{"data":{"id":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-156e-14","jurisdiction":"us-ma","citation":"Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 156E, § 14","heading":"Benefit enforcement proceeding","body":"Section 14. (a)(1) The duties under this chapter and the general public benefit purpose and any specific public benefit purpose of a benefit corporation may be enforced only in a benefit enforcement proceeding.\n(2) Except in a benefit enforcement proceeding, no person shall bring an action or assert a claim against a benefit corporation or its directors or officers with respect to:\n(i) failure to pursue or create general or specific public benefits set forth in its articles; or\n(ii) a violation of a duty or standard of conduct under this chapter.\n(3) A benefit corporation shall not be liable for monetary damages under this chapter for any failure of the benefit corporation to pursue or create a general public benefit or a specific public benefit.\n(b) A benefit enforcement proceeding shall be commenced or maintained only:\n(1) directly by the benefit corporation; or\n(2) derivatively by:\n(i) a shareholder;\n(ii) a director;\n(iii) a person or group of persons that owns beneficially or of record 5 per cent or more of the equity interests in an association of which the benefit corporation is a subsidiary; or\n(iv) other persons as specified in the articles of organization, bylaws or shareholder agreement of the benefit corporation.","path":["Part I","Title XXII","Chapter 156E"],"source_url":"https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXII/Chapter156E/Section14","current_through":"amendments passed before May 31, 2026","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-17T05:23:42Z","sha256":"e9de1776508ca9411f81ad989798e61a8fafdb0fd6dd3da5b385b2c94cf8c144","source_id":"us-ma","stale":false,"prev":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-156e-13","next":"us-ma/mass.-gen.-laws-ch.-156e-15"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}