§8-6-12. Registration of securities - Applicability of provisions of article; consent to service of process on Secretary of State.

(a) The provisions of this article shall apply to persons who sell or offer to sell when

(1) an offer to sell is made in this state, or

(2) an offer to buy is made and accepted in this state.

(b) The provisions of this article shall apply to persons who buy or offer to buy when

(1) an offer to buy is made in this state, or

(2) an offer to sell is made and accepted in this state.

(c) An offer to sell or to buy is made in this state, whether or not either party is then present in this state, when the offer

(1) originates from this state, or

(2) is directed by the offeror to this state and received at the place to which it is directed (or at any post office in this state in the case of a mailed offer).

(d) An offer to buy or to sell is accepted in this state when acceptance

(1) is communicated to the offeror in this state, and

(2) has not previously been communicated to the offeror, orally or in writing, outside this state; and acceptance is communicated to the offeror in this state, whether or not either party is then present in this state, when the offeree directs it to the offeror in this state reasonably believing the offeror to be in this state and it is received at the place to which it is directed (or at any post office in this state in the case of a mailed acceptance).

(e)(1) Every applicant for registration as a dealer or salesman under this article and every issuer which proposes to offer a security in this state through any person acting on an agency basis in the common-law sense shall file with the security commission, in such form as it prescribes, an irrevocable consent appointing the Secretary of State to be his attorney to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal action or proceeding against him, or his successor, executor, or administrator, which arises under this article or any rule or order hereunder after the consent has been filed with the same force and validity as if served personally on the person filing the consent.

(2) A person who has filed such a consent in connection with a previous registration need not file another.

(3) Service may be made by leaving a copy of the process in the office of the Secretary of State, but it is not effective unless:

a. The plaintiff, who may be the Securities Commission, in an action or proceeding instituted by it, forthwith sends notice of the service and a copy of the process by registered mail to the defendant or respondent at his last address on file with the commission, and

b. The plaintiff's affidavit of compliance with this clause is filed in the case on or before the return day of the process, if any, or within such further time as the court allows; provided however, that this subsection shall not apply to an issuer whose securities are registered by coordination with the commission.

(Acts 1959, No. 542, p. 1318, §12; Acts 1979, No. 79-462, p. 827, §5; Acts 1990, No. 90-527, p. 772, §1.)