale or otherwise) any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, including cash, and any interest therein;

 

(v) To borrow money for any purpose and in this connection issue notes or other evidence of indebtedness; to secure borrowings by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security the Trust Property; to endorse, guarantee, or undertake the performance of any obligation or engagement of any other Person and to lend Trust Property;

 

(vi) To aid by further investment any corporation, company, trust, association or firm, any obligation of or interest in which is included in the Trust Property or in the affairs of which the Trustees have any direct or indirect interest; to do all acts and things designed to protect, preserve, improve or enhance the value of such obligation or interest, and to guarantee or become surety on any or all of the contracts, stocks, bonds, notes, debentures and other obligations of any such corporation, company, trust, association or firm;

 

(vii) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer, any security or property of 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; and

 

(viii) To join with other security holders in acting through a committee, depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depositary 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, depositary or trustee as the Trustees shall deem proper.

 

 

(b) Additional Powers.

 

The Trustees shall have the power:

 

(i) To employ or contract with, or make payments to, such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for the transaction of the business of the Trust;

 

(ii) To enter into joint ventures, partnerships and any other combinations or associations;

 

(iii) To elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents or employees as they consider appropriate;

 

(iv) To purchase, and pay for out of Trust Property, (A) insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment advisers, distributors, administrators, selected dealers or independent contractors of the Trust against all claims arising by reason of holding any such position or by reason of any action taken or omitted by any such Person in such capacity, whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability, (B) insurance for the protection of Trust Property or (C) such other insurance as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable;

 

(v) To establish pension, profit-sharing, share purchase, and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans, including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust;

 

(vi) To the extent permitted by law, to indemnify any person with whom the Trust has dealings, including any investment adviser, distributor, administrator, custodian, transfer agent and selected dealers, to such extent as the Trustees shall determine;

 

(vii) To guarantee indebtedness or contractual obligations of others;

 

(viii) To determine and change the fiscal year of the Trust and the method by which its accounts shall be kept;

 

(ix) To adopt a seal for the Trust, but the absence of such seal shall not impair the validity of any instrument executed on behalf of the Trust;

 

(x) To enter into a plan of distribution and any related agreements whereby the Trust may finance directly or indirectly any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of Shares; and

 

(xi) To carry on any other business in connection with or incidental to any of the powers enumerated in this Declaration, to do everything necessary, suitable or proper for the accomplishment of any purpose or the attainment of any object or the furtherance of any power herein set forth, either alone or in association with others, and to do every other act or thing incidental or appurtenant to or growing out of or connected with the aforesaid business or purposes, objects or powers.

 

(c) The foregoing enumeration of the powers and authority of the Trustees shall be read as broadly and liberally as possible, it being the intent of the foregoing to in no way limit the Trustees’ powers and authority.

          Legal Title. Title to all of the assets of each Series of Shares and of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees. Such title shall automatically vest at the time a person becomes a Trustee and shall automatically unvest at the time a person ceases to be a Trustee, in each case without the execution or delivery of any conveyancing instrument.

          Issuance and Repurchase of Shares. The Trustees shall have the power to issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, retire, cancel, acquire, hold, resell, reissue, dispose of, transfer, and otherwise deal in Shares and in any options, warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or any other interests in the Trust other than Shares.

          Delegation; Committees. The Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to time to one or more of their number or to officers, employees or agents of the Trust the doing of such things and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the names of the Trustees or otherwise as the Trustees may deem expedient, except to the extent such delegation is prohibited by the 1940 Act.

 

Without limiting the foregoing, and notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary, the Trustees may by resolution appoint committees consisting of one or more, but less than the whole number of, Trustees then in office, which committees may be empowered to act for and bind the Trustees and the Trust, as if the acts of such committees were the acts of all the Trustees then in office.

          Collection and Payment. The Trustees shall have power to collect all money or other property due to the Trust; to pay all claims, including taxes, against the Trust Property; to prosecute, defend, arbitrate, compromise or abandon any claims relating to the

Trust Property but shall have no liability for failing to do so; to foreclose any security interest securing any obligations, by virtue of which any money or other property is owed to the Trust; and to enter into releases, agreements and other instruments.

          Expenses. The Trustees shall have the power to incur and pay any expenses which in the opinion of the Trustees are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the purposes of this Declaration, to pay reasonable compensation from the funds of the Trust to themselves as Trustees and to reimburse themselves from the funds of the Trust for their expenses and disbursements. The Trustees shall fix the compensation of all officers, employees and Trustees.

          Manner of Acting. Except as otherwise provided herein or in the By-Laws, any action to be taken by the Trustees may be taken by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting of Trustees (a quorum being present), including any meeting held by means of a conference telephone circuit or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, or by written consents of a majority of Trustees then in office. Except as set forth specifically in this Declaration, any action that may be taken by the Trustees may be taken by them without the vote or consent of Shareholders.

          By-Laws. The Trustees may adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration to provide for the conduct of the business of the Trust and may amend or repeal such By-Laws to the extent such power is not reserved to the Shareholders.

          Principal Transactions. Except in transactions not permitted by the 1940 Act, the Trustees may, on behalf of the Trust, buy any securities from or sell any securities to, or lend any assets of the Trust to, any Trustee or officer of the Trust or any firm of which any such Trustee or officer is a member acting as principal, or have any such dealings with any investment adviser, distributor, administrator, custodian or transfer agent or with any Interested Person of such Person; and the Trust may employ any such Person, or firm or company in which such Person is an Interested Person, as broker, legal counsel, registrar, transfer agent, dividend disbursing agent or custodian upon customary terms.

          Number of Trustees. The number of Trustees shall be such number as shall be determined from time to time by the Trustees then in office. No decrease in the number of Trustees shall have the effect of removing any Trustee from office prior to the expiration of his term, but the number of Trustees may be decreased in conjunction with the removal of a Trustee pursuant to this Article II.

          Election and Term. Except as provided in Section 2.13 below, each Trustee shall hold office until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of considering the election or re-election of such Trustee or of a successor to such Trustee, and until his successor is elected and qualified. Any vacancy resulting from a newly created Trusteeship or the death, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of a Trustee may be filled by the

affirmative vote or consent of a majority of the Trustees then in office, except as prohibited by the 1940 Act.

          Resignation and Removal. Any Trustee may resign (without the need for any prior or subsequent accounting, except as such accounting may be required by a majority of the remaining Trustees) by an instrument in writing signed by him and delivered or mailed to the Chairman, if any, the President or the Secretary, and such resignation shall be effective upon such delivery, or at a later date according to the terms of the instrument. Any Trustee who has attained a mandatory retirement age or term limit established pursuant to, or is otherwise required to retire in accordance with, any written policy adopted from time to time by the Trustees shall, automatically and without action of such Trustee or the remaining Trustees, be deemed to have retired in accordance with the terms of such policy, effective as of the date determined in accordance with such policy; and any Trustee who has become incapacitated by illness or injury as determined by a majority of the other Trustees, may be retired by written instrument signed by a majority of the other Trustees. Any of the Trustees may be removed (provided the aggregate number of Trustees after such removal shall not be less than one) by the action of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees or by vote of Shareholders holding two thirds of the Outstanding Shares. The Trustees shall promptly call a meeting of the Shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any Trustee or Trustees when requested in writing so to do by the holders of not less than ten percent of the Outstanding Shares, and in that connection, the Trustees will assist shareholder communications to the extent provided for in Section 16(c) under the 1940 Act. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement to which the Trust is a party or in a written policy adopted by the Trustees, no resigning or removed Trustee 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.

          Vacancies. The death, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity, of the Trustees, or any of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled as provided herein, or the number of Trustees as determined is reduced, the Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees, and during the period during which any such vacancy shall occur, only the Trustees then in office shall be counted for the purposes of the existence of a quorum or any action to be taken by such Trustees.

 

 

 

 

 

CONTRACTS

          Distribution Contract; Transfer Agent; Shareholder Servicing Agent; Custodian. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into an exclusive or non-exclusive underwriting, distribution or placement contract or contracts providing for the sale of the Shares, whereby the Trustees may either agree to sell the Shares to the other party to the contract or appoint such other party as the Trust’s sales agent for the Shares, and in either case on such terms and conditions, and providing for such compensation, as the Trustees may in their discretion determine; and such contract may also provide for the repurchase of the Shares by such other party as principal or as agent of the Trust. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more transfer agency and/or shareholder servicing contract(s), in each case with such terms and conditions, and providing for such compensation, as the Trustees may in their discretion deem advisable. All securities and cash of the Trust or any Series thereof shall be held pursuant to a written contract or contracts with one or more custodians and subcustodians, each meeting the requirements for a custodian contained in the 1940 Act, or shall otherwise be held in accordance with the 1940 Act.

          Advisory or Management Contract; Administration. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into an investment advisory or management contract or separate contracts with respect to one or more Series whereby the other party to such contract shall undertake to furnish to the Trust such management, investment advisory, statistical and research facilities and services, proxy voting services and such other facilities and services, including administrative services, if any, and all upon such terms and conditions and for such compensation, as the Trustees may in their discretion determine, including the grant of authority to such other party to determine what securities shall be purchased or sold by the Trust or any Series and what portion of its assets shall be uninvested, which authority shall include the power to make changes in the investments of the Trust or any Series.

 

The Trustees may also employ, or authorize the investment adviser or a sub-adviser to employ, one or more sub-advisers from time to time to perform such of the acts and services of the investment adviser or sub-adviser and upon such terms and conditions and for such compensation as may be agreed upon between the investment adviser, the sub-adviser and/or such other sub-advisers and approved by the Trustees. Any reference in this Declaration to the investment adviser shall be deemed to include such sub-advisers unless the context otherwise requires.

The Trustees may, in their discretion from time to time enter into administration and/or, fund accounting contract(s), in each case with such terms and conditions, and providing for such compensation, as the Trustees may in their discretion deem advisable.

 

 

Affiliations of Trustees or Officers, Etc. The fact that:

 

(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the Trust is a shareholder, director, officer, partner, member, trustee, employee, manager, adviser or distributor of or for any partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, association or other organization or of or for any parent or affiliate of any organization, with which a contract of the character described in Sections 3.1 or 3.2 above or for related services may have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such organization, or any parent or affiliate thereof, is a Shareholder of or has an interest in the Trust, or that

 

(ii) any partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, association or other organization with which a contract of the character described in Sections 3.1 or 3.2 above or for related services may have been or may hereafter be made also has any one or more of such contracts with one or more other partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, trusts, 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.

          Further Authority of Trustees. The authority of the Trustees hereunder to enter into contracts or other agreements or arrangements shall include the authority of the Trustees to modify, amend, waive any provision of, supplement, assign all or a portion of, or terminate such contracts, agreements or arrangements. The enumeration of any specific contracts in this Article III shall in no way be deemed to limit the power and authority of the Trustees as set forth in Section 2.2 hereof to employ, contract with or make payments to such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for the transaction of the business of the Trust.

 

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS, TRUSTEES AND OTHERS

          No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, Etc. Generally. No Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be subject to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person in connection with Trust Property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. No Trustee, former Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be subject to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person, other than to the Trust or its Shareholders (as set forth in Section 4.2 below), in connection with Trust Property or the acts, obligations or

affairs of the Trust; and all such Persons shall look solely to the Trust Property for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust. The Trust shall indemnify and hold each Shareholder or former Shareholder harmless from and against all claims and liabilities to which such Shareholder may become subject solely by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder, and shall reimburse such Shareholder for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by him in connection with any such claim or liability. The indemnification and reimbursement required by the preceding sentence shall be made only out of the assets of the one or more Series of which the Shareholder who is entitled to indemnification or reimbursement was a Shareholder at the time the act or event occurred which gave rise to the claim against or liability of said Shareholder. The rights accruing to a Shareholder under this Section 4.1 shall not impair any other right to which such Shareholder may be lawfully entitled, nor shall anything herein contained restrict the right of the Trust to indemnify or reimburse a Shareholder in any appropriate situation even though not specifically provided herein.

          Non-Liability of Trustees, Etc. to Trust or Shareholders. No Trustee, former Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any Shareholder for any action or failure to act except for his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties involved in the conduct of his office. Without limiting the foregoing, a Trustee shall not be responsible for or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, employee, investment adviser, subadviser, principal underwriter, custodian or other agent of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible or liable for the act or omission of any other Trustee, except in the case of such Trustee’s own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

          Mandatory Indemnification. (a) Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in paragraph (b) below:

 

(i) every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or officer of the Trust (for purposes of this Section, “Trustee or officer” shall include persons who serve at the Trust’s request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise), shall be indemnified by the Trust to the fullest extent permitted by law against all liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Trustee or officer, and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof;

 

(ii) the words "claim," "action," "suit" or "proceeding" shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or other, including appeals), actual or threatened; and the words "liability" and "expenses" shall include without limitation, attorneys' fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.

 

(b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Trustee or officer:

 

(i) against any liability to the Trust or the Shareholders by reason of a final adjudication by a court or other body before which a proceeding was brought that he engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office;

 

(ii) with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been finally adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust; or

 

(iii) in the event of a settlement or other disposition not involving a final adjudication (as provided in paragraph (b)(i) or (b)(ii)) (whether by compromise payment, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) resulting in a payment by a Trustee or officer, unless there has been a determination that such Trustee or officer acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interests of the Trust and is not liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office:

 

(A) by the court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition; or

 

(B) a reasonable determination, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), by:

 

(x) a vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter); or

 

(y) written opinion of legal counsel chosen by a majority of the Trustees and determined by them in their reasonable judgment to be independent.

 

(c) The rights of indemnification herein provided to any Trustee or officer shall be severable from those of any other Trustee or officer, shall not affect any other rights to which any Trustee or officer may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be such Trustee or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, administrators and assigns of such a person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which any Trustee or officer or any other person may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.

 

(d) Expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit or proceeding subject to a claim for indemnification described in paragraph (a) of this Section 4.3 shall be advanced by the Trust prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the recipient to repay such amount if it is ultimately

determined that he or she is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 4.3, provided that either:

 

(i) such undertaking is secured by a surety bond or some other appropriate security or the Trust shall be insured against losses arising out of any such advances; or

 

(ii) a majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees act on the matter) or independent legal counsel in a written opinion shall determine, based upon a review of the readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the recipient ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

 

As used in this Section 4.3, a "Disinterested Trustee" is one who is not (i) an Interested Person of the Trust (including anyone who has been exempted from being an Interested Person by any rule, regulation or order of the Commission), or (ii) involved in the claim, action, suit or proceeding.

 

In making any determination under this Section 4.3 as to whether a Trustee or officer engaged in conduct for which indemnification is not provided as described herein, or as to whether there is reason to believe that a Trustee or officer ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification, the Disinterested Trustees or independent legal counsel making the determination shall afford the Trustee or officer a rebuttable presumption that the Trustee or officer has not engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the Trustee’s or officer’s office and has acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that the Trustee’s or officer’s action was in the best interest of the Trust or Series and its Shareholders. Any determination pursuant to this Section 4.3 shall not prevent the recovery from any Trustee or officer of any amount paid to such Trustee or officer in accordance with this Section as indemnification if such Trustee or officer is subsequently adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Trustee’s or officer’s action was in the best interests of the Trust or to have been liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Trustee’s or officer’s office.

          No Bond Required of Trustees. No Trustee shall be obligated to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his duties hereunder.

          No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, Etc. No purchaser, lender, transfer agent or other Person dealing with the Trustees or any officer, or employee of the Trust shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trustees or by said officer or employee or to see to the application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon its order. Every obligation, contract, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust or undertaking, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively presumed to have been executed or done by the executors thereof only

in their capacity as Trustees under this Declaration or in their capacity as officers or employees of the Trust. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or a particular Series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or the assets of that particular 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. Every written obligation, contract, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust or undertaking made or issued by the Trustees or officers shall recite that the same is executed or made by them not individually, but as Trustees or officers under the Declaration, and that the obligations of the Trust under any such instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually, but bind only the Trust estate, and may contain any further recital which they or he may deem appropriate, but the omission of any such recital shall not operate to bind the Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually.

          Reliance on Experts, Etc. Each Trustee and officer or employee of the Trust shall, in the performance of his duties, be fully and completely justified and protected from liability with regard to any act or any failure to act resulting from reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Trust, upon an opinion of counsel, or upon reports made to the Trust by any of its officers or employees or by any investment adviser, distributor, transfer agent, custodian, administrator, selected dealers, accountants, appraisers or other experts or consultants selected with reasonable care by the Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a Trustee. The appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as the chairperson of the Trustees, as a member or chairperson of a committee of the Trustees, an expert on any topic or in any area (including an audit committee financial expert), or the lead independent Trustee, or any other special appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee, shall not impose on that person any standard of care or liability that is greater than that imposed on that person as a Trustee in the absence of the appointment, designation or identification, and no Trustee who has special skills or expertise, or is appointed, designated or identified as aforesaid, shall be held to a higher standard of care by virtue thereof. In addition, no appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as aforesaid shall effect in any way that Trustee's rights or entitlement to indemnification.

          Derivative Actions. No Shareholder shall have the right to bring or maintain any court action, proceeding or claim on behalf of the Trust without first making demand on the Trustees requesting the Trustees to bring or maintain such action, proceeding or claim. Such demand shall be mailed to the Secretary or Clerk of the Trust at the Trust's principal office and shall set forth in reasonable detail the nature of the proposed court action, proceeding or claim and the essential facts relied upon by the Shareholder to support the allegations made in the demand. In their sole discretion, the Trustees may submit the matter to a vote of Shareholders of the Trust, as appropriate.

 

SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

          Beneficial Interest. The interest of the beneficiaries hereunder shall be divided into transferable Shares of beneficial interest, all of one class, except as provided in Section 5.10 and Section 5.11 hereof, with or without par value. The number of Shares of beneficial interest authorized hereunder is unlimited. All Shares issued hereunder including, without limitation, Shares issued in connection with a dividend in Shares or a split of Shares, shall be fully paid and non-assessable.

          Rights of Shareholders. The ownership of the Trust Property and the property of each Series of the Trust of every description and the right to conduct any business hereinbefore described are vested exclusively in the Trustees, and the Shareholders shall have no interest therein other than the beneficial interest conferred by their Shares, and they shall have no right to call for any partition or division of any property, profits, rights or interests of the Trust. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind personally any Shareholder, nor 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, provided however that any sales loads or charges, creation or redemption fees, account fees or any other fees or charges permitted to be charged to Shareholders under applicable law shall not be deemed to be an assessment for the purposes of this Declaration. The Shares shall be personal property giving only the rights specifically set forth in this Declaration. The Shares shall not entitle the holder to preference, preemptive, appraisal, conversion or exchange rights, except as the Trustees may determine with respect to any Class of Shares in accordance with Section 5.11 hereof. Every Shareholder, by virtue of having become a shareholder, shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms of this Declaration and to have become a party hereto.

          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, limited liability company, joint stock association, corporation, bailment or any form of legal relationship other than a trust. Nothing in this 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.

          Issuance of Shares. The Trustees in their discretion may, from time to time, issue Shares, in addition to the Outstanding Shares, to such party or parties and for such amount and type of consideration, including cash or property, at such time or times and on such terms as the Trustees may deem appropriate, and may in such manner acquire other assets (including the acquisition of assets subject to, and in connection with the assumption of, liabilities) and businesses. In connection with any issuance of Shares, the Trustees may issue fractional Shares. The Trustees shall have full power and authority, in their sole discretion, to divide or combine the Shares into a greater or lesser number without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interests in the Trust, or to take such other action with respect to the Shares as the Trustees may deem desirable.

          Ownership of Shares; Small Accounts. (a) The ownership and transfer of Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust or its transfer or similar agent. No certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall be issued except as the Trustees may otherwise determine from time to time. The Trustees may make such rules as they consider appropriate for the issuance of Share certificates, transfer of Shares and similar matters. The record books of the Trust, as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar agent of the Trust, shall be conclusive as to who are the holders of Shares and as to the number of Shares held from time to time by each Shareholder.

 

(b) In the event any certificates representing Shares are at any time outstanding, the Trustees may at any time or from time to time discontinue the issuance of such certificates, and in connection therewith, upon written notice to any Shareholder holding certificates representing Outstanding Shares, cancel such certificates, provided that such cancellation shall not affect the ownership by such Shareholder of such Shares, and following such cancellation, ownership and transfer of such Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust or its transfer or similar agent.

 

(c) The Trustees may establish, from time to time, one or more minimum investment amounts for Shareholder accounts, which may differ within and among any Series or Classes, and may impose account fees on (which may be satisfied by involuntarily redeeming the requisite number of Shares in any such account in the amount of such fee), and/or require the involuntary redemption of, those accounts the net asset value of which for any reason falls below such established minimum investment amounts, or may take any other such action with respect to minimum investment amounts as may be deemed appropriate by the Trustees, in each case upon such terms as shall be established by the Trustees.

          Disclosure of Holdings. The holders of Shares or others securities of the Trust shall upon demand disclose to the Trust in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares or other securities of the Trust as the Trustees or officers deem necessary to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to comply with the requirements of any other law or regulation, or as the Trustees may otherwise decide, and ownership of Shares may be disclosed by the Trust if so required by law or regulation or as the Trustees may otherwise decide.

          Notices; Reports. The Trustees may from time to time set forth in the By-Laws procedures for providing notices and other reports to Shareholders.

          Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have power to vote only: (a) for the election or removal of Trustees to the extent and as provided in Article II; (b) with respect to the termination of the Trust or a Series thereof to the extent and as provided in Section 8.2; (c) with respect to an amendment of this Declaration to the extent and as provided in Section 8.3; (d) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by law; and (e) with respect to such additional matters as the Trustees may determine to be necessary or desirable.

Each whole Share shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote as to any matter on which such 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. Until Shares are issued, the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders and may take any action required by law, this Declaration or the By-Laws to be taken by Shareholders.

 

On any matter submitted to a vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to vote shall, except as otherwise provided in the By-Laws, be voted in the aggregate as a single class without regard to Series or Classes of Shares, except (1) when required by applicable law 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.

          Meetings of Shareholders; Action by Written Consent. Meetings of the Shareholders of the Trust or any one or more Series or Classes thereof may be called and held from time to time for the purpose of taking action upon any matter requiring the vote or authority of the Shareholders as herein provided or upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable. Meetings of the Shareholders shall be held at such place within the United States as shall be fixed by the Trustees. The Trustees may set in the By-Laws provisions relating to the calling of meetings, quorum requirements, conduct of meetings, notice of meetings, adjournment of meetings and related matters.

 

(a) The Shareholders shall take action by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority, except in the case of the election of Trustees which shall only require a plurality, of the Shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote and voting or voted at a meeting of Shareholders at which a quorum is present, except as may be otherwise required by the 1940 Act or any provision of this Declaration or the By-Laws.

 

(b) Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Shareholders may be taken, at the sole discretion of the Trustees, without a meeting by written action signed by that number Shareholders holding not less than the minimum number of votes that would have been necessary to take the action at a meeting, assuming that all of the Shareholders entitled to vote on that action were present and voting at that meeting. The written action is effective when it has been signed by the requisite number of Shareholders and delivered to the Secretary or Clerk of the Trust, unless a different effective time is provided in the written action.

          Series. The Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize the division of Shares into two or more Series, and the different Series shall be established and designated. All references to Shares in this Declaration shall be deemed to include references to Shares of any or all Series as the context may require.

(a) All provisions herein relating to the Trust shall apply equally to each Series of the Trust except as the context requires otherwise.

 

(b) The number of authorized Shares and the number of Shares of each Series that may be issued shall be unlimited. The Trustees may classify or reclassify any issued or unissued Shares of any Series into one or more Series that may be established and designated from time to time or abolish any one or more Series in accordance with Section 8.2, and take such other action with respect to the Series as the Trustees may deem desirable.

 

(c) 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, including 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 be allocated and credited to that Series for all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors of such Series and except as may otherwise be required by applicable laws, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust. Each Series shall be preferred over all other Series in respect of the assets allocated to that Series within the meaning of the 1940 Act and shall represent a separate investment portfolio of the Trust. 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, the Trustees shall allocate them among any one or more of the Series established and designated from time to time in such manner and on such basis as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable.

 

(d) The assets belonging to each particular Series shall be charged with the liabilities of the Trust in respect of that Series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series, and any general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or reserves 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 established and designated from time to time in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable. The assets of a particular Series of the Trust shall, under no circumstances, be charged with liabilities attributable to any other Series of the Trust. All persons extending credit to, or contracting with or having any claim against, a particular Series of the Trust shall look only to the assets of that particular Series for payment of such credit, contract or claim. No Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Series shall have any claim on or right to any assets allocated or belonging to any other Series.

 

(e) Each Share of a Series of the Trust shall represent a beneficial interest in the net assets of such Series. Each holder of Shares of a Series shall be entitled to receive his pro rata share of distributions of income and capital gains made with respect to such Series as provided in Section 7.2. Upon redemption of his Shares or indemnification for liabilities incurred by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder of a Series, such Shareholder shall be paid solely out of the funds and property of such Series of the Trust. Upon liquidation or termination of a Series of the Trust, Shareholders of such Series shall be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the net assets of such Series as provided in Section 8.2. A Shareholder of a particular Series of the Trust shall not be entitled to participate in a

derivative or class action on behalf of any other Series or the Shareholders of any other Series of the Trust.

          Classes. The Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize the division of the Shares of the Trust, or, if any Series be established, the Shares of any Series, into two or more Classes, and the different Classes shall be established and designated, and the variations in the relative rights and preferences as between the different Classes shall be fixed and determined, by the Trustees; provided, that all Shares of a Class shall be identical with each other and with the Shares of each other Class of the same Series except for such variations between Classes as may be authorized by the Trustees and not prohibited by the 1940 Act. The number of authorized Shares of each Class and the number of Shares of each Class that may be issued shall be unlimited. The Trustees may in their discretion divide or combine the Shares of any Class into a greater or lesser number; classify or reclassify any issued or unissued Shares of any Class into one or more Classes; combine two or more Classes of a Series into a single Class of such Series; abolish any one or more Classes; and take such other action with respect to the Shares as the Trustees may deem desirable. To the extent necessary or appropriate to give effect to the preferences and special or relative rights and privileges of any Classes, the Trustees may, in their sole discretion, allocate assets, liabilities, income and expenses of a Series to a particular Class of that Series or apportion the same among two or more Classes of that Series. All references to Shares in this Declaration shall be deemed to include references to Shares of any or all Classes as the context may require.

          Establishment and Designation of Series and Classes. The establishment and designation of any Series or Class of Shares shall be made either by the vote of a majority of the Trustees or upon the execution by a majority of the Trustees of an instrument, in each case setting forth such establishment and designation, the effective date of such establishment and designation and in the case of a Class the relative rights and preferences of such Class, which may make reference to one or more documents or instruments outside this Declaration and outside the resolutions, as the same may be in effect from time to time. Any such instrument executed by a majority of the Trustees, or, with respect to an establishment and designation made by vote of the Trustees, an instrument setting forth such resolutions and certified by either the Secretary/Clerk or an Assistant Secretary/Clerk of the Trust (in each case, a “Designation”), shall further be filed in accordance with the provisions of Section 9.1 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Series or Class of the Trust established and designated prior to the date hereof in accordance with the terms of the Original Declaration (a “Prior Designation”), and set forth on the Restated Designation attached as Appendix A hereto, shall be deemed for all intents and purposes to have been established and designated in accordance with this Section 5.12. The Restated Designation attached hereto as Appendix A shall supercede any terms set forth in a Prior Designation. Additions or modifications to a Designation, other than termination of an existing Series or Class, shall be deemed to be an amendment to this Declaration subject to Section 8.3 hereof.

 

 

REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SHARES

          Redemption of Shares. All Shares of the Trust shall be redeemable, at the redemption price determined in the manner set out in this Declaration. The Trust shall redeem the Shares of the Trust or any Series or Class thereof at the price determined as hereinafter set forth, at such office or agency as may be designated from time to time for that purpose by the Trustees and in accordance with such conditions as the Trustees may from time to time determine, not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, regarding the redemption of Shares.

          Price. Any Shares redeemed shall be redeemed at their net asset value, less such fees and/or charges, if any, as may be established by the Trustees from time to time.

          Payment. Payment for such Shares shall be made in cash or in property, or any combination thereof, out of the assets of the Trust or relevant Series of the Trust. The composition of any such payment (e.g., cash, securities or other assets) shall be determined by the Trust in its sole discretion, and may be different among Shareholders (including differences among Shareholders in the same Series or Class). In no event shall the Trust be liable for any delay of any other person in transferring securities or other property selected for delivery as all or part of any such payment.

          Redemption of Shareholder's Interest. Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act, the Trustees, in their sole discretion, may cause the Trust to redeem all of the Shares of the Trust or one or more Series or Classes held by any Shareholder for any reason under terms set by the Trustees, including, but not limited to:

 

(i) the value of such Shares held by such Shareholder being less than the minimum amount established from time to time by the Trustees,

 

(ii) the determination by the Trustees that direct or indirect ownership of Shares by any Person has become concentrated in such Shareholder to any extent that would disqualify that Series as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,

 

(iii) the failure of a Shareholder to supply a tax identification or other identification or if the Trust is unable to verify a Shareholder’s identity,

 

(iv) the failure of a Shareholder to pay when due the purchase price for the Shares issued to such Shareholder,

 

(v) when required for the payment of account fees or other charges, expenses and/or fees as set by the Trustees, including without limitation any small account fees permitted by Section 5.5(c) hereof,

 

(vi) failure of a Shareholder to meet or maintain the qualifications for ownership of a particular Series or Class of Shares,

 

(vii) the determination by the Trustees or pursuant to policies adopted by the Trustees that ownership of Shares by a particular Shareholder is not in the best interests of the remaining Shareholders of the Trust or applicable Series or Class,

 

(viii) failure of a holder of Shares or other securities of the Trust to comply with a demand pursuant to Section 5.6 hereof, or

 

(ix) when the Trust is requested or compelled to do so by governmental authority or applicable law.

          Reductions in Number of Outstanding Shares Pursuant to Net Asset Value Formula. The Trust may also redeem a portion of the Shares held by each Shareholder to reduce the number of Outstanding Shares pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.3.

          Suspension of Right of Redemption. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may postpone payment of the redemption price and may suspend the right of Shareholders to require the Trust to redeem Shares to the extent permissible under the 1940 Act.

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE, NET INCOME AND DISTRIBUTIONS

          Determination of Net Asset Value. The Trustees may in their sole discretion from time to time prescribe the time or times for determining the per Share net asset value of the Shares of the Trust or any Series thereof, and may prescribe or approve the procedures and methods for determining the value of the assets of the Trust or Series thereof, and the procedures and methods for determining the net asset value of a Share of the Trust, or a Series or a Class thereof. The Trust may suspend the determination of net asset value during any period when it may suspend the right of the Shareholders to require the Trust to redeem Shares.

          Distributions to Shareholders. The Trustees may in their sole discretion from time to time declare and pay, or may prescribe and set forth in a duly adopted vote or votes of the Trustees, the bases and time for the declaration and payment by duly authorized officers of the Trust of, such dividends and distributions to Shareholders of any Series or Class thereof, in cash or in property, including any Shares or other securities of the Trust as they may deem necessary or desirable, after providing for actual and accrued expenses and liabilities (including such reserves as the Trustees may establish) determined in accordance

with good accounting practices. If such dividends or other distributions or any portion thereof are to be paid in cash, such cash may be reinvested in full and fractional Shares of the Trust as the Trustees shall direct or as the Trustees may permit a Shareholder to direct. Any such distribution to the Shareholders of a particular Series shall be made to said Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such Series held by each of them, except to the extent otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and special or relative rights and privileges of any Classes of Shares of that Series, and any distribution to the Shareholders of a particular Class of Shares shall be made to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such Class held by each of them; provided, however, that the composition of any such distribution (e.g., cash, securities or other assets) shall be determined by the Trust in its sole discretion, and may be different among Shareholders (including differences among Shareholders in the same Series or Class). Any such distribution paid in Shares will be paid at the net asset value thereof as determined in accordance with Section 7.1 hereof.

          Constant Net Asset Value. With respect to any Series that holds itself out as a money market or stable value fund, the Trustees shall have the power to reduce the number of Outstanding Shares of the Series by reducing the number of Shares in the account of each Shareholder on a pro rata basis, or to take such other measures as are not prohibited by the 1940 Act, so as to maintain the net asset value per share of such Series at a constant dollar amount.

          Reserves. The Trustees may in their sole discretion set apart, from time to time, out of any funds of the Trust or Series or Class thereof a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose, and may abolish any such reserve.

          Determination by Trustees. The Trustees may make any determinations they deem necessary with respect to this Article VII, including, but not limited to, the following matters: the amount of the assets, obligations, liabilities and expenses of the Trust; the amount of the net income of the Trust from dividends, capital gains, interest or other sources for any period and the amount of assets at any time legally available for the payment of dividends or distributions; which items are capital; the amount, purpose, time of creation, increase or decrease, alteration or cancellation of any reserves or charges and the propriety thereof (whether or not any obligation or liability for which such reserves or charges were created shall have been paid or discharged); the market value, or any other price to be applied in determining the market value, or the fair value, of any security or other asset owned or held by the Trust; the number of Shares of the Trust issued or issuable; the net asset value per Share; and any of the foregoing matters as it may pertain to any Series or Class.

 

DURATION; TERMINATION OF TRUST; AMENDMENT; MERGERS, ETC.

          Duration. The Trust shall continue without limitation of time but subject to the provisions of this Article VIII.

          Termination of Trust. (a) The Trust or any Series of the Trust may be terminated at any time by the Trustees by notice to the Shareholders of the Trust or such Series as the case may be, or by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote of the Trust or such Series. Upon the termination of the Trust or any Series,

 

(i) the Trust or any Series shall carry on no business except for the purpose of winding up its affairs;

 

(ii) the Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust or Series and all of the rights and powers of the Trustees under this Declaration shall continue until the affairs of the Trust or Series shall have been wound up, including the power to fulfill or discharge the contracts of the Trust or Series, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Property or property of the Series to one or more persons at public or private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part of cash, securities or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business;

 

(iii) after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities which may include the establishment of a liquidating trust or similar vehicle, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining Trust Property or property of the Series, in cash or in kind or partly each, to the Shareholders of the Trust or the Series involved, ratably according to the number of Shares of the Trust or such Series held by the several Shareholders of the Trust or such Series on the date of termination, except to the extent otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and special or relative rights and privileges of any Classes of Shares of a Series involved, provided that any distribution to the Shareholders of a particular Class of Shares shall be made to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such Class held by each of them. The composition of any such distribution (e.g., cash, securities or other assets) shall be determined by the Trust in its sole discretion, and may be different among Shareholders (including differences among Shareholders in the same Series or Class).

 

(b) After termination of the Trust or any Series and distribution to the Shareholders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and lodge among the records of the Trust (or Series) an instrument in writing setting forth the fact of such termination, and the Trustees shall thereupon be discharged from all further liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and interests of all Shareholders of the Trust or Series shall thereupon cease.

 

The foregoing provisions shall also apply mutatis mutandis to the termination of any Class.

          Amendment Procedure. (a) Except as specifically provided herein, the Trustees may amend or otherwise supplement the Declaration by making an amendment, a Declaration supplemental hereto or an amended and restated Declaration by an instrument in writing executed by a majority of the Trustees, provided that any provision of this Declaration that requires the approval of more than a majority of the Trustees for any matter may be amended only with the approval of such greater number of the Trustees. Shareholders shall have the right to vote only on (i) any amendment that would affect their right to vote granted in Section 5.8 hereof; (ii) any amendment as may be required by law to be approved by Shareholders; and (iii) any amendment submitted to them by the Trustees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustees may, without any Shareholder vote, amend this Declaration (x) to supply any omission, to cure, correct or supplement any ambiguous, defective or inconsistent provision hereof, or (y) if they deem it necessary or advisable, to conform the Declaration to the requirements of applicable law, including the 1940 Act or the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, but the Trustees shall not be liable for failing to do so, or, (z) with respect to an amendment affecting a Series or Class, for any reason at any time, if there are no Shares of such Series or Class outstanding at that time. In the event that the Trustees, without shareholder approval, make any material amendment to this Declaration that affects the rights of Shareholders, as determined by the Trustees, notice of the substance of such amendment shall be provided to Shareholders affected by such amendment at such time and in such manner as the Trustees determine to be appropriate, provided, however, that the failure to provide such notice in any particular instance shall not affect the validity of the amendment. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Declaration, any amendment on which Shareholders have the right to vote shall require an affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the Shares outstanding and entitled to vote of the Trust unless in any case such action is recommended by the Trustees, in which case the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust shall be required, except that an amendment which in the determination of the Trustees shall affect the holders of one or more Series or Classes of Shares but not the holders of all outstanding Series or Classes shall be authorized by vote of such Series or Classes affected and no vote of Shareholders of a Series or Class not affected shall be required.

 

(b) Nothing contained in the Declaration shall permit the amendment of the Declaration (i) to impair the exemption from personal liability of the Shareholders, former Shareholders, Trustees, former Trustees, officers, employees or agents, (ii) to permit assessments upon Shareholders of the Trust, or (iii) to limit the rights to indemnification provided in Article IV with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under such Article prior to such amendment.

          Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Trustees may authorize the Trust or any Series or Class thereof to merge, reorganize or consolidate with any corporation, association, trust or series thereof (including another Series or Class of the Trust) or other entity (in each case, the “Surviving Entity”) or the Trustees may sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the Trust Property (or all or substantially all of the Trust Property allocated or belonging to a particular Series or Class)

including its good will to any Surviving Entity, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration as authorized by the Trustees. Such transactions may be effected through share-for-share exchanges, transfers or sales of assets, in-kind redemptions and purchases, exchange offers, or any other method approved by the Trustees. The Trustees shall provide notice to affected Shareholders of each transaction pursuant to this Section 8.4. The authority of the Trustees under this Section 8.4 with respect to the merger, reorganization or consolidation of any Class of the Trust is in addition to the authority of the Trustees under Section 5.11 hereof to combine two or more Classes of a Series into a single Class.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

          Filing. This Declaration, any amendment thereto, and any Designation executed in accordance with Section 5.12 hereof shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in such other places as may be required under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and may also be filed or recorded in such other places as the Trustees deem appropriate, provided, however, that the failure to so file will not invalidate this instrument or any properly authorized amendment hereto or Designation. Unless the amendment or Designation is embodied in an instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees, each amendment or Designation filed shall be accompanied by a certificate signed and acknowledged by a Trustee or authorized officer stating that such action was duly taken in a manner provided herein. A restated Declaration, integrating into a single instrument all of the provisions of the Declaration which are then in effect and operative, may be executed from time to time by a majority of the Trustees and shall, upon filing with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein and may hereafter be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration and the various amendments thereto. The restated Declaration may include any amendment which the Trustees are empowered to adopt, whether or not such amendment has been adopted prior to the execution of the restated Declaration. The foregoing provisions for restating the Declaration and including an amendment in the restated Declaration shall also apply, mutatis mutandis, to the restatement of Designations.

          Governing Law; Forum Selection. (a)  The principal place of business of the Trust is 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154. The Trustees may, without the approval of Shareholders, change the principal place of business of the Trust. The Trust set forth in this instrument shall be deemed made in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and it is created under and is to be governed by and construed and administered according to the laws of said Commonwealth as a voluntary association with transferable shares (commonly known as a business trust) of the type referred to in Chapter 182 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (or any successor law), and the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the internal laws of said Commonwealth without regard to the choice of law rules thereof.

(b)       Any action commenced by a Shareholder, directly or derivatively, against the Trust or a Series of Class thereof, its Trustees or officers, shall be brought only in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; or if such action may not be brought in that court, then such action shall be brought in "the Business Litigation Session of the Massachusetts Superior Court in Suffolk County" (the “Chosen Courts”). The Trust, its Trustees and officers, and its Shareholders (a) waive any objection to venue in either Chosen Court and (b) waive any objection that either Chosen Court is an inconvenient forum.

          Counterparts and Headings. This Declaration may be simultaneously executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and such counterparts, together, shall constitute one and the same instrument, which shall be sufficiently evidenced by any such original counterpart. Headings are placed herein for convenience of reference only and shall not be taken as a part thereof or control or affect the meaning, construction or effect of this instrument.

          Reliance by Third Parties. Anyone dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate executed by an individual who, according to the records of the Trust, appears to be a Trustee or officer of the Trust, certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees or Shareholders, (b) the due authorization of the execution of any instrument or writing, (c) the form of any vote passed at a meeting of Trustees or Shareholders, (d) the fact that the number of Trustees or Shareholders present at any meeting or executing any written instrument satisfies the requirements of this Declaration, (e) the form of any By-Laws adopted, or the identity of any officers elected, by the Trustees, or (f) the existence of any fact or facts which in any manner relate to the affairs of the Trust.

          Provisions in Conflict with Law. All provisions of this Declaration shall be construed, to the extent reasonably possible, in a manner consistent with applicable law. If, notwithstanding the foregoing, any provision of this Declaration 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 provisions in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of this Declaration in any jurisdiction.

 

[The rest of this page is intentionally blank.]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this instrument as of the date first written above.

 

 

/s/John W. Ballantine

/s/William McClayton

_____________________

_____________________

John W. Ballantine, as Trustee

William McClayton, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Henry P. Becton, Jr.

/s/Rebecca W. Rimel

_____________________

_____________________

Henry P. Becton, Jr., as Trustee

Rebecca W. Rimel, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Dawn-Marie Driscoll

/s/Axel Schwarzer

_____________________

_____________________

Dawn-Marie Driscoll, as Trustee

Axel Schwarzer, as Trustee

 

/s/Keith R. Fox

/s/William N. Searcy

_____________________

_____________________

Keith R. Fox, as Trustee

William N. Searcy, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Paul K. Freeman

/s/Jean Gleason Stromberg

_____________________

_____________________

Paul K. Freeman, as Trustee

Jean Gleason Stromberg, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Kenneth C. Froewiss

/s/Robert H. Wadsworth

_____________________

_____________________

Kenneth C. Froewiss, as Trustee

Robert H. Wadsworth, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Richard J. Herring

_____________________

Richard J. Herring, as Trustee

 

APPENDIX A

 

DWS STATE TAX-FREE INCOME SERIES

RESTATED DESIGNATION OF SERIES AND CLASSES OF

SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

 

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust, acting pursuant to the Trust’s declaration of trust as then in effect, have previously established and designated one or more series of shares of beneficial interest in the Trust (each, a “Series”) pursuant to one or more designations of series (the “Prior Series Designations”) and have previously established and designated one or more classes of Shares (each, a “Class”) for some or all of the Series pursuant to one or more designations of classes (the “Prior Class Designations,” such Prior Series Designations and Prior Class Designations referred to herein collectively as the “Prior Designations”);

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the adoption of an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust dated as of June 2, 2008 (the “Declaration”), as set forth in Section 5.12 of the Declaration, the previously established and designated Series and Classes are to be included on a restated designation.

 

NOW THEREFORE, the Trustees of the Trust, effective June 2, 2008 hereby restate the Trust’s Prior Designations, the terms of this restated designation to supercede any terms set forth in the Prior Designations.

 

1.        The following series of Shares and Classes thereof are established and designated, the Shares of such Series and Classes to be subject to the terms of, and entitled to all the rights and preferences accorded to Shares of a Series, and, if applicable, a Class under, the Declaration and this restated designation:

 

 

DWS California

Class A Shares

 

Tax-Free Income Fund

Class B Shares

 

Class C Shares

 

Class S Shares

 

 

DWS New York

Class A Shares

 

Tax-Free Income Fund

Class B Shares

 

Class C Shares

 

Class S Shares

2.        For Shares of a Class of a Series, the relative rights and preferences of such Class shall be as determined by the Trustees of the Trust from time to time in accordance with the Declaration and set forth in the Trust’s Multi-Distribution System Plan adopted pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as such Plan may be amended from time to time, or as otherwise required by applicable law. The Shares of a Class of a Series shall have such other terms, features and qualifications as may be determined by the Trustees of the Trust from time to time in accordance with the Declaration and set forth in the current prospectus and statement of additional information of the Series relating to such Class, contained in the Trust’s registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as such prospectus or statement of additional information may be further supplemented from time to time.

3.        The designation of the Series and Classes hereby shall not impair the power of the Trustees from time to time to designate additional Series and Classes of Shares of the Trust.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this instrument as of the date first written above.

 

 

/s/John W. Ballantine

/s/William McClayton

_____________________

_____________________

John W. Ballantine, as Trustee

William McClayton, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Henry P. Becton, Jr.

/s/Rebecca W. Rimel

_____________________

_____________________

Henry P. Becton, Jr., as Trustee

Rebecca W. Rimel, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Dawn-Marie Driscoll

/s/Axel Schwarzer

_____________________

_____________________

Dawn-Marie Driscoll, as Trustee

Axel Schwarzer, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Keith R. Fox

/s/William N. Searcy

_____________________

_____________________

Keith R. Fox, as Trustee

William N. Searcy, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Paul K. Freeman

/s/Jean Gleason Stromberg

_____________________

_____________________

Paul K. Freeman, as Trustee

Jean Gleason Stromberg, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Kenneth C. Froewiss

/s/Robert H. Wadsworth

_____________________

_____________________

Kenneth C. Froewiss, as Trustee

Robert H. Wadsworth, as Trustee

 

 

/s/Richard J. Herring

_____________________

Richard J. Herring, as Trustee

 

 

ADDENDUM

AMENDED & RESTATE DECLARATION OF TRUST

DATED: JUNE 2, 2008

 

Address of Trust:

 

Address of Principal Office in Massachusetts:

One Beacon Street, 14th Floor

 

Boston, Massachusetts 02108-3106

 

Address of Office Outside of Massachusetts:

345 Park Avenue

 

New York, New York 10154

 

Address of All Trustees:

 

Henry P. Becton, Jr.

9 Musketaquid Rd.

Concord, MA 01742

John W. Ballantine

1500 North Lake Shore Drive

Cape Coral, FL 33914

Dawn Marie Driscoll

4909 SW 9th Place

Wellesley, MA 02481

Keith R. Fox

22 Greylock Road

Chicago, IL 60610

Paul K. Freeman

3402 E. Eastman Avenue

Denver, CO 80210

Kenneth C. Froewiss

2 Brantwood Terrace

Short Hills, NJ 07078

Richard J. Herring

327 South Roberts Road, P.O. Box 768

Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

William McClayton

1500 North Lake Shore Drive

Chicago, IL 60610

Rebecca W. Rimmel

29048 Belchester Road

Kennedyville, MD 21645

Axel Schwarzer

345 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10154

William N. Searcy

4411 133rd St. Court NW

Gig Harbor, WA 98332

Jean Gleason Stromberg

3816 Military Road N.W.

Washington, DC 20015

Robert H. Wadsworth

6732 East Fanfol Drive

Paradise Valley, AZ 85253