As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 7, 2011
Securities Act File No. 333-166168
Investment Company Act File No. 811-22021
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-2
(Check Appropriate Box or Boxes)
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Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933
o
Pre-Effective Amendment No. __
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Post-Effective Amendment No. 2
and/or
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Registration Statement under the Investment Company Act of 1940
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Amendment No. 5
THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS
Rx
TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in the Declaration of Trust)
One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (800) 422-3554
Agnes Mullady
The Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness
Rx
Trust
One Corporate Center
Rye, New York 10580-1422
(914) 921-5100
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
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Peter D. Goldstein, Esq.
The Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness
Rx
Trust
One Corporate Center
Rye, New York 10580-1422
(914) 921-5100
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Rose F. DiMartino, Esq.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
(212) 728-8000
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Approximate date of proposed public offering: From time to time after the effective date of
this Registration Statement.
If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous
basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, other than securities
offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box.
þ
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File Nos.
333-166168 and 811-22021) of The Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness
Rx
Trust (the
Registration Statement) is being filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the Securities Act), solely for the purpose of filing exhibits to the Registration
Statement. Accordingly, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 consists only of a facing page, this
explanatory note and Part C of the Registration Statement on Form N-2 setting forth the exhibits to
the Registration Statement. This Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 does not modify any other part of
the Registration Statement. Pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, this Post-Effective
Amendment No. 2 shall become effective immediately upon filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The contents of the Registration Statement are hereby incorporated by reference.
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PART C OTHER INFORMATION
Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits
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(a)
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None
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(b)
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Part A
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None
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Part B
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The following statements of the Registrant are incorporated by reference in Part B of the
Registration Statement:
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Schedule of Investments at December 31, 2009
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Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2009
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Statement of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2009
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Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the Year Ended December 31, 2009
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Notes to Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 31, 2009
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Year Ended December 31, 2009
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Unaudited Schedule of Investments at June 30, 2010
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Unaudited Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of June 30, 2010
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Unaudited Statement of Operations for the Period Ended June 30, 2010
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Unaudited Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the Period Ended June 30, 2010
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Unaudited Notes to Financial Statements for the Period Ended June 30, 2010
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Schedule of Investments at December 31, 2010
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Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of December 31, 2010
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Statement of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2010
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Statement of Changes in Net Assets for the Year Ended December 31, 2010
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Notes to Financial Statements for the Year Ended December 31, 2010
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Year Ended December 31, 2010
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(a)(i)
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Third Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant (5)
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C-1
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(a)(ii)
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Statement of Preferences of 5.76% Series A Cumulative Preferred Shares (4)
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(b)(i)
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Second Amended and Restated By-Laws of Registrant (5)
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(c)
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Not applicable
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(d)(i)
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Form of Registrants Common Share Certificate (1)
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(d)(ii)
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Form of Registrants Specimen Preferred Share Certificate (4)
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(d)(iii)
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Form of Subscription Certificate (5)
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(d)(iv)
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Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery (5)
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(e)
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Automatic Dividend Reinvestment and Voluntary Cash Purchase Plan of Registrant (1)
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(f)
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Not applicable
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(g)
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Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Gabelli Funds, LLC (1)
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(h)
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Not applicable
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(i)
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Not applicable
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(j)(i)
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Form of Custodian Contract between Registrant and Mellon Trust of New England, N.A. (1)
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(j)(ii)
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Form of Custodian Fee Schedule between Registrant and Mellon Trust of New England, N.A. (1)
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(j)(iii)
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Form of Registrar, Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and Computershare
Trust Company, N.A. (4)
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(j)(iv)
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Form of Service Fee Schedule between Registrant and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (1)
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(k)(i)
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Form of Subscription Agent Agreement (5)
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(k)(ii)
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Form of Information Agent Agreement (5)
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(l)(i)
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Opinion and Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger with respect to legality of Common and
Preferred Shares (3)
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(l)(ii)
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Opinion and Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger with respect to legality of Series A
Cumulative Preferred Shares (4)
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(l)(iii)
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Opinion and Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger with respect to legality of Common Shares (5)
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(m)
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Not applicable
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(n)(i)
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Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Fiscal Year 2009 (3)
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(n)(ii)
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Powers of Attorney (2)
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(n)(iii)
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Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Fiscal Year 2010 (5)
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(o)
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Not applicable
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(p)(i)
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Purchase Agreement dated April 12, 2007 between Registrant and the Equity Trust Inc. (1)
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C-2
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(q)
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Not applicable
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(r)(i)
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Codes of Ethics of the Investment Adviser and of the Fund (2)
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(r)(ii)
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Joint Code of Ethics of the Investment Adviser and of the Fund for Chief Executive and Senior
Financial Officers of the Gabelli Funds (2)
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(1)
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Incorporated by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1
to the Registrants Registration Statement on Form N-14,
filed with the Commission on April 16, 2007.
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(2)
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Incorporated by reference to the Registrants Registration
Statement on Form N-2 filed with the Commission on April
19, 2010.
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(3)
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Incorporated by reference to the Registrants Registration
Statement on Form N-2 filed with the Commission on June
18, 2010.
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(4)
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Incorporated by reference to the Registrants Registration
Statement on Form N-2 filed with the Commission on August
18, 2010.
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(5)
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Filed herewith.
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Item 26. Marketing Arrangements
The information contained under the heading Plan of Distribution on page 53 of the Prospectus is
incorporated by reference, and any information concerning any underwriters will be contained in the
accompanying Prospectus Supplement, if any.
Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
The following table sets forth the estimated expenses to be incurred in connection with the
offering described in this Registration Statement:
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Accounting fees
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$
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12,000
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Legal fees
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200,000
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NYSE listing fees
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20,000
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Printing expenses
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125,000
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Postage
and mailing fees
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79,944
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Rights
Agent fees
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150,000
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Miscellaneous
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13,056
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Total
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$
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600,000
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Item 28. Persons Controlled or Under Common Control
None.
Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities as of December 31, 2010
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Title of Class
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Number of Record Holders
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Common Shares of Beneficial Interest
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8,120
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Series A Cumulative Preferred Shares
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1
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C-3
Item 30. Indemnification
Article IV of the Registrants Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides as follows:
4.1 No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc. No Shareholder of the Trust shall be
subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person in connection with
Trust Property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. Shareholders shall have the same
limitation of personal liability as is extended to stockholders of a private corporation for profit
incorporated under the general corporation law of the State of Delaware. No Trustee or officer of
the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person,
other than the Trust or its Shareholders, in connection with Trust Property or the affairs of the
Trust, save only liability to the Trust or its Shareholders arising from bad faith, willful
misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard for his duty to such Person; and, subject to
the foregoing exception, 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. If any Shareholder,
Trustee or officer, as such, of the Trust, is made a party to any suit or proceeding to enforce any
such liability, subject to the foregoing exception, he shall not, on account thereof, be held to
any personal liability.
4.2 Mandatory Indemnification. (a) The Trust shall indemnify the Trustees and officers of the
Trust (each such person being an indemnitee) against any liabilities and expenses, including
amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and reasonable
counsel fees reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition
of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or
administrative or investigative body in which he may be or may have been involved as a party or
otherwise (other than, except as authorized by the Trustees, as the plaintiff or complainant) or
with which he may be or may have been threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth above in
this Section 4.2 by reason of his having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any
matter as to which he shall not have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action
was in the best interest of the Trust or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which he
shall have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that
no indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to any person or any expense of
such indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross
negligence (negligence in the case of Affiliated Indemnitees), or (iv) reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of his position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through
(iv) being sometimes referred to herein as disabling conduct). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
with respect to any action, suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any indemnitee as
plaintiff, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other
proceeding by such indemnitee was authorized by a majority of the Trustees.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification shall be made hereunder unless there has
been a determination (1) by a final decision on the merits by a court or other body of competent
jurisdiction before whom the issue of entitlement to indemnification hereunder was brought that
such indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or, (2) in the absence of such a decision,
by (i) a majority vote of a quorum of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the
Trust nor parties to the proceeding (Disinterested Non-Party Trustees), that the indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification hereunder, or (ii) if such quorum is not obtainable or even if
obtainable, if such majority so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion conclude
that the indemnitee should be entitled to indemnification hereunder. All determinations to make
advance payments in connection with the expense of defending any proceeding shall be authorized and
made in accordance with the immediately succeeding paragraph (c) below.
(c) The Trust shall make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any
action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if the Trust receives a
written affirmation by the indemnitee of the indemnitees good faith belief that the standards of
conduct necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the
Trust unless it is subsequently determined that he is entitled such indemnification and if a
majority of the Trustees determine that the applicable standards of conduct necessary for
indemnification appear to have been met. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must
be met: (1) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking, (2) the Trust shall
be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (3) a majority of a quorum
of the Disinterested Non-Party Trustees, or if a majority vote of such quorum so direct,
independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall conclude, based on a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial reason to
believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
(d) The rights accruing to any indemnitee under these provisions shall not exclude any other
right to which he may be lawfully entitled.
C-4
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to any limitations provided by the 1940 Act and
this Declaration, the Trust shall have the power and authority to indemnify Persons providing
services to the Trust to the full extent provided by law as if the Trust were a corporation
organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law provided that such indemnification has been
approved by a majority of the Trustees.
4.3 No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, etc. No purchaser, lender, transfer
agent or other person dealing with the Trustees or with any officer, employee or agent 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, employee or agent or be liable for the application of money or
property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said officer, employee
or agent. Every obligation, contract, undertaking, instrument, certificate, Share, other security
of the Trust, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust shall
be conclusively taken 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, employees or agents of the
Trust. The Trustees may maintain insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, its
Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem
adequate to cover possible liability, and such other insurance as the Trustees in their sole
judgment shall deem advisable or is required by the 1940 Act.
4.4 Reliance on Experts, etc. Each Trustee and officer or employee of the Trust shall, in the
performance of its duties, be fully and completely justified and protected 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 the
Trusts officers or employees or by any advisor, administrator, manager, distributor, selected
dealer, accountant, appraiser or other expert or consultant selected with reasonable care by the
Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or other person
may also be a Trustee.
Section 9 of the Registrants Investment Advisory Agreement provides as follows:
9. Indemnity
(a) The Fund hereby agrees to indemnify the Adviser and each of the Advisers trustees,
officers, employees, and agents (including any individual who serves at the Advisers request as
director, officer, partner, trustee or the like of another corporation) and controlling persons
(each such person being an indemnitee) against any liabilities and expenses, including amounts
paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and counsel fees (all
as provided in accordance with applicable corporate law) reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in
connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil
or criminal, before any court or administrative or investigative body in which he may be or may
have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which he may be or may have been threatened,
while acting in any capacity set forth above in this paragraph or thereafter by reason of his
having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been
adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the
best interest of the Fund and furthermore, in the case of any criminal proceeding, so long as he
had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that (1) no
indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders or
any expense of such indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii)
gross negligence, (iv) reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his position
(the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being sometimes referred to herein as
disabling conduct), (2) as to any matter disposed of by settlement or a compromise payment by
such indemnitee, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for said
payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless there has been a determination that such
settlement or compromise is in the best interests of the Fund and that such indemnitee appears to
have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the
Fund and did not involve disabling conduct by such indemnitee and (3) with respect to any action,
suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification
shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such
indemnitee was authorized by a majority of the full Board of the Fund. Notwithstanding the
foregoing the Fund shall not be obligated to provide any such indemnification to the extent such
provision would waive any right which the Fund cannot lawfully waive.
(b) The Fund shall make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any
action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if the Fund receives a
written affirmation of the indemnitees good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary
for indemnification has been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the Fund unless it is
subsequently determined that he is entitled to such indemnification and if the trustees of the Fund
determine that the facts then known to them would not preclude indemnification. In addition, at
C-5
least one of the following conditions must be met: (A) the indemnitee shall provide a security for
his undertaking, (B) the Fund shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful
advances, or (C) a majority of a quorum of trustees of the Fund who are neither interested
persons of the Fund (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Act) nor parties to the proceeding
(Disinterested Non-Party Trustees) or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall
determine, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry),
that there is reason to believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to
indemnification.
(c) All determinations with respect to indemnification hereunder shall be made (1) by a final
decision on the merits by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that such
indemnitee is not liable by reason of disabling conduct or, (2) in the absence of such a decision,
by (i) a majority vote of a quorum of the Disinterested Non-party Trustees of the Fund, or (ii) if
such a quorum is not obtainable or even, if obtainable, if a majority vote of such quorum so
directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
The rights accruing to any indemnitee under these provisions shall not exclude any other right
to which he may be lawfully entitled.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
The Investment Adviser, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of New
York, acts as investment adviser to the Registrant. The Registrant is fulfilling the requirement of
this Item 31 to provide a list of the officers and directors of the Investment Adviser, together
with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial
nature engaged in by the Investment Adviser or those officers and trustees during the past two
years, by incorporating by reference the information contained in the Form ADV of the Investment
Adviser filed with the commission pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (Commission File
No. 801-37706).
Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records
The accounts and records of the Registrant are maintained in part at the office of the Investment
Adviser at One Corporate Center, Rye, New York 10580-1422, in part at the offices of the Funds
custodian, The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, at 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, Massachusetts
01249, in part at the offices of the Funds sub-administrator, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US)
Inc., at 760 Moore Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406, and in part at the offices of the Funds
transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., 250 Royall Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021.
Item 33. Management Services
Not applicable.
Item 34. Undertaking
1. Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of shares until the Prospectus is amended, if
subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, its net asset value declines more
than ten percent from its net asset value, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement
or its net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the
Prospectus.
2. Not applicable.
3. Not applicable.
4. Registrant hereby undertakes:
(a) to file, during a period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement:
(1) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the 1933 Act);
(2) to reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration
Statement; and
(3) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in
the Registration Statement.
C-6
(b) that for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933 Act, each post-effective
amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof;
(c) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering; and
(d) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the 1933 Act to any purchaser, if the
Registrant is subject to Rule 430C: Each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e)
under the 1933 Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than
prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A under the 1933 Act shall be deemed to be part of and
included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness.
Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of
the registration or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the
registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a
purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any
statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the
registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
(e) that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the 1933 Act to any
purchaser in the initial distribution of securities:
The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the
undersigned Registrant pursuant to this Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting
method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such
purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a
seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:
(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the
offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act.
(2) the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the 1933 Act relating to the
offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities
provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
(3) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned
Registrant to the purchaser.
5. Registrant undertakes that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933
Act, the information omitted from the form of Prospectus filed as part of the Registration
Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of Prospectus filed by the
Registrant pursuant to Rule 497(h) will be deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement as of
the time it was declared effective.
Registrant undertakes that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the 1933 Act,
each post-effective amendment that contains a form of Prospectus will be deemed to be a new
Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time will be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
6. Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally
prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any Statement of
Additional Information constituting Part B of this Registration Statement.
C-7
SIGNATURES
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this
Registration Statement on Form N-2 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, in the City of
Rye, State of New York, on the 7
th
day of March, 2011.
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THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS
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TRUST
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By:
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/s/ Agnes Mullady
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Agnes Mullady
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President
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As required by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Form N-2 has been signed below by
the following persons in the capacities set forth below on the 7
th
day of March, 2011.
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NAME
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TITLE
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/s/
Mario J. Gabelli*
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Chairman
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Mario J. Gabelli
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/s/
Thomas E. Bratter*
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Trustee
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Thomas E. Bratter
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/s/
Anthony J. Colavita*
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Trustee
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Anthony J. Colavita
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/s/
James P. Conn*
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Trustee
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James P. Conn
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/s/
Vincent D. Enright*
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Trustee
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Vincent D. Enright
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/s/
Robert C. Kolodny*
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Trustee
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Robert C. Kolodny
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/s/
Anthonie C. van Ekris*
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Trustee
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Anthonie C. van Ekris
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/s/
Salvatore J. Zizza*
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Trustee
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Salvatore J. Zizza
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/s/
Agnes Mullady
Agnes Mullady
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President
(Principal
Executive Officer)
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/s/
Agnes Mullady
Agnes Mullady
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Treasurer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
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/s/
Bruce N. Alpert
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Attorney-in-Fact
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Bruce N. Alpert
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*
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Pursuant to a Power of Attorney
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C-8
EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit Number
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Description
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Ex-.99 (a)(i)
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Third Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant
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Ex-.99 (b)(i)
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Second Amended and Restated By-Laws of Registrant
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Ex-.99 (d)(iii)
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Form of Subscription Certificate
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Ex-.99 (d)(iv)
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Form of Notice of Guaranteed Delivery
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Ex-.99 (k)(i)
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Form of Subscription Agent Agreement
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Ex-.99 (k)(ii)
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Form of Information Agent Agreement
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Ex-.99 (l)(iii)
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Opinion and Consent of Richards, Layton & Finger with respect to legality of Common Shares
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Ex-.99 (n)(iii)
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Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
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C-9
Exhibit (a)(i)
THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS
Rx
TRUST
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT
AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
February 16, 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I.
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The Trust
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1.1 Name
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1
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1.2 Definitions
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1
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ARTICLE II.
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Trustees
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2.1 Number and Qualification
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3
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2.2 Term and Election
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3
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2.3 Resignation and Removal
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3
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2.4 Vacancies
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4
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2.5 Meetings
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4
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2.6 Officers
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5
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ARTICLE III.
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Powers and Duties of Trustees
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3.1 General
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5
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3.2 Investments
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5
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3.3 Legal Title
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6
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3.4 Issuance and Repurchase of Shares
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6
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3.5 Borrow Money or Utilize Leverage
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6
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3.6 Collection and Payment
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6
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3.7 Expenses
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6
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3.8 By-Laws
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7
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3.9 Miscellaneous Powers
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7
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3.10 Delegation; Committees
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7
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3.11 Further Powers
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7
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ARTICLE IV.
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Limitations of Liability and Indemnification
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4.1 No
Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc.
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8
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4.2 Mandatory Indemnification
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8
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4.3 No Duty
of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, etc.
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9
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4.4 Reliance
on Experts, etc.
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10
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ARTICLE V.
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Shares of Beneficial Interest
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5.1 Beneficial Interest
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10
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5.2 Classes and Series
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10
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5.3 Issuance of Shares
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11
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5.4 Rights of Shareholders
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11
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5.5 Trust Only
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11
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5.6 Register of Shares
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11
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5.7 Transfer Agent and Registrar
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11
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5.8 Transfer of Shares
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12
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5.9 Notices
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12
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5.10 Net Asset Value
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12
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5.11 Distributions to Shareholders
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12
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ARTICLE VI.
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Shareholders
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6.1 Meetings of Shareholders
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13
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6.2 Voting
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13
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- ii -
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6.3 Record Date
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14
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6.4 Quorum and Required Vote
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14
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6.5 Proxies,
etc.
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14
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6.6 Reports
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15
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6.7 Inspection of Records
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15
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6.8 Shareholder Action by Written Consent
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15
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ARTICLE VII.
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Duration: Termination of Trust; Amendment; Mergers, Etc.
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7.1 Duration
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15
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7.2 Termination
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16
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7.3 Amendment Procedure
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16
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7.4 Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets
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17
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7.5 Redemption; Conversion
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17
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7.6 Certain Transactions
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18
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ARTICLE VIII.
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Miscellaneous
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8.1 Filing
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19
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8.2 Resident Agent
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20
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8.3 Governing Law
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20
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8.4 Counterparts
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20
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8.5 Reliance by Third Parties
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20
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8.6 Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation
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20
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THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS
Rx
TRUST
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made as of the 16
th
day of February 2011, by the Trustees hereunder, and by the holders of shares of beneficial
interest issued hereunder as hereinafter provided.
WHEREAS, the Trustees desire to amend and restate the Second Amended Agreement and Declaration
of Trust made as of the 26th day of February 2009 in its entirety pursuant to its Section 7.3;
WHEREAS, this Trust has been formed to carry on business as set forth more particularly
hereinafter;
WHEREAS, this Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of its shares of beneficial
interest all in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;
WHEREAS, the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into their hands as Trustees
of a Delaware statutory trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the parties hereto intend that the Trust created by its initial Agreement and
Declaration of Trust and the Certificate of Trust filed with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware on February 20, 2007 shall constitute a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust
Statute and that this Declaration shall constitute the governing instrument of such statutory
trust.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all cash, securities, and
other assets which they may from time to time acquire in any manner as Trustees hereunder IN TRUST
to 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.
ARTICLE I.
The Trust
1.1 Name. This Trust shall be known as the The Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness
Rx
Trust and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name or any other name
or names as they may from time to time determine.
1.2 Definitions. As used in this Declaration, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
The terms Affiliated Person, Assignment, Commission, Interested Person and Principal
Underwriter shall have the meanings given them in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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By-Laws shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time to time by the Trustees.
Code shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
Commission shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Declaration shall mean this Third Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust,
as amended or amended and restated from time to time, including by way of any classifying or
reclassifying Shares of any class or any series of any such class or determining any designations,
powers, preferences, voting, conversion and other rights, limitations, qualifications and terms and
conditions thereof.
Delaware Statutory Trust Statute shall mean the provisions of the Delaware Statutory Trust
Act, 12 Del. C. ss.3 801, et. seq., as such Act may be amended from time to time.
Person shall mean and include natural persons, corporations, partnerships, trusts, limited
liability companies, associations, joint ventures and other entities, whether or not legal
entities, and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.
Prospectus shall mean the currently effective Prospectus of the Trust, if any, under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Shareholders shall mean as of any particular time the holders of record of outstanding
Shares of the Trust at such time.
Shares shall mean the transferable units of beneficial interest into which the beneficial
interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time and includes fractions of Shares as well
as whole Shares. All references to Shares shall be deemed to be Shares of any or all or series
thereof as the context may require.
Trust shall mean the Trust established by this Declaration, as amended from time to time,
inclusive of each such amendment.
Trustees shall mean the signatory to this Declaration, so long as he shall continue in
office in accordance with the terms hereof, and all other persons who at the time in question have
been duly elected or appointed and have qualified as trustees in accordance with the provisions
hereof and are then in office.
Trust Property shall mean as of any particular time any and all property, real or personal,
tangible or intangible, which at such time is owned or held by or for the account of the Trust or
the Trustees in such capacity.
The 1933 Act refers to the Securities Act of 1933 and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder and applicable exemptions therefrom covering the Trust and its affiliated persons, as
amended from time to time.
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The 1940 Act refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder and applicable exemptions granted therefrom, as amended from time to time.
ARTICLE II.
Trustees
2.1 Number and Qualification. Prior to a public offering of Shares, there may be a sole
Trustee and thereafter the number of Trustees shall be such number, not less than three, as shall
be set forth in a written instrument signed or adopted by a majority of the Trustees then in
office. No reduction in the number of Trustees shall have the effect of removing any Trustee from
office prior to the expiration of his term. An individual nominated as a Trustee shall be at least
21 years of age and not older than such age as shall be set forth in a written instrument signed or
adopted by not less than two-thirds of the Trustees then in office, shall not be under legal
disability and shall meet any additional qualifications as may be provided for in the By-Laws.
Trustees need not own Shares and may succeed themselves in office.
2.2 Term and Election. The Board of Trustees shall be divided into three classes. Within the
limits specified in Section 2.1, the number of the Trustees in each class shall be determined by
resolution of the Board of Trustees. The initial term of office of the first class shall expire on
the date of the first annual meeting of Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof. The
initial term of office of the second class shall expire on the date of the second annual meeting of
Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof. The initial term of office of the third class
shall expire on the date of the third annual meeting of Shareholders or special meeting in lieu
thereof. Upon expiration of the initial term of office of each class as set forth above and the
expiration of each subsequent term of office of such class, the term of Trustees of such class
shall be three years and until his or her successor shall have been elected and shall have
qualified or until his or her earlier resignation, removal, incompetence, incapacitation or death.
2.3 Resignation and Removal. Any Trustee may resign his Trust (without need for prior or
subsequent accounting) 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 provided in such instrument. Any Trustee may be removed (provided the
aggregate number of Trustees after such removal shall not be less than the number required by
Section 2.1 hereof) for cause at any time by written instrument, signed by a majority of the
remaining Trustees, specifying the date when such removal shall become effective. Any Trustee may
be removed (provided the aggregate number of Trustees after such removal shall not be less than the
minimum number required by Section 2.1 hereof) without cause at any time by a written instrument,
signed or adopted by two-thirds of the remaining Trustees or by vote of Shares having not less than
two-thirds of the aggregate number of Shares entitled to vote in the election of such Trustee,
specifying the date when such removal shall become effective. Upon the resignation or removal of a
Trustee, or such persons otherwise ceasing to be a Trustee, such persons shall execute and deliver
such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require for the purpose of conveying to the Trust or
the remaining Trustees any Trust Property held in the name of the resigning or removed Trustee.
Upon the incapacity or
- 3 -
death of any Trustee, such Trustees legal representative shall execute and deliver on such
Trustees behalf such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require as provided in the
preceding sentence.
2.4 Vacancies. The term of office of a Trustee shall terminate and a vacancy shall occur in
the event of the removal, resignation, incompetence or other incapacity to perform the duties of
the office, or death, of a Trustee. Whenever a vacancy in the Board of Trustees shall occur, the
remaining Trustees may fill such vacancy by appointing an individual having the qualifications
described in this Article by a written instrument signed or adopted by a majority of the Trustees
then in office or by election by the Shareholders, or may leave such vacancy unfilled or may reduce
the number of Trustees (provided the aggregate number of Trustees after such reduction shall not be
less than the minimum number required by Section 2.1 hereof). Any vacancy created by an increase in
Trustees may be filled by the appointment of an individual having the qualifications described in
this Article by a majority of the Trustees then in office or by election by the Shareholders. No
vacancy shall operate to annul this Declaration 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, the Trustees in office, regardless of their number,
shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon
the Trustees by this Declaration.
2.5 Meetings. Meetings of the Trustees shall be held from time to time upon the call of the
Chairman, if any, the President, the Secretary or any two Trustees. Regular meetings of the
Trustees may be held without call or notice at a time and place fixed by the By-Laws or by
resolution of the Trustees. Notice of any other meeting shall be mailed or, to the extent permitted
by applicable law, transmitted by electronic mail or other form of legally permissible electronic
transmission not less than 48 hours before the meeting or otherwise actually delivered orally or in
writing not less than 24 hours before the meeting, but may be waived in writing by any Trustee
either before or after such meeting. The attendance of a Trustee at a meeting shall constitute a
waiver of notice of such meeting except where a Trustee attends a meeting for the express purpose
of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting has not been
lawfully called or convened. The Trustees may act with or without a meeting. A quorum for all
meetings of the Trustees shall be one-third of the Trustees then in office. Unless provided
otherwise in this Declaration of Trust, any action of the Trustees may be taken at a meeting by
vote of a majority of the Trustees present (a quorum being present) or without a meeting by written
consent of a majority of the Trustees or such other proportion as shall be specified herein for
action at a meeting at which all Trustees then in office are present.
Any committee of the Trustees, including an executive committee, if any, may act with or
without a meeting. A quorum for all meetings of any such committee shall be a majority of the
members thereof. Unless provided otherwise in this Declaration, any action of any such committee
may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the members present (a quorum being present) or
without a meeting by written consent of a majority of the members or such other proportion as shall
be specified herein for action at a meeting at which all committee members are present.
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With respect to actions of the Trustees and any committee of the Trustees, Trustees who are
Interested Persons in any action to be taken may be counted for quorum purposes under this Section
and shall be entitled to vote to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.
All or any one or more Trustees may participate in a meeting of the Trustees or any committee
thereof by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which
all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other; participation in a meeting pursuant
to any such communications system shall constitute presence in person at such meeting except as
otherwise provided by the 1940 Act.
The Trustees may elect a Chairman of the Board of Trustees, who shall not, in his or her
capacity as such, be an officer of the Trust and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Trustees.
2.6 Officers. The Trustees shall elect a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer who shall
serve at the pleasure of the Trustees or until their successors are elected. The Trustees may elect
or appoint or may authorize the Chairman, if any, or President to appoint such other officers or
agents with such other titles and powers as the Trustees may deem to be advisable. A Chairman
shall, and the President, Secretary and Treasurer may, but need not, be a Trustee.
ARTICLE III.
Powers and Duties of Trustees
3.1 General. The Trustees shall owe to the Trust and its Shareholders the same fiduciary
duties as owed by directors of corporations to such corporations and their stockholders under the
general corporation law of the State of Delaware. 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 such
powers of delegation as may be permitted by this Declaration. The Trustees shall have power to
engage in any activity not prohibited by Delaware law. The enumeration of any specific power herein
shall not be construed as limiting the aforesaid power. The Trustees may perform such acts as in
their sole discretion are proper for conducting the business of the Trust. The powers of the
Trustees may be exercised without order of or resort to any court. No Trustee shall be obligated to
give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his duties or powers hereunder.
3.2 Investments. The Trustees shall have power to:
(a) manage, conduct, operate and carry on the business of an investment company;
(b) subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, hold, pledge, sell,
assign, transfer, exchange, distribute or otherwise deal in or dispose of any and all sorts of
property, tangible or intangible, including but not limited to securities of any type whatsoever,
whether equity or non-equity, of any issuer, evidences of indebtedness of any person and any other
rights, interests, instruments or property of any sort and to exercise any and all rights, powers
and privileges of ownership or interest in respect of any and all such investments of every kind
and description, including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with respect
thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons to exercise any of said rights,
- 5 -
powers and privileges in respect of any of said investments. The Trustees shall not be limited
by any law limiting the investments which may be made by fiduciaries.
3.3 Legal Title. Legal title to all the Trust Property shall be vested in the Trustees as
joint tenants except that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any Trust Property
to be held by or in the name of one or more of the Trustees, or in the name of the Trust, or in the
name of any other Person as nominee, custodian or pledgee, on such terms as the Trustees may
determine, provided that the interest of the Trust therein is appropriately protected.
The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the Trust Property shall vest automatically
in each person who may hereafter become a Trustee upon his due election and qualification. Upon the
ceasing of any person to be a Trustee for any reason, such person shall automatically cease to have
any right, title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and the right, title and interest of
such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting
and cessation shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and
delivered.
3.4 Issuance and Repurchase of Shares. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration and
applicable law, 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,
including Shares in fractional denominations, and to apply to any such repurchase, redemption,
retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or property whether capital or surplus
or otherwise, to the full extent now or hereafter not prohibited by the laws of the State of
Delaware governing statutory trusts.
3.5 Borrow Money or Utilize Leverage. The Trustees shall have the power to borrow money or
otherwise obtain credit or utilize leverage in connection with the activities of the Trust to the
maximum extent permitted by law, including by regulation or order, and to secure the same by
mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security the assets of the Trust, including the
lending of portfolio securities, and to endorse, guarantee, or undertake the performance of any
obligation, contract or engagement of any other person, firm, association or corporation.
3.6 Collection and Payment. The Trustees shall have power to collect all property due to the
Trust; to pay all claims, including taxes, against the Trust Property or the Trust, the Trustees or
any officer, employee or agent of the Trust; to prosecute, defend, compromise or abandon any claims
relating to the Trust Property or the Trust, or the Trustees or any officer, employee or agent of
the Trust; to foreclose any security interest securing any obligations, by virtue of which any
property is owed to the Trust; and to enter into releases, agreements and other instruments. Except
to the extent required for a Delaware business corporation, the Shareholders shall have no power to
vote as to whether or not a court action, legal proceeding or claim should or should not be brought
or maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders.
3.7 Expenses. The Trustees shall have power to incur and pay out of the assets or income of
the Trust any expenses which in the opinion of the Trustees are necessary or appropriate to carry
out any of the purposes of this Declaration, and the business of the Trust,
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and to pay reasonable compensation from the funds of the Trust to themselves as Trustees. The
Trustees shall fix the compensation of all officers, employees and Trustees. The Trustees may pay
themselves such compensation for special services, including legal, underwriting,
syndicating and brokerage services, as they in good faith may deem reasonable and reimbursement for
expenses reasonably incurred by themselves on behalf of the Trust.
3.8 By-Laws. The Trustees may adopt and from time to time amend or repeal By- Laws for the
conduct of the business of the Trust. Such By-Laws shall be binding on the Trust and the
Shareholders unless inconsistent with the provisions of this Declaration. The Shareholders shall
not have authority to adopt, amend or repeal By-Laws.
3.9 Miscellaneous Powers. The Trustees shall have the power to: (a) employ or contract with
such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for the transaction of the business of the Trust,
including investment advisors, administrators, custodians, transfer agents, shareholder services
providers, accountants, counsel, brokers, dealers and others, and to delegate or grant to such
persons all such power and authority as the Trustees may determine; (b) enter into joint ventures,
partnerships and any other combinations or associations; (c) purchase, and pay for out of Trust
Property, insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents,
investment advisors, distributors, 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 constituting negligence, or whether or
not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability; (d) establish
pension, profit-sharing, share purchase, and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans for any
Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust; (e) make donations, irrespective of benefit
to the Trust, for charitable, religious, educational, scientific, civic or similar purposes; (f) to
the extent permitted by applicable law, indemnify any Person with whom the Trust has dealings,
including without limitation any investment adviser, administrator, manager, transfer agent,
custodian, distributor or selected dealer, or any other person as the Trustees may see fit to such
extent as the Trustees shall determine; (g) guarantee indebtedness or contractual obligations of
others; (h) determine and change the fiscal year of the Trust and the method in which its accounts
shall be kept; and (i) 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.
3.10 Delegation; Committees. The Trustees shall have the power, consistent with their
continuing exclusive authority over the management of the Trust and the Trust Property, to delegate
from time to time to such 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. The Trustees may designate
one or more committees each of which shall have all or such lesser portion of the power and
authority of the entire Board of Trustees as the Trustees shall determine from time to time, except
to the extent action by the entire Board of Trustees or particular Trustees is required by the 1940
Act.
3.11 Further Powers. The Trustees shall have the power to conduct the business of the Trust
and carry on its operations in any and all of its branches and maintain offices both within
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and without the State of Delaware, in any and all states of the United States of America, in
the District of Columbia, and in any and all commonwealths, territories, dependencies, colonies,
possessions, agencies or instrumentalities of the United States of America and of foreign
governments, 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 although such things
are not herein specifically mentioned. Any determination as to what is in the interests of the
Trust made by the Trustees in good faith shall be conclusive. In construing the provisions of this
Declaration, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees.
ARTICLE IV.
Limitations of Liability and Indemnification
4.1 No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc. No Shareholder of the Trust shall
be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person in connection with
Trust Property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. Shareholders shall have the same
limitation of personal liability as is extended to stockholders of a private corporation for profit
incorporated under the general corporation law of the State of Delaware. No Trustee or officer of
the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person,
other than the Trust or its Shareholders, in connection with Trust Property or the affairs of the
Trust, save only liability to the Trust or its Shareholders arising from bad faith, willful
misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard for his duty to such Person; and, subject to
the foregoing exception, 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. If any Shareholder,
Trustee or officer, as such, of the Trust, is made a party to any suit or proceeding to enforce any
such liability, subject to the foregoing exception, he shall not, on account thereof, be held to
any personal liability.
4.2 Mandatory Indemnification. (a) The Trust shall indemnify the Trustees and officers of the
Trust (each such person being an indemnitee) against any liabilities and expenses, including
amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and reasonable
counsel fees reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition
of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or
administrative or investigative body in which he may be or may have been involved as a party or
otherwise (other than, except as authorized by the Trustees, as the plaintiff or complainant) or
with which he may be or may have been threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth above in
this Section 4.2 by reason of his having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any
matter as to which he shall not have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action
was in the best interest of the Trust or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which he
shall have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that
no indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to any person or any expense of
such indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross
negligence (negligence in the case of Affiliated Indemnitees), or (iv) reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of his position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through
(iv) being sometimes referred to herein as disabling conduct). Notwithstanding the foregoing,
with respect to any action, suit or other
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proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification shall be
mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such indemnitee was
authorized by a majority of the Trustees.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification shall be made hereunder unless there has
been a determination (1) by a final decision on the merits by a court or other body of competent
jurisdiction before whom the issue of entitlement to indemnification hereunder was brought that
such indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or, (2) in the absence of such a decision,
by (i) a majority vote of a quorum of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the
Trust nor parties to the proceeding (Disinterested Non-Party Trustees), that the indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification hereunder, or (ii) if such quorum is not obtainable or even if
obtainable, if such majority so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion conclude
that the indemnitee should be entitled to indemnification hereunder. All determinations to make
advance payments in connection with the expense of defending any proceeding shall be authorized and
made in accordance with the immediately succeeding paragraph (c) below.
(c) The Trust shall make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any
action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if the Trust receives a
written affirmation by the indemnitee of the indemnitees good faith belief that the standards of
conduct necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the
Trust unless it is subsequently determined that he is entitled to such indemnification and if a
majority of the Trustees determine that the applicable standards of conduct necessary for
indemnification appear to have been met. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must
be met: (1) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking, (2) the Trust shall
be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (3) a majority of a quorum
of the Disinterested Non-Party Trustees, or if a majority vote of such quorum so direct,
independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall conclude, based on a review of readily
available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial reason to
believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
(d) The rights accruing to any indemnitee under these provisions shall not exclude any other
right to which he may be lawfully entitled.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to any limitations provided by the 1940 Act and
this Declaration, the Trust shall have the power and authority to indemnify Persons providing
services to the Trust to the full extent provided by law as if the Trust were a corporation
organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law provided that such indemnification has been
approved by a majority of the Trustees.
4.3 No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, etc. No purchaser, lender,
transfer agent or other person dealing with the Trustees or with any officer, employee or agent 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, employee or agent or be liable for the application
of money or property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said
officer, employee or agent. Every obligation, contract, undertaking, instrument,
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certificate, Share, other security of the Trust, and every other act or thing whatsoever
executed in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively taken 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, employees or agents of the Trust. The Trustees may maintain insurance for the
protection of the Trust Property, its Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents in
such amount as the Trustees shall deem adequate to cover possible liability, and such other
insurance as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable or is required by the 1940
Act.
4.4 Reliance on Experts, etc. Each Trustee and officer or employee of the Trust shall, in the
performance of its duties, be fully and completely justified and protected 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 the
Trusts officers or employees or by any advisor, administrator, manager, distributor, selected
dealer, accountant, appraiser or other expert or consultant selected with reasonable care by the
Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or other person
may also be a Trustee.
ARTICLE V.
Shares of Beneficial Interest
5.1 Beneficial Interest. The interest of the beneficiaries hereunder shall be divided into an
unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest, par value $.001 per share. All Shares issued in
accordance with the terms hereof, including, without limitation, Shares issued in connection with a
dividend in Shares or a split of Shares, shall be fully paid and nonassessable when the
consideration determined by the Trustees (if any) therefor shall have been received by the Trust.
5.2 Classes and Series. The Trustees shall have the authority, without the approval of the
holders of any Shares of the Trust, to classify and reclassify issued and unissued Shares into one
or more classes and one or more series of any or all of such classes, each of which classes and
series thereof shall have such designations, powers, preferences, voting, conversion and other
rights, limitations, qualifications and terms and conditions as the Trustees shall determine from
time to time with respect to each such class or series; provided, however, that no reclassification
of any issued and outstanding Shares and no modifications of any of the designations, powers,
preferences, voting, conversion or other rights, limitations, qualifications and terms and
conditions of any issued and outstanding Shares may be made by the Trustees without the affirmative
vote of the holders of Shares specified in Section 7.3(a) to the extent required thereby. The
initial class of Shares of the Trust shall be designated as Common Shares, subject to
redesignation as aforesaid. To the extent expressly determined by the Trustees as aforesaid, all
consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a class, together with all
income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, including any proceeds derived from the sale,
exchange or liquidation thereof, and any Trusts or payments derived from any reinvestment of such
proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to such class subject only to
the rights of the creditors, and all liabilities allocable to such class shall be charged thereto.
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5.3 Issuance of Shares. The Trustees, in their discretion, may from time to time without vote
of the Shareholders issue Shares of any class or any series of any such class 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 determine, 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. The Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares of any
class or any series of any such class into a greater or lesser number without thereby changing the
proportionate beneficial interest in such Shares. Issuances and repurchases of Shares may be made
in whole Shares and/or l/l,000ths of a Share or multiples thereof as the Trustees may determine.
5.4 Rights of Shareholders. The Shares shall be personal property giving only the rights in
this Declaration specifically set forth. The ownership of the Trust Property of every description
and the right to conduct any business 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 nor can they be called upon to share or assume any losses of the Trust
suffer an assessment of any kind by virtue of their ownership of Shares. The Shares shall not
entitle the holder to preference, preemptive, appraisal, conversion or exchange rights (except as
specified in this Section 5.4, in Section 7.4 or as specified by the Trustees in the designation or
redesignation of any class or series thereof of the Shares).
5.5 Trust Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to create only the relationship of
Trustee and beneficiary between the Trustees and each Shareholder from time to time. It is not the
intention of the Trustees to create a general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock
association, corporation, bailment or any form of legal relationship other than a Trust. Nothing in
this Declaration shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the
Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.
5.6 Register of Shares. A register shall be kept at the Trust or any transfer agent duly
appointed by the Trustees under the direction of the Trustees which shall contain the names and
addresses of the Shareholders and the number of Shares held by them respectively and a record of
all transfers thereof. Separate registers shall be established and maintained for each class and
each series of each class. Each such register shall be conclusive as to who are the holders of the
Shares of the applicable class and series and who shall be entitled to receive dividends or
distributions or otherwise to exercise or enjoy the rights of Shareholders. No Shareholder shall be
entitled to receive payment of any dividend or distribution, nor to have notice given to him as
herein provided, until he has given his address to a transfer agent or such other officer or agent
of the Trustees as shall keep the register for entry thereon. It is not contemplated that
certificates will be issued for the Shares; however, the Trustees, in their discretion, may
authorize the issuance of share certificates and promulgate appropriate fees therefore and rules
and regulations as to their use.
5.7 Transfer Agent and Registrar. The Trustees shall have power to employ a transfer agent or
transfer agents, and a registrar or registrars, with respect to the Shares. The transfer agent or
transfer agents may keep the applicable register and record therein, the original issues and
transfers, if any, of the said Shares. Any such transfer agent and registrar shall perform the
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duties usually performed by transfer agents and registrars of stock in a corporation, as
modified by the Trustees.
5.8 Transfer of Shares. Shares shall be transferable on the records of the Trust only by the
record holder thereof or by its agent thereto duly authorized in writing, upon delivery to the
Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust of a duly executed instrument of transfer, together with
such evidence of the genuineness of each such execution and authorization and of other matters as
may reasonably be required. Upon such delivery the transfer shall be recorded on the applicable
register of the Trust. Until such record is made, the Shareholder of record shall be deemed to be
the holder of such Shares for all purposes hereof and neither the Trustees nor any transfer agent
or registrar nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be affected by any notice of the
proposed transfer.
Any person becoming entitled to any Shares in consequence of the death, bankruptcy, or
incompetence of any Shareholder, or otherwise by operation of law, shall be recorded on the
applicable register of Shares as the holder of such Shares upon production of the proper evidence
thereof to the Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust, but until such record is made, the
Shareholder of record shall be deemed to be the holder of such for all purposes hereof, and neither
the Trustees nor any transfer agent or registrar nor any officer or agent of the Trust shall be
affected by any notice of such death, bankruptcy or incompetence, or other operation of law.
5.9 Notices. Any and all notices to which any Shareholder hereunder may be entitled and any
and all communications to any Shareholder shall be deemed duly given or made if transmitted by
electronic mail or other form of legally permissible electronic transmission, or if mailed, postage
prepaid, addressed to any Shareholder of record at his last known address as recorded on the
applicable register of the Trust and may be sent together with any such notice or other
communication to another Shareholder at the same address. To the extent consistent with applicable
law, including any regulation or order, or consented to by any Shareholder, any such notice or
other communication may be given or made in any other manner. Notice directed to a Shareholder by
electronic mail or other form of legally permissible electronic transmission shall be transmitted
to any address at which the Shareholder receives electronic mail or other electronic transmissions.
5.10 Net Asset Value. The value of the assets of the Trust, the amount of liabilities of the
Trust and the net asset value of each outstanding Common Share of the Trust shall be determined at
such time or times on such days as the Trustees may determine, in accordance with the 1940 Act. The
method of determination of net asset value shall be determined by the Trustees. The power and duty
to make net asset value determinations and calculations may be delegated by the Trustees.
5.11 Distributions to Shareholders.
(a) The Trustees shall from time to time distribute among the Shares (or one or more classes
or series thereof) such portion of the net profits, surplus (including paid-in surplus), capital,
or assets held by the Trustees as they may deem proper or as may otherwise be determined in the
instrument setting forth the terms of such Shares or such class or series of Shares, which need not
be ratable with respect to distributions in respect of Shares of any other
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class or series thereof of the Trust. Such distributions may be made in cash or property
(including without limitation any type of obligations of the Trust or any assets thereof) or any
combination thereof.
(b) Distributions may be made to the Shareholders of record entitled to such distribution at
the time such distribution is declared or at such later date as shall be determined by the Trust
prior to the date of payment.
(c) The Trustees may always retain from any source such amount as they may deem necessary to
pay the debts or expenses of the Trust or to meet obligations of the Trust, or as they otherwise
may deem desirable to use in the conduct of its affairs or to retain for future requirements or
extensions of the business of the Trust.
ARTICLE VI.
Shareholders
6.1 Meetings of Shareholders. The Trust may, but shall not be required to, hold annual
meetings of the holders of any class or series of Shares. An annual or special meeting of
Shareholders may be called at any time only by the Trustees; provided, however, that if May 31 of
any year shall have passed and the Trustees shall not have called an annual meeting of Shareholders
for such year, the Trustees shall call a meeting for the purpose of voting on the removal of one or
more Trustees or the termination of any investment advisory agreement or independent accountants,
upon written request of holders of Shares of the Trust having in the aggregate not less than a
majority of the votes of the outstanding Shares of the Trust entitled to vote on the matter or
matters in question, such request specifying the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is to
be called. Any meeting of Shareholders shall be held within or without the State of Delaware on
such day and at such time as the Trustees shall designate.
6.2 Voting. Shareholders shall have no power to vote on any matter (including matters as to
which the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute specifies a voting requirement in the absence of a
provision in the Declaration, it being the intention of this Declaration that Shareholders shall
have no power to vote on any such matter except as described herein) except matters on which a vote
of Shares is required by or pursuant to the 1940 Act, this Declaration, the By-Laws or resolution
of the Trustees. Any matter required to be submitted for approval of any of the Shares and
affecting one or more classes or series shall require approval by the required vote of Shares of
the affected class or classes and series voting together as a single class and, if such matter
affects one or more classes or series thereof differently from one or more other classes or series
thereof or from one or more series of the same class, approval by the required vote of Shares of
such other class or classes or series or series voting as a separate class shall be required in
order to be approved with respect to such other class or classes or series or series; provided,
however, that except to the extent required by the 1940 Act, there shall be no separate class votes
on the election or removal of Trustees or the selection of auditors for the Trust. Shareholders of
a particular class or series thereof shall not be entitled to vote on any matter that affects the
rights or interests of only one or more other classes or series of such other class or classes or
only one or more other series of the same class. There shall be no cumulative voting in the
election or removal of Trustees.
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6.3 Record Date. For the purposes of determining the Shareholders who are entitled to notice
of and to vote at any meeting the Trustees may, without closing the transfer books, fix a date not
more than 100 days prior to the date of such meeting of Shareholders as a record date for the
determination of the Persons to be treated as Shareholders of record for such purposes. Notice
directed to a Shareholder by electronic mail or other form of legally permissible electronic
transmission shall be transmitted to any address at which the Shareholder receives electronic mail
or other electronic transmissions.
6.4 Quorum and Required Vote.
(a) The holders of one-third of the outstanding Shares of the Trust on the record date present
in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Shareholders for purposes of
conducting business on which a vote of all Shareholders of the Trust is being taken. The holders of
one-third of the outstanding Shares of a class or classes on the record date present in person or
by proxy shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Shareholders of such class or classes for
purposes of conducting business on which a vote of Shareholders of such class or classes is being
taken. The holders of one-third of the outstanding Shares of a series or series on the record date
present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Shareholders of such
series or series for purposes of conducting business on which a vote of Shareholders of such series
or series is being taken. Shares underlying a proxy as to which a broker or other intermediary
states its absence of authority to vote with respect to one or more matters shall be treated as
present for purposes of establishing a quorum for taking action on any such matter only to the
extent so determined by the Trustees at or prior to the meeting of Shareholders at which such
matter is to be considered.
(b) Subject to any provision of the 1940 Act or this Declaration specifying or requiring a
greater or lesser vote requirement for the transaction of any matter of business at any meeting of
Shareholders or, in the absence of any such provision of the 1940 Act or this Declaration, subject
to any provision of the By-Laws or resolution of the Trustees specifying or requiring a greater or
lesser vote requirement, (i) the affirmative vote of a plurality (or, if provided by the By-Laws, a
majority) of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote for the
election of any Trustee or Trustees shall be the act of such Shareholders with respect to the
election of such Trustee or Trustees, (ii) the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares present
in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on any other matter shall be the act of the
Shareholders with respect to such matter, and (iii) where a separate vote of one or more classes or
series is required on any matter, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares of such class or
classes or series or series present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such
matter shall be the act of the Shareholders of such class or classes or series or series with
respect to such matter. Except to the extent otherwise required by the 1940 Act, a majority of the
Shares of any series or class shall mean the lesser of a majority of the outstanding Shares of such
class or series and at least 67% of a quorum of at least 50% of the Shares held of record on the
relevant record date present in person or by proxy.
6.5 Proxies, etc. At any meeting of Shareholders, any holder of Shares entitled to vote
thereat may vote by proxy, provided that no proxy shall be voted at any meeting unless it shall
have been placed on file with the Secretary, or with such other officer or agent of the Trust as
the Secretary may direct, for verification prior to the time at which such vote shall be taken.
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Pursuant to a resolution of a majority of the Trustees, proxies may be solicited in the name
of one or more Trustees or one or more of the officers or employees of the Trust. Only Shareholders
of record shall be entitled to vote. Each full Share shall be entitled to one vote and each
fractional Share shall be entitled to a vote equal to its fraction of a full Share. When any Share
is held jointly by several persons, any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy
in respect of such Share, but if more than one of them shall be present at such meeting in person
or by proxy, and such joint owners or their proxies so present disagree as to any vote to be cast,
such vote shall not be received in respect of such Share. A proxy purporting to be given by or on
behalf of a Shareholder of record on the record date for a meeting shall be deemed valid unless
challenged at or prior to its exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the
challenger. If the holder of any such Share is a minor or a person of unsound mind, and subject to
guardianship or to the legal control of any other person as regards the charge or management of
such Share, he may vote by his guardian or such other person appointed or having such control, and
such vote may be given in person or by proxy. The Trustees shall have the authority to make and
modify from time to time regulations regarding the validity of proxies. In addition to signed
proxies, such regulations may authorize facsimile, telephonic, Internet and other methods of
appointing a proxy that are subject to such supervision by or under the direction of the Trustees
as the Trustees shall determine.
6.6 Reports. The Trustees shall cause to be prepared and sent to Shareholders at least
annually and more frequently to the extent and in the form required by law or any exchange on which
Shares are listed a report of operations containing financial statements of the Trust prepared in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable law.
6.7 Inspection of Records. The records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by Persons
who have been holders of record of at least $25,000 (or such higher amount as may be authorized by
law) in net asset value or liquidation preference of Shares for a continuous period of not less
than six months to the same extent and for the same purposes as is permitted under the Delaware
General Business Corporation Law to shareholders of a Delaware business corporation.
6.8 Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Any action which may be taken by Shareholders by
vote may be taken without a meeting if the holders of all of the Shares entitled to vote thereon
consent to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the
meetings of Shareholders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a
meeting of Shareholders.
ARTICLE VII.
Duration: Termination of Trust; Amendment; Mergers, Etc.
7.1 Duration. Subject to termination in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.2 hereof,
the Trust created hereby shall have perpetual existence.
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7.2 Termination.
(a) The Trust may be dissolved, after two thirds of the Trustees then in office have approved
a resolution therefor, upon approval by Shares having at least 75% of the votes of all of the
Shares outstanding on the record date for such meeting, voting as a single class except to the
extent required by the 1940 Act. Upon the dissolution of the Trust:
(i) The Trust 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 and all of the powers of
the Trustees under this Declaration shall continue until the affairs of the Trust shall have been
wound up, including the power to fulfill or discharge the contracts of the Trust, collect its
assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, merger where the Trust is not the survivor, transfer or
otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Property to one or more Persons at
public or private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part in cash, securities
or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate
to liquidate its business; provided that any sale, conveyance, assignment, exchange, merger in
which the Trust is not the survivor, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all the
Trust Property of the Trust shall require approval of the principal terms of the transaction and
the nature and amount of the consideration with the same vote as required for dissolution pursuant
to paragraph (a) above.
(iii) After paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, 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, in cash or in kind or partly
each, among the Shareholders according to their respective rights.
(b) After the winding up and termination of the Trust and distribution to the Shareholders as
herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and lodge among the records of the Trust
an instrument in writing setting forth the fact of such termination and shall execute and file a
certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. Upon termination
of the Trust, the Trustees shall thereupon be discharged from all further liabilities and duties
hereunder, and the rights and interests of all Shareholders shall thereupon cease.
7.3 Amendment Procedure.
(a) Except as required by applicable law or this Declaration, the Trustees may amend this
Declaration without any vote of Shareholders, including to change the name of the Trust or any
class or series, to make any change that does not adversely affect the relative rights or
preferences of any class or series of Shares or to conform this Declaration to the requirements of
the 1940 Act or any other applicable law, but the Trustees shall not be liable for failing to do
so. If a vote of Shareholders is required by applicable law or this Declaration, or if the Trustees
determine to submit an amendment to a vote of Shareholders, then, other than with respect to
amendments of Sections 2.2, 2.3, 3.8, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.8, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6, this
Declaration may be amended, after a majority of the Trustees then in office have approved a
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resolution therefor, by the affirmative vote set forth in Section 6.4(b)(ii). Sections 2.2,
2.3, 3.8, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.8, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 may only be amended, after a majority
of the Trustees then in office have approved a resolution therefor, by the affirmative vote of the
holders of not less than 75% of the affected Shares outstanding on the record date.
(b) Nothing contained in this Declaration shall permit the amendment of this Declaration to
impair the exemption from personal liability of the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and
agents of the Trust or to permit assessments upon Shareholders.
(c) An amendment duly adopted by the requisite vote of the Board of Trustees and, if required,
Shareholders as aforesaid, shall become effective at the time of such adoption or at such other
time as may be designated by the Board of Trustees or Shareholders, as the case may be. A
certification signed by a majority of the Trustees setting forth an amendment and reciting that it
was duly adopted by the Trustees and, if required, Shareholders as aforesaid, or a copy of the
Declaration, as amended, and executed by a majority of the Trustees, shall be conclusive evidence
of such amendment when lodged among the records of the Trust or at such other time designated by
the Trustees.
Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, until such time as Shares are issued and
outstanding, this Declaration may be terminated or amended in any respect by the affirmative vote
of a majority of the Trustees or by an instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees then in
office.
7.4 Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets. Subject to Section 7.6, the Trust may merge or
consolidate with any other corporation, association, Trust or other organization or may sell, lease
or exchange all or substantially all of the Trust Property or the property, including its good will
or may convert into another form of organization, upon such terms and conditions and for such
consideration when and as authorized by two-thirds of the Trustees then in office and thereafter
approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 75% (a majority (as defined in
Section 6.4(b)) in the event the provisions of the governing instruments of the entity resulting
from such transaction or, in the case of a sale or exchange of assets, the acquiring entity contain
substantially the same provisions as Sections 2.2, 2.3, 3.8, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.8, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3,
7.4, 7.5 and 7.6 of this Declaration) of the affected Shares outstanding on the record date for the
meeting of Shareholders to approve such transaction, and any such merger, consolidation, sale,
lease, exchange or conversion shall be determined for all purposes to have been accomplished under
and pursuant to the statutes of the State of Delaware.
7.5 Redemption; Conversion. No holder of Shares of any class or series, other than in
accordance with the provisions of Section 23(c) (excluding Rule 23c-3 thereunder) of the 1940 Act
and other than to the extent expressly determined by the Trustees with respect to Shares qualifying
as preferred stock pursuant to Section 18(a) of the 1940 Act, shall have any right to require the
Trust or any person controlled by the Trust to purchase any of such holders Shares. The Trust may
be converted at any time from a closed-end investment company to an open- end investment
company as those terms are defined by the 1940 Act or a company obligated to repurchase shares
under Rule 23c-3 of the 1940 Act (an interval company), upon the approval of such a proposal,
together with the necessary amendments to this Declaration to permit such a conversion, by
two-thirds of the Trustees then in office, by the holders of not less than 75% of
- 17 -
the Trusts outstanding Shares entitled to vote thereon and by such vote or votes of the
holders of any class or classes or series of Shares as may be required by the 1940 Act. From time
to time, the Trustees may consider recommending to the Shareholders a proposal to convert the Trust
from a closed-end company to an open-end company or interval company. Upon the recommendation
and subsequent adoption of such a proposal and the necessary amendments to this Declaration to
permit such a conversion by the requisite proportion of the Trusts outstanding Shares entitled to
vote, the Trust shall, upon complying with any requirements of the 1940 Act and state law, become
an open-end investment company.
7.6 Certain Transactions. (a) Subject to the exceptions provided in paragraph (d) of this
Section, the types of transactions described in paragraph (c) of this Section shall, following the
completion of the initial public offering of the common Shares, require the affirmative vote or
consent of the holders of 80% of the Shares of each class outstanding and entitled to vote, voting
as a separate class, when a Principal Shareholder (as defined in paragraph (b) of this Section) is
a party to the transaction. Such affirmative vote or consent shall be in addition to the vote or
consent of the holders of Shares otherwise required by or pursuant to the 1940 Act, this
Declaration, the Bylaws or resolution of the Board of Trustees.
(b) The term Principal Shareholder shall mean any Person which is the beneficial owner,
directly or indirectly, of five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Shares and shall include
any affiliate or associate, as such terms are defined in clause (ii) below, of such Person. For the
purposes of this Section, in addition to the Shares which a Person beneficially owns directly, (a)
any Person shall be deemed to be the beneficial owner of any Shares (i) which it has the right to
acquire pursuant to any agreement or upon exercise of conversion rights or warrants, or otherwise
(but excluding share options granted by the Trust) or (ii) which are beneficially owned, directly
or indirectly (including Shares deemed owned through application of clause (i) above), by any other
Person with which its affiliate or associate (as defined below) has any agreement, arrangement
or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of Shares, or which is
its affiliate or associate as those terms are defined in Rule 1 2b-2 of the General Rules and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as in effect on the date of initial adoption
of this Declaration, and (b) the outstanding Shares shall include Shares deemed owned through
application of clauses (i) and (ii) above but shall not include any other Shares which may be
issuable pursuant to any agreement, or upon exercise of conversion rights or warrants, or
otherwise.
(c) This Section shall apply to the following transactions:
(i) The merger or consolidation of the Trust or any subsidiary of the Trust with or into any
Principal Shareholder.
(ii) The issuance of any securities of the Trust to any Principal Shareholder for cash (other
than pursuant to any automatic dividend reinvestment plan or pursuant to any offering in which such
Principal Shareholder acquires securities that represent no greater a percentage of any class or
series of securities being offered than the percentage of the same class or series of securities
beneficially owned by such Principal Shareholder immediately prior to such offering or, in the case
of a class or series not then owned beneficially by such Principal
- 18 -
Shareholder, the percentage of Common Shares beneficially owned by such Principal Shareholder
immediately prior to such offering).
(iii) The sale, lease or exchange of all or any substantial part of the assets of the Trust to
any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than
$5,000,000, aggregating for the purpose of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in
any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period).
(iv) The sale, lease or exchange to the Trust or any subsidiary thereof, in exchange for
securities of the Trust of any assets of any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an
aggregate fair market value of less than $5,000,000, aggregating for the purposes of such
computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a
twelve-month period).
(v) The purchase by the Trust or any Person controlled by the Trust of any Common Shares of
the Trust from such Principal Shareholder or any person to whom such Principal Shareholder shall
have knowingly transferred such Common Shares other than pursuant to a tender offer available to
all Shareholders of the same class or series in which such Principal Shareholder or transferee
tenders no greater percentage of the Shares of such class or series than are tendered by all other
Shareholders of such class or series in the aggregate.
(d) The provisions of this Section shall not be applicable to (i) any of the transactions
described in paragraph (c) of this Section if two-thirds of the Board of Trustees then in office
shall by resolution have approved a memorandum of understanding or agreement with such Principal
Shareholder with respect to and substantially consistent with such transaction prior to the time
such Person shall have become a Principal Shareholder, or (ii) any such transaction with any
corporation of which a majority of the outstanding shares of all classes of a stock normally
entitled to vote in elections of directors is owned of record or beneficially by the Trust and its
subsidiaries and of which such Person is not a Principal Shareholder.
(e) The Board of Trustees shall have the power and duty to determine for the purposes of this
Section on the basis of information known to the Trust whether (i) a Person beneficially owns five
percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Shares, (ii) a Person is an affiliate or associate (as
defined above) of another, (iii) the assets being acquired or leased to or by the Trust or any
subsidiary thereof constitute a substantial part of the assets of the Trust and have an aggregate
fair market value of less than $5,000,000, and (iv) the memorandum of understanding or agreement
referred to in paragraph (d) hereof is substantially consistent with the transaction covered
thereby. Any such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Section.
ARTICLE VIII.
Miscellaneous
8.1 Filing. This Declaration and any amendment (including any supplement) hereto shall be
filed in such places as may be required or as the Trustees deem appropriate. Each amendment shall
be accompanied by a certificate signed and acknowledged by a Trustee stating
- 19 -
that such action was duly taken in a manner provided herein, and shall, upon insertion in the
Trusts minute book, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein. A restated
Declaration, containing the original Declaration as amended by all amendments theretofore made, may
be executed from time to time by a majority of the Trustees and shall, upon insertion in the
Trusts minute book, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein and may thereafter
be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration and the various amendments thereto.
8.2 Resident Agent. The Trust shall maintain a resident agent in the State of Delaware, which
agent shall initially be The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware
19801. The Trustees may designate a successor resident agent, provided, however, that such
appointment shall not become effective until written notice thereof is delivered to the office of
the Secretary of the State.
8.3 Governing Law. This Declaration is executed by a majority of the Trustees and delivered
in the State of Delaware and with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and
the validity and construction of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according
to the laws of said State and reference shall be specifically made to the business corporation law
of the State of Delaware as to the construction of matters not specifically covered herein or as to
which an ambiguity exists, although such law shall not be viewed as limiting the powers otherwise
granted to the Trustees hereunder and any ambiguity shall be viewed in favor of such powers.
8.4 Counterparts. 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.
8.5 Reliance by Third Parties. Any certificate executed by an individual who, according to
the records of the Trust, or of any recording office in which this Declaration may be recorded,
appears to be a Trustee hereunder, certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees or
Shareholders, (b) the name of the Trust, (c) the due authorization of the execution of any
instrument or writing, (d) the form of any vote passed at a meeting of Trustees or Shareholders,
(e) the fact that the number of Trustees or Shareholders present at any meeting or executing any
written instrument satisfies the requirements of this Declaration, (f) the form of any By-Laws
adopted by or the identity of any officers elected by the Trustees, or (g) the existence of any
fact or facts which in any manner relate to the affairs of the Trust, shall be conclusive evidence
as to the matters so certified in favor of any person dealing with the Trustees and their
successors.
8.6 Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation.
(a) The provisions of this Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine,
with the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the
regulated investment company provisions of the Code or with other applicable laws and regulations,
the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of this Declaration to
the extent of such conflict; provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the
remaining provisions of this Declaration or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted
prior to such determination.
- 20 -
(b) If 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 provision in any other jurisdiction or any
other provision of this Declaration in any jurisdiction.
- 21 -
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused these presents to be executed as of the day and
year first above written.
By:
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/s/ Thomas E. Bratter
Thomas E. Bratter
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/s/ Mario J. Gabelli
Mario J. Gabelli
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Trustee
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Trustee
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/s/ Anthony J. Colavita
Anthony J. Colavita
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/s/ Robert C. Kolodny
Robert C. Kolodny
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Trustee
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Trustee
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/s/ James P. Conn
James P. Conn
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/s/ Anthonie C. van Ekris
Anthonie C. van Ekris
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Trustee
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Trustee
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/s/ Vincent D. Enright
Vincent D. Enright
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/s/ Salvatore J. Zizza
Salvatore J. Zizza
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Trustee
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Trustee
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- 22 -
Exhibit (b)(i)
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS
OF
THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS
Rx
TRUST
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I Shareholder Meetings
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3
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Section 1.1 Chairman
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3
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Section 1.2 Voting
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4
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Section 1.3 Fixing Record Dates
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4
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Section 1.4 Inspectors of Election
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4
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Section 1.5 Special Meetings of Shareholders
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5
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Section 1.6 Place of Meetings
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6
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Section 1.7 Notice of Meetings
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6
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Section 1.8 Nature of Business at Annual Meetings of Shareholders
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6
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Section 1.9 Nomination of Trustees
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9
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Section 1.10 Conduct of Meetings
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15
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Section 1.11 Postponements; Adjournments
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15
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ARTICLE II Trustees
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16
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Section 2.1 Annual and Regular Meetings
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16
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Section 2.2 Chairman; Records
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16
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Section 2.3 Qualification
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16
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Section 2.4 Governance
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20
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ARTICLE III Officers
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20
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Section 3.1 Officers of the Trust
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Section 3.2 Election and Tenure
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20
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Section 3.3 Removal of Officers
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20
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Section 3.4 Bonds and Surety
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20
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Section 3.5 Chairman, President, and Vice Presidents
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Section 3.6 Secretary
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Section 3.7 Treasurer
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Section 3.8 Other Officers and Duties
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ARTICLE IV Miscellaneous
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Section 4.1 Depositories
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Section 4.2 Signatures
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Section 4.3 Seal
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Section 4.4 Disclosure of Holdings
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Section 4.5 Governing Law
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Section 4.6 Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation
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ARTICLE V SHARE Transfers
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Section 5.1 Transfer Agents, Registrars and the Like
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Section 5.2 Transfer of Shares
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Section 5.3 Registered Shareholders
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23
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ARTICLE VI Amendment of By-Laws
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23
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Section 6.1 Amendment and Repeal of By-Laws
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i
THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE & WELLNESS
Rx
TRUST
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS
These Second Amended and Restated By-Laws are made and adopted pursuant to Section 3.8 of
the Third Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust establishing The Gabelli Healthcare &
Wellness
Rx
Trust (the
Trust
) dated as of February 16, 2011, as from time to
time amended (hereinafter called the
Declaration
). All words and terms capitalized in
these By-Laws and not defined herein shall have the meaning or meanings set forth for such words or
terms in the Declaration.
Definitions
. As used in these By-Laws, the following terms shall have the meanings
ascribed to them:
12(d) Holder
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(xiii) of Article II
of these By-Laws.
1940 Act
shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.
5% Holder
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(ix) of Article II of
these By-Laws.
beneficial owner
of a security shall mean any person who, directly or indirectly,
through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise (A) has or shares: (1)
voting power which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security; and/or,
(2) investment power which includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition, of such
security or (B) owns, controls or holds with power to vote such security. A person shall be deemed
to be the beneficial owner of shares if that person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership
of such shares at any time whether or not within sixty days. Beneficially own, own beneficially
and related terms shall have correlative meaning.
By-Laws
shall mean these Second Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Trust as amended
or restated from time to time by the Trustees.
Code
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
control
shall mean the power to exercise a controlling influence over a person,
which in the case of a company means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the
management or policies of such company, unless such power is solely the result of an official
position with such company.
control relationship
with respect to any person shall mean control over such person,
being controlled by such person or being under common control with such person.
1
director
shall mean any director of a corporation or any person performing similar
functions with respect to any organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, including any
natural person who is a member of a board of trustees of any organization that is a statutory or
common-law trust.
Disclosable Relationship
with respect to another person means (A) the existence at
any time during the current calendar year or at any time within the two most recently completed
calendar years of any agreement, arrangement, understanding or practice, including the sharing of
information, decisions or actions, of a person with such other person with respect to the Trust or
Shares, (B) the beneficial ownership of securities of any person known by such person to
beneficially own Shares and of which such person knows such other person also beneficially owns any
securities, (C) sharing beneficial ownership of any securities with such other Person, (D) being an
immediate family member of such other person, (E) the existence at any time during the current
calendar year or at any time within the two most recently completed calendar years of a material
business or professional relationship with such other person or with any person of which such other
person is a 5% Holder, officer, director, general partner, managing member or employee or (F)
controlling, being controlled by or being under common control with such other person.
Exchange Act
shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
immediate family member
shall mean any parent, child, spouse, spouse of a parent,
spouse of a child, brother or sister (including step and adoptive relationships).
Independent Trustee
shall mean a Trustee that is not an interested person, as
defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, of the Trust.
investment fund
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(iii) of Article
II of these By-Laws.
nominated or seated
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a) of Article II
of these By-Laws.
person
shall mean and include natural persons, corporations, partnerships, trusts,
limited liability companies, associations, joint ventures and other entities, whether or not legal
entities, and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.
Prohibited Conduct
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(a)(v) of Article
II of these By-Laws.
Proposed Nominee
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.9(d)(i) of Article I
of these By-Laws.
Proposed Nominee Associate
of any Proposed Nominee shall mean any person who has a
Disclosable Relationship with such Proposed Nominee.
2
proxy access rules
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.9(g) of Article I
of these By-Laws.
SEC
shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Shareholder Associate
of any beneficial or record shareholder of Shares shall mean
any person who has a Disclosable Relationship with such beneficial or record shareholder.
Shares
shall mean the units of beneficial interest into which the beneficial
interests in the Trust shall be divided from time to time, including any preferred units of
beneficial interest, which may be issued from time to time, as described herein. All references to
Shares shall be deemed to be Shares of any or all series or classes as the context may require.
special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting
shall mean a special meeting called by
Trustees for the purpose of removing Trustees or terminating the Trusts investment advisory
agreement in the event that an annual meeting of shareholders is not held on or before such date as
may be required by Section 6.1 of the Declaration.
Special Meeting Request
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.5(b) of
Article I of these By-Laws.
ARTICLE I
SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS
Chairman. Except as otherwise provided in Section 1.10 of these By-Laws, the Chairman, if any,
shall act as chairman at all meetings of the shareholders; in the Chairmans absence, the Trustee
or Trustees present at each meeting may elect a temporary chairman for the meeting, who may be one
of themselves.
3
Voting.
(a) As provided in the Declaration, shareholders shall have no power to vote on any matter
except as provided in or pursuant to Section 6.2 of the Declaration.
(b) As provided in Section 6.4(b) of the Declaration, where a separate vote of one or more
classes or series of Shares is required on any matter: (i) if the vote is for the election of one
or more Trustees, the affirmative vote of a plurality of the Shares of such class or classes or
series or series present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote for such Trustee or
the Trustees shall be the act of the shareholders of such class or classes or series or series with
respect to the election of such Trustee or Trustees; and (ii) if the vote is for any other matter,
the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares of such class or classes or series or series
present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on such other matter shall be the
act of the shareholders of such class or classes or series or series with respect to such other
matter, in each case at any meeting at which a quorum is present with respect to the vote on the
election of such Trustee(s) or such other matter.
(c) Shareholders may vote either in person or by duly executed proxy and each full share
represented at the meeting shall have one vote, all as provided in Article 6 of the Declaration.
Fixing Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the shareholders who are entitled to notice of
or to vote or act at any meeting, including any adjournment thereof, or who are entitled to
participate in any dividends, or for any other proper purpose, the Trustees may from time to time,
without closing the transfer books, fix a record date in the manner provided in Section 6.3 of the
Declaration. If the Trustees do not prior to any meeting of shareholders so fix a record date or
close the transfer books, then the date on which mailing of notice of the meeting is commenced or
the date upon which the dividend resolution is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record
date.
Inspectors of Election. In advance of any meeting of shareholders, the Trustees may appoint
inspectors of election to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof. If inspectors of election
are not so appointed, the Chairman, if any, of any meeting of shareholders may appoint inspectors
of election of the meeting. The number of inspectors shall be either one or three. In case any
person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled
by appointment made by the Trustees in advance of the convening of the meeting or at the meeting by
the person acting as chairman. The inspectors of election shall determine the number of Shares
outstanding, the Shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the authenticity,
validity and effect of proxies, shall receive votes, ballots or consents, shall hear and determine
all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote, shall count
and tabulate all votes or consents, determine the results, and do such other acts as may be proper
to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all shareholders. If there are three inspectors of
election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the
decision, act or certificate of all. On request of the Chairman, if any, of the meeting, the
inspectors of election shall make a report in writing of any challenge or question or matter
determined by them and shall execute a certificate of any facts found by them.
4
Special Meetings of Shareholders.
(d) Special meetings of shareholders may be called only by the Board of Trustees (or any duly
authorized committee), except a special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting shall be called by the
Trustees upon the timely receipt by the Secretary of a request in proper form from one or more
record shareholders acting pursuant to and in accordance with Section 6.1 of the Declaration. Only
such business shall be conducted at a special meeting or a special meeting in lieu of an annual
meeting as shall be specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto). In fixing a
date for any special meeting, the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized committee) may consider
such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be
considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the
Board of Trustees to call an annual meeting or a special meeting;
provided, however
, that the date
fixed for any special meeting is consistent with Section 6.1 of the Declaration.
(e) Any shareholder(s) of record seeking to request a special meeting shall send written
notice to the Secretary (the
Special Meeting Request
) by registered mail, return receipt
requested, requesting the Secretary to call a special meeting. Proof of the requesting
shareholders ownership of Shares at the time of giving the Special Meeting Request must accompany
the requesting shareholders Special Meeting Request. The Special Meeting Request shall set forth
the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at the meeting, shall be signed
by one or more shareholders of record (or their duly authorized agents), shall bear the date of
signature of each requesting shareholder (or its duly authorized agent) signing the Special Meeting
Request and shall set forth all information that each such shareholder of record and, with respect
to the beneficial owners of Shares on whose behalf such request is being made, each such beneficial
owner of Shares would be required to disclose in a proxy statement or other filings required to be
made in connection with solicitations of proxies with respect to the proposed business to be
brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, as well as additional
information required by Section 1.8(d) of Article I of these By-Laws. Upon receiving the Special
Meeting Request, the Trustees may in their discretion fix a date for the special meeting in lieu of
an annual meeting, which need not be the same date as that requested in the Special Meeting
Request.
(i) The shareholder(s) of record providing notice of business proposed to be
brought before a special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting shall further update
and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or
required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 1.5 shall be true
and correct as of the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to
receive notice of the special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting and such update
and supplement shall be delivered to or be mailed and received by the Secretary at
the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than five (5) business days
after the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of
the special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting.
(ii) The Board of Trustees shall determine the validity of any purported
Special Meeting Request received by the Secretary.
5
(iii) Within ten (10) days of receipt of a valid Special Meeting Request, the
Secretary shall inform the requesting shareholders of the reasonably estimated cost
of preparing and mailing the notice of meeting (including the Trusts proxy
materials). The Secretary shall not be required to call a special meeting in lieu
of an annual meeting upon receipt of a Special Meeting Request and such meeting
shall not be held unless the Secretary receives payment of such reasonably estimated
cost prior to the mailing of any notice of the meeting.
(f) No business shall be conducted at a special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting of
shareholders except business brought before any such meeting in accordance with the procedures set
forth in this Section 1.5 of this Article I and in compliance with Article 6 of the Declaration.
If the chair of a special meeting in lieu of an annual meeting determines that business was not
properly brought before such meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the chair shall
declare to the meeting that the business was not properly brought before the meeting and such
business shall not be transacted.
(g) Nothing contained in this Section 1.5 of this Article I shall be deemed to affect any
rights of shareholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Trusts proxy statement pursuant to
Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law).
Place of Meetings. Any shareholder meeting, including any special meeting, shall be held within or
without the state in which the Trust was formed at such place, date and time as the Trustees shall
designate.
Notice of Meetings. Written notice of all meetings of shareholders, stating the place, date and
time of the meeting, shall be given by the Secretary by mail to each shareholder of record entitled
to vote thereat at its registered address, mailed at least ten (10) days and not more than sixty
(60) days before the meeting or otherwise in compliance with applicable binding law. Such notice
will also specify the means of remote communications, if any, by which shareholders and
proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting.
Nature of Business at Annual Meetings of Shareholders.
(h) Only such business (other than nominations for election to the Board of Trustees, which
must comply with the provisions of Section 1.9 of this Article I) may be transacted at an annual
meeting of shareholders as is either:
(i) specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or
at the direction of the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized committee
thereof),
(ii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by or at the
direction of the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized committee thereof), or
(iii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by any shareholder
of record of the Trust:
6
(A) who is a shareholder of record on the date such shareholder
gives the notice provided for in this Section 1.8 of this Article I
and on the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled
to notice of and to vote at such annual meeting; and
(B) who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this
Section 1.8 of this Article I.
(i) In addition to any other applicable requirements, for business to be properly brought
before an annual meeting by a shareholder, such shareholder of record must have given timely notice
thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Trust.
(j) To be timely, a record shareholders notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or be
mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Trust not less than one hundred and
twenty (120) days nor more than one hundred and fifty (150) days prior to the anniversary date of
the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that such notice for
the 2011 annual meeting of shareholders shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal
executive offices of the Fund neither earlier than 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day nor
later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the 90th day before the first anniversary of the date of the
proxy statement for the preceding years annual meeting of shareholders; provided, further,
however, that in the event that an annual meeting is called for a date that is not within
twenty-five (25) days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder of record in
order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day
following the day on which such notice of the date of the annual meeting was mailed or such public
disclosure of the date of the annual meeting was made, whichever first occurs.
Public
disclosure
shall mean disclosure (i) in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News
Service, Associated Press, Business Wire, PR Newswire or other widely circulated news or wire
service or (ii) in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange
Act. In no event shall the adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting, or the public
announcement of such an adjournment or postponement, commence a new time period (or extend any time
period) for the giving of a record shareholders notice as described above.
(k) To be in proper written form, a record shareholders notice to the Secretary must set
forth the following information:
(i) as to each matter such shareholder of record proposes to bring before the
annual meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the
annual meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting,
and
(ii) as to the record shareholder giving notice and each beneficial owner, if
any, on whose behalf such notice is being given,
(A) the name and address of each such person and of each
Shareholder Associate of each such person;
7
(B) (1) the class or series and number of all Shares which are
owned beneficially or of record by each such person and each
Shareholder Associate of each such person,
(2) whether and the extent to which any derivative
instrument, swap, option, warrant, short interest, hedge or
profit interest or other transaction has been entered into by or
on behalf of any such person, or any Shareholder Associate of
any such person, with respect to Shares, and
(3) whether and the extent to which any other transaction,
agreement, arrangement or understanding (including any short
position or any borrowing or lending of Shares) has been made by
or on behalf of any such person, or any Shareholder Associate of
any such person, where the effect or intent of any of the
foregoing is to mitigate loss to, or to manage risk or benefit
of Share price changes for, any such person, or any Shareholder
Associate of any such person, or to increase or decrease the
voting power or pecuniary or economic interest of any such
person, or any Shareholder Associate of any such person, with
respect to Shares;
(C) a description of all agreements, arrangements, or
understandings (whether written or oral) between or among any such
person, or any Shareholder Associate of any such person, and any
other person or persons (including their names) in connection with
the proposal of such business and any material interest of such
person or any Shareholder Associate of any such person, in such
business, including any anticipated benefit therefrom to such person,
or any Shareholder Associate of any such person;
(D) a description of all commercial and professional
relationships and transactions between or among any such person, or
any Shareholder Associate of any such person, and any other person or
persons known to such person or Shareholder Associate to have a
material interest in the matter that is the subject of such notice;
(E) all information relating to each such person and each
Shareholder Associate of each such person that would be required to
be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made
in connection with the solicitation of proxies by any such person
with respect to the proposed business to
8
be brought by any such person before the annual meeting pursuant
to Section 14 of the Exchange Act; and
(F) a representation that the shareholder of record giving
notice intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting
to bring such business before the meeting.
(l) A shareholder of record providing notice of business proposed to be brought before an
annual meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the
information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 1.8 of this
Article I shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining the shareholders entitled
to receive notice of the annual meeting and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or be
mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than
five (5) business days after the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to receive
notice of the annual meeting.
(m) No business (other than nominations for election to the Board of Trustees, which must
comply with the provisions of Section 1.9 of this Article I) shall be conducted at the annual
meeting of shareholders except business brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the
procedures set forth in this Section 1.8 of this Article I. If the chair of an annual meeting
determines that business was not properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with the
foregoing procedures, the chair shall declare to the meeting that the business was not properly
brought before the meeting and such business shall not be transacted at the meeting.
(n) Nothing contained in this Section 1.8 of this Article I shall be deemed to affect any
rights of shareholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Trusts proxy statement pursuant to
Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law).
(o) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 1.8 of this Article I by any shareholder
proposing to bring a matter before the annual meeting shall be inaccurate or incomplete in any
material respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided, and the notice in
respect of which such information is required by this Section 1.8 may be deemed not to have been
made, in accordance with this Section 1.8 of this Article I. Any such shareholder shall notify the
Trust of any inaccuracy or incompleteness (within two business days of becoming aware of such
inaccuracy or change) in any such information.
Nomination of Trustees.
(p) Only persons who are nominated in accordance with the following procedures shall be
eligible for election as Trustees of the Trust. Nominations of persons for election to the Board
of Trustees may be made only at any annual meeting of shareholders, except to the extent otherwise
required by the 1940 Act:
(i) by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized
committee thereof), or
(ii) by any shareholder(s) of record of the Trust:
9
(A) who is a shareholder or are shareholders of record on the
date such shareholder(s) give the notice provided for in this Section
1.9 of this Article I and on the record date for the determination of
shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such annual
meeting; and
(B) who complies or comply with the notice procedures set forth
in this Section 1.9 of this Article I.
(q) In addition to any other applicable requirements, for a nomination to be made by one or
more shareholder(s) of record, such shareholder(s) must have given timely notice thereof in proper
written form to the Secretary of the Trust.
(r) To be timely, a record shareholders notice to the Secretary must be delivered to or be
mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Trust:
(i) in the case of an annual meeting, not less than one hundred and twenty
(120) days nor more than one hundred and fifty (150) days prior to the anniversary
date of the immediately preceding annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however,
that such notice for the 2011 annual meeting of shareholders shall be delivered to
the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Fund neither earlier than
9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the 120th day nor later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on
the 90th day before the first anniversary of the date of the proxy statement for the
preceding years annual meeting of shareholders; provided, further, however, that in
the event that an annual meeting is called for a date that is not within twenty-five
(25) days before or after such anniversary date, notice by the shareholder of record
in order to be timely must be so received not later than the close of business on
the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such notice of the date of the
annual meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the date of the annual
meeting was made, whichever first occurs; and
(ii) in no event shall the adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting, or
the public announcement of such an adjournment or postponement, commence a new time
period (or extend any time period) for the giving of notice as described above.
(s) To be in proper written form, a notice from one or more record shareholders to the
Secretary must set forth the following information:
(i) as to each person whom the shareholder of record proposes to nominate for
election as a Trustee (a
Proposed Nominee
) and each Proposed Nominee
Associate of each such person:
(A) the name, age, business address and residence address of
such Proposed Nominee and of each Proposed Nominee Associate of such
Proposed Nominee;
10
(B) the principal occupation or employment of such Proposed
Nominee;
(C) (1) the number of shares of each class or series of Shares
which are owned beneficially or of record, directly or indirectly, by
such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such
Proposed Nominee, and the name and address of the record holder(s) of
such Shares (if different than the beneficial owner(s)) as they
appear on the records of the Trust,
(2) whether and the extent to which any derivative instrument, swap,
option, warrant, short interest, hedge or profit interest or other
transaction has been entered into by or on behalf of such Proposed Nominee,
or by or on behalf of any Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed
Nominee, with respect to Shares,
(3) whether and the extent to which any other transaction, agreement,
arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing
or lending of Shares) has been made by or on behalf of such Proposed
Nominee, or any Proposed Nominee Associate, where the effect or intent of
any of the foregoing is to mitigate loss to, or to manage risk or benefit of
share price changes for, such Proposed Nominee, or any Proposed Nominee
Associate of such Proposed Nominee, or to increase or decrease the voting
power or pecuniary or economic interest of such Proposed Nominee, or any
Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, with respect to the
Shares,
(4) a description of all agreements, arrangements, or understandings
(whether written or oral) between such Proposed Nominee, and any Proposed
Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, and any material interest of
such Proposed Nominee Associate, in such nomination, including any
anticipated benefit therefrom to such Proposed Nominee Associate;
(5) a description of all commercial and professional relationships and
transactions between or among such Proposed Nominee, or any Proposed Nominee
Associate, and any other person or persons known to such person or Proposed
Nominee Associate to have a material interest in such nominations;
(6) a representation as to whether such Proposed Nominee is an
interested person, as defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, of
the Trust and sufficient information about the Proposed Nominee to permit
counsel to the Trust to confirm such representation, including information
with respect to each relationship set forth in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940
Act which may cause such Proposed
11
Nominee to be an interested person of the Trust or a representation
that no such relationship exists, and
(7) all information necessary to establish that the Proposed Nominee
satisfies the Trustee qualifications as set out in Section 2.3 of Article II
of these By-Laws;
(D) all information relating to such Proposed Nominee and each
Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee that would be
required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings
required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for
election of Trustees in an election contest pursuant to Section 14 of
the Exchange Act (even if an election contest is not involved); and
(ii) as to each shareholder of record giving the notice, and each beneficial
owner, if different than the shareholder of record, on whose behalf the nomination
is being made,
(A) the name and record address of such person and of each
Shareholder Associate of each such person;
(B) (1) the number of shares of each class or series of Shares
which are owned beneficially or of record, directly or indirectly, by
such person and each Shareholder Associate of such person,
(2) whether and the extent to which any derivative instrument, swap,
option, warrant, short interest, hedge or profit interest or other
transaction has been entered into by or on behalf of such person, or by or
on behalf of any Shareholder Associate, with respect to Shares, and
(3) whether and the extent to which any other transaction, agreement,
arrangement or understanding (including any short position or any borrowing
or lending of Shares) has been made by or on behalf of such person, or by or
on behalf of any Shareholder Associate of such person, when the effect or
intent of any of the foregoing being is to mitigate loss to, or to manage
risk or benefit of Share price changes for, such person, or any Shareholder
Associate of such person, or to increase or decrease the voting power or
pecuniary or economic interest of such person, or any Shareholder Associate
of such person, with respect to Shares;
(C) a description of all agreements, arrangements, or
understandings (whether written or oral) between such person, and any
Shareholder Associate of such person, and any proposed nominee or any
other person or persons (including
12
their names) pursuant to which the nomination(s) are being made
by such person, and any material interest of such person, and any
Shareholder Associate, in such nomination, including any anticipated
benefit therefrom to such person, and any Shareholder Associate of
such person;
(D) a description of all commercial and professional
relationships and transactions between or among any such person, or
any Shareholder Associate of any such person, and any other person or
persons known to such person or Shareholder Associate to have a
material interest in such nomination;
(E) all information relating to such person and each Shareholder
Associate of such person that would be required to be disclosed in a
proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection
with the solicitation of proxies for election of Trustees in an
election contest pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act (even if
an election contest is not involved);
(F) a representation that the shareholder(s) giving notice
intends to appear in person or by proxy at the annual meeting to
nominate the person(s) named in the notice.
(iii) Such notice must be accompanied by a certificate executed by the Proposed
Nominee certifying that such Proposed Nominee (a) is not, and will not become a
party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity
other than the Trust in connection with service or action as a Trustee of the Trust
that has not been disclosed to the Trust, (b) will serve as a Trustee of the Trust
if elected, and (c) satisfies the Trustee qualifications as set out in Section 2.3
of Article II of these By-Laws;.
(t) A shareholder or shareholders of record providing notice of any nomination proposed to be
made at an annual meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that:
(i) the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant
to this Section 1.9 of this Article I shall be true and correct as of the record
date for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of the annual
meeting, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or be mailed and
received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later
than five (5) business days after the record date for determining the shareholders
entitled to receive notice of such annual meeting; and
(ii) any subsequent information reasonably requested by the Board of Trustees
to determine that the Proposed Nominee has met the Trustee qualifications as set out
in Section 2.3 of this Article II is
13
provided, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or be mailed and
received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later
than five (5) business days after the request by the Board of Trustees for
subsequent information regarding Trustee qualifications has been delivered to or
mailed and received by such shareholder of record, or group of shareholders of
record, providing notice of any nomination.
(u) No person shall be eligible for election as a Trustee of the Trust unless nominated in
accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.9 of this Article I. If the chair of
the meeting determines that a nomination was not made in accordance with the foregoing procedures,
the chair shall declare to the meeting that the nomination was defective and such defective
nomination shall be disregarded.
(v) Notwithstanding any provision of this Section 1.9 of this Article I to the contrary, a
nomination of persons for election to the Board of Trustees may be submitted for inclusion in the
Trusts proxy materials to the extent required by rules adopted from time to time by the SEC
providing for such nominations and inclusion and interpretations thereof (
proxy access
rules
), and, if such nomination is submitted under the proxy access rules, such submission:
(i) in order to be timely, must be delivered to, or be mailed and received by,
the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust no later than 120
calendar days before the anniversary of the date that the Trust mailed (or otherwise
disseminated) its proxy materials for the prior years annual meeting (or such other
date as may be set forth in the proxy access rules for companies without advance
notice bylaws);
(ii) in all other respects, must be made pursuant to, and in accordance with,
the terms of the proxy access rules, as in effect at the time of the nomination, or
any successor rules or regulations of the SEC then in effect; and
(iii) must provide the Trust with any other information required by this
Section 1.9 of this Article I, by applicable law, the Declaration or a resolution of
the Trustees for nominations not made under the proxy access rules, except to the
extent that requiring such information to be furnished is prohibited by the proxy
access rules. The provisions of this paragraph (g) of this Section 1.9 of this
Article I do not provide shareholders of the Trust with any rights, nor impose upon
the Trust any obligations, other than the rights and obligations set forth in the
proxy access rules.
(w) If information submitted pursuant to this Section 1.9 of this Article I by any shareholder
proposing a nominee for election as a Trustee shall be inaccurate or incomplete in any material
respect, such information may be deemed not to have been provided, and the nomination in respect of
which such information is required by this Section 1.9 may be deemed not to have been made, in
accordance with this Section 1.9 of this Article I. Any such
14
shareholder shall notify the Trust of any inaccuracy or incompleteness (within two business
days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy or change) in any such information.
Conduct of Meetings. The Board of Trustees of the Trust may adopt by resolution such rules and
regulations for the conduct of any meeting of the shareholders as it shall deem appropriate. Every
meeting of the stockholders shall be conducted by an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees
to be chairman of the meeting or, in the absence of such appointment or appointed individual, by
the chairman of the Board of Trustees, by one of the officers present at the meeting, and if no
officer is present, by the stockholders by the vote of a majority of the votes cast by stockholders
present in person or by proxy. In the discretion of the chairman of the meeting selected pursuant
to the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.10, the lead independent Trustee may conduct such
meeting of shareholders in lieu of the individual selected pursuant to the foregoing provisions.
The Secretary, or, in the Secretarys absence, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of both
the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or, in
the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act
as secretary of the meeting. In the event that the Secretary presides at a meeting of the
stockholders, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of Assistant Secretaries, an individual
appointed by the Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, shall record the minutes of the
meeting. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board
of Trustees, the chairman of any meeting of the shareholders shall have the right and authority to
prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of
such chairman, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or
procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Trustees or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting,
may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of
business for the meeting; (b) the determination of when the meeting shall formally commence; (c)
the determination of rules for adjournment of the meeting prior to or after the formal commencement
of the meeting; (d) concluding a meeting or recessing or adjourning the meeting to a later date and
time and at a place announced at the meeting; (e) the determination of when the polls shall open
and close for any given matter to be voted on at the meeting; (f) rules and procedures for
maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present, including without limitation
removing any individual who refuses to comply with meeting procedures; (g) limitations on
attendance at and participation in the meeting to shareholders, their duly authorized and
constituted proxies or such other persons as the chairman of the meeting shall determine; (h)
restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (i)
limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by shareholders; (j) the extent to which,
if any, other participants are permitted to speak; and (k) removing any shareholder or any other
individual who refused to comply with meeting procedures, rules or guidelines as set forth by the
chairman of the meeting.
Postponements; Adjournments. The Board of Trustees may, prior to a meeting of shareholders being
convened, postpone such meeting from time to time to a date not more than 130 days after the
original record date. The chairman of any meeting of the shareholders may adjourn the meeting from
time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice need not be given of any such
adjourned meeting if the time and place, if any, thereof and the means of remote communications, if
any, by which shareholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such
adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned
meeting, the Trust may transact any business which
15
might have been transacted at the original meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned
one or more times without further notice not later than one hundred and thirty (130) days after the
record date.
ARTICLE II
TRUSTEES
Annual and Regular Meetings. Meetings of the Trustees shall be held from time to time upon the
call of the Chairman, if any, the President, the Secretary or any two Trustees. Regular meetings of
the Trustees may be held without call or notice and shall generally be held quarterly. Except as
required by applicable law, neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any
meeting of the Board of Trustees need be stated in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting,
and no notice need be given of action proposed to be taken by written consent.
Chairman; Records. The Chairman, if any, shall act as chairman at all meetings of the Trustees; in
absence of the Chairman, the Trustees present shall elect one of their number to act as temporary
chairman. The results of all actions taken at a meeting of the Trustees, or by the written consent
of a majority of the Trustees, shall be recorded by the Secretary of the Trust or such other person
appointed by the Board of Trustees as the meeting secretary.
Qualification.
(a) After Shares have been publicly offered, only persons satisfying the following
qualification requirements applicable to all Trustees may be nominated, elected, appointed,
qualified or seated (
nominated or seated
) to serve as a Trustee unless a majority of the
Board of Trustees then in office shall have determined by resolution that failure to satisfy a
particular qualification requirement will not present undue conflicts or impede the ability of the
individual to discharge the duties of a Trustee or the free flow of information among Trustees or
between the Funds investment adviser and the Board of Trustees:
(i) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall be at least twenty-one
(21) years of age and not older than such age as shall be set forth in a written
instrument signed or adopted by not less than two-thirds of the Trustees then in
office and not under legal disability;
(ii) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall, at the time the
individual is nominated or seated, serve as a director of no more than 5 companies
having securities registered under the Exchange Act or treated as public reporting
companies under any comparable regulatory regime (investment companies having the
same investment adviser or investment advisers in a control relationship with each
other shall all be counted as a single company for this purpose);
(iii) Except as set forth in this Section 2.3 of this Article II, an individual
nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be an employee, officer, partner, member,
director or record or beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of securities of
(A) any investment adviser or person in a control
16
relationship with such investment adviser (other than the Trusts investment
adviser or any investment adviser in a control relationship with the Trusts
investment adviser), (B) any collective investment vehicle, including the Trust,
primarily engaged in the business of investing in investment securities (as
defined in the 1940 Act) (an
investment fund
) (other than by reason of
being an employee, officer, partner, member, director or controlling person of the
Trusts investment adviser, any investment adviser in a control relationship with
the Trusts investment adviser or any person in a control relationship with any of
the foregoing) or (C) an entity controlling or controlled by any investment adviser
(other than the Trusts investment adviser or any investment adviser in a control
relationship with the Trusts investment adviser or any person in a control
relationship with any of the foregoing) or investment fund;
(iv) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not have been charged
(unless such charges were dismissed or the individual was otherwise exonerated) with
a criminal offense involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or breach of trust, or have
been convicted or have pled guilty or
nolo contendere
with respect to a felony under
the laws of the United States or any state thereof;
(v) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be and shall not
have been subject to any censure, order, consent decree (including consent decrees
in which the respondent has neither admitted nor denied the findings) or adverse
final action of any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority
(including self-regulatory organizations), barring or suspending such individual
from participation in or association with any investment-related business or
restricting such individuals activities with respect to any investment-related
business (collectively,
Prohibited Conduct
), nor shall an individual
nominated or seated as a Trustee be the subject of any investigation or proceeding
that could reasonably be expected to result in an individual nominated or seated as
a Trustee failing to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph, nor shall any
individual nominated or seated as a Trustee be or have engaged in any conduct which
has resulted in, or could have reasonably been expected or would reasonably be
expected to result in, the SEC censuring, placing limitations on the activities,
functions, or operations of, suspending, or revoking the registration of any
investment adviser under Section 203(e) or (f) of the Investment Advisers Act of
1940;
(vi) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be and shall not
have been the subject of any of the ineligibility provisions contained in Section
9(a) of the 1940 Act that would result in, or could have reasonably been expected or
would reasonably be expected to result in such individual or a company of which such
individual is an affiliated person (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act)
being ineligible, in the absence of an exemptive order under Section 9(c) of the
1940 Act, to serve or act in the capacity of employee, officer, director, member of
an advisory board, investment adviser, or depositor of any registered investment
company, or principal underwriter for
17
any registered investment company, registered unit investment trust, or
registered face-amount certificate company;
(vii) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be and shall not
have been the subject of any of the ineligibility provisions contained in Section
9(b) of the 1940 Act that, in the absence of an exemptive order under Section 9(c)
of the 1940 Act, would permit, or could reasonably have been expected or would
reasonably be expected to permit the SEC by order to prohibit, conditionally or
unconditionally, either permanently or for a period of time, such individual from
serving or acting as an employee, officer, director, member of an advisory board,
investment adviser or depositor of, or principal underwriter for, a registered
investment company or affiliated person (as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940
Act) of such investment adviser, depositor, or principal underwriter;
(viii) An individual nominated or seated as an Independent Trustee shall not
be an interested person, as defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, of the
Trust;
(ix) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not be the beneficial
owner of, or be a person party to an agreement, arrangement, understanding or
practice for sharing information or decisions concerning shareholder actions or the
acquisition, disposition or voting of Shares, who in the aggregate are the
beneficial owners of 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of Shares of
the Trust (each such person other than the Trusts investment adviser, any
investment adviser in a control relationship with the Trusts investment adviser or
any person in a control relationship with any of the foregoing, a
5%
Holder
) and shall not have a Disclosure Relationship with a 5% Holder;
(x) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any immediate
family member of such nominee shall not, be employed or have been employed within
the last two full calendar years and current year by, or have, or have had within
the last two full calendar years and current year any material commercial or
professional relationship with, any 5% Holder or any person who controls, is
controlled by, is under common control with or acts in concert with any 5% Holder;
(xi) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any
immediate family member of such nominee shall not, have accepted directly or
indirectly, during the calendar year of the election for which such individual is
nominated or seated or during the immediately preceding calendar year, any
consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from any 5% Holder or from any
person who controls, is controlled by, is under common control with or acts in
concert with any 5% Holder;
18
(xii) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any
immediate family member of such nominee shall not, be an officer, director, general
partner or managing member (or person performing similar functions) of any 5% Holder
or of any person who controls, is controlled by, is under common control with or
acting in concert with a 5% Holder;
(xiii) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any
immediate family member of such nominee shall not, be employed or have been employed
within the last two full calendar years and the current year by any investment fund
or any company or companies controlled by one or more investment funds which in the
aggregate beneficially own (A) more than three percent (3%) of the outstanding
voting Shares of the Trust, (B) securities issued by the Trust having an aggregate
value in excess of five percent (5%) of the total assets of such investment fund and
any company or companies controlled by such investment fund, (C) securities issued
by the Trust and by all other investment funds having an aggregate value in excess
of ten percent (10%) of the total assets of the investment company making such
investment and any company or companies controlled by the investment fund making
such investment, or (D) together with other investment funds having the same
investment adviser and companies controlled by such investment funds, more than ten
percent (10%) of the total outstanding Shares of the Trust (an investment fund
making such investment(s) and any company or companies controlled by it in the
aggregate owning securities in excess of the amounts set forth in (A), (B), (C) or
(D), but excluding any investment fund managed by the Trusts investment adviser or
an investment adviser in a control relationship with the Trusts investment adviser,
being referred to as a
12(d) Holder
), or by any person who controls, is
controlled by, under common control with or acts in concert with a 12(d) Holder;
(xiv) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any
immediate family member of such nominee shall not, have accepted directly or
indirectly, during the calendar year of the election for which such individual is
nominated or seated, or during the immediately preceding calendar year, any
consulting, advisory, or other compensatory fee from any 12(d) Holder or from any
person who controls, is controlled by, is under common control with or acts in
concert with any 12(d) Holder;
(xv) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any
immediate family member of such nominee shall not, be an officer, director, partner
or managing member (or person performing similar functions) of any 12(d) Holder or
of any person who controls, is controlled by, is under common control with or is
acting in concert with a 12(d) Holder; and
(xvi) An individual nominated or seated as a Trustee shall not, and any
immediate family member of such nominee shall not, control or act in concert with
any 12(d) Holder or any person who controls, is controlled by, is under common
control with or is acting in concert with a 12(d) Holder.
19
Governance. The Board of Trustees may from time to time require all its members (including any
individual nominated to serve as a Trustee) to agree in writing as to matters of corporate
governance, business ethics and confidentiality while such persons serve as a Trustee, such
agreement to be on the terms and in a form determined satisfactory by the Board of Trustees, as
amended and supplemented from time to time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
Officers of the Trust. The officers of the Trust shall consist of a President, a Secretary, a
Treasurer and such other officers or assistant officers as may be elected or authorized by the
Trustees. Any two or more of the offices may be held by the same Person, except that the same
person may not be both President and Secretary. No officer of the Trust need be a Trustee.
Election and Tenure. At the initial organization meeting, the Trustees shall elect the President,
Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers as the Trustees shall deem necessary or appropriate in
order to carry out the business of the Trust. Such officers shall serve at the pleasure of the
Trustees or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. The Trustees may fill any
vacancy in office or add any additional officers at any time.
Removal of Officers. Any officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by action of a
majority of the Trustees. This provision shall not prevent the making of a contract of employment
for a definite term with any officer and shall have no effect upon any cause of action which any
officer may have as a result of removal in breach of a contract of employment. Any officer may
resign at any time by notice in writing signed by such officer and delivered or mailed to the
Chairman, if any, President, or Secretary, and such resignation shall take effect immediately upon
receipt by the Chairman, if any, President, or Secretary, or at a later date according to the terms
of such notice in writing.
Bonds and Surety. Any officer may be required by the Trustees to be bonded for the faithful
performance of such officers duties in such amount and with such sureties as the Trustees may
determine.
Chairman, President, and Vice Presidents. The Chairman, if any, shall, if present, preside at all
meetings of the shareholders and of the Trustees. The President shall be the chief executive
officer of the Trust and, subject to the control of the Trustees, shall have general supervision,
direction and control of the business of the Trust and of its employees and shall exercise such
general powers of management as are usually vested in the office of President of a corporation.
Subject to direction of the Trustees, the President shall each have power in the name and on behalf
of the Trust to execute any and all loans, documents, contracts, agreements, deeds, mortgages,
registration statements, applications, requests, filings and other instruments in writing, and to
employ and discharge employees and agents of the Trust. Unless otherwise directed by the Trustees,
the President shall have full authority and power, on behalf of all of the Trustees, to attend and
to act and to vote, on behalf of the Trust at any meetings of business organizations in which the
Trust holds an interest, or to confer such powers upon any other persons, by executing any proxies
duly authorizing such persons. The President shall have such further authorities and
20
duties as the Trustees shall from time to time determine. In the absence or disability of the
President, the Vice-Presidents in order of their rank as fixed by the Trustees or, if more than one
and not ranked, the Vice-President designated by the Trustees, shall perform all of the duties of
the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all of the
restrictions upon the President. Subject to the direction of the Trustees, and of the President,
each Vice-President shall have the power in the name and on behalf of the Trust to execute any and
all instruments in writing, and, in addition, shall have such other duties and powers as shall be
designated from time to time by the Trustees or by the President.
Secretary. The Secretary shall maintain the minutes of all meetings of, and record all votes of,
shareholders, Trustees and the Executive Committee, if any. The Secretary shall be custodian of the
seal of the Trust, if any, and the Secretary (and any other person so authorized by the Trustees)
shall affix the seal, or if permitted, facsimile thereof, to any instrument executed by the Trust
which would be sealed by a Delaware business corporation executing the same or a similar instrument
and shall attest the seal and the signature or signatures of the officer or officers executing such
instrument on behalf of the Trust. The Secretary shall also perform any other duties commonly
incident to such office in a Delaware business corporation, and shall have such other authorities
and duties as the Trustees shall from time to time determine.
Treasurer. Except as otherwise directed by the Trustees, the Treasurer shall have the general
supervision of the monies, funds, securities, notes receivable and other valuable papers and
documents of the Trust, and shall have and exercise under the supervision of the Trustees and of
the President all powers and duties normally incident to the office. The Treasurer may endorse for
deposit or collection all notes, checks and other instruments payable to the Trust or to its order.
The Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the Trust in such depositories as the Trustees shall
designate. The Treasurer shall be responsible for such disbursement of the funds of the Trust as
may be ordered by the Trustees or the President. The Treasurer shall keep accurate account of the
books of the Trusts transactions which shall be the property of the Trust, and which together with
all other property of the Trust in the Treasurers possession, shall be subject at all times to the
inspection and control of the Trustees. Unless the Trustees shall otherwise determine, the
Treasurer shall be the principal accounting officer of the Trust and shall also be the principal
financial officer of the Trust. The Treasurer shall have such other duties and authorities as the
Trustees shall from time to time determine.
Other Officers and Duties. The Trustees may elect such other officers and assistant officers as
they shall from time to time determine to be necessary or desirable in order to conduct the
business of the Trust. Assistant officers shall act generally in the absence of the officer whom
they assist and shall assist that officer in the duties of the office. Each officer, employee and
agent of the Trust shall have such other duties and authority as may be conferred upon such person
by the Trustees or delegated to such person by the President.
ARTICLE IV
MISCELLANEOUS
Depositories. The funds of the Trust shall be deposited in such custodians as the Trustees shall
designate and shall be drawn out on checks, drafts or other orders signed by such officer,
officers,
21
agent or agents (including the adviser, administrator or manager), as the Trustees may from time to
time authorize.
Signatures. All contracts and other instruments shall be executed on behalf of the Trust by its
properly authorized officers, agent or agents, as provided in the Declaration or By-Laws or as the
Trustees may from time to time by resolution provide.
Seal. The Trust is not required to have any seal, and the adoption or use of a seal shall be
purely ornamental and be of no legal effect. The seal, if any, of the Trust, may be affixed to any
instrument, and the seal and its attestation may be lithographed, engraved or otherwise printed on
any document with the same force and effect as if it had been imprinted and affixed manually in the
same manner and with the same force and effect as if done by a Delaware business corporation. The
presence or absence of a seal shall have no effect on the validity, enforceability or binding
nature of any document or instrument that is otherwise duly authorized, executed and delivered.
Disclosure of Holdings. The holders of Shares or other securities of the Trust shall upon demand
disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership,
control over, holding with power to vote or other beneficial ownership of Shares or other
securities of the Trust as the Trustees deem necessary or appropriate.
Governing Law. These By-Laws and the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of
every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the state in
which the Trust was formed, although such law shall not be viewed as limiting the powers otherwise
granted to the Trustees hereunder and any ambiguity shall be viewed in favor of such powers.
Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation.
(a) The provisions of these By-Laws are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with
the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated
investment company provisions of the Code or with other applicable laws and regulations, the
conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of these By-Laws; provided,
however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of these By-Laws
or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.
(b) If any provision of these By-Laws shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such
jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any
other provision of these By-Laws in any jurisdiction.
ARTICLE V
SHARE TRANSFERS
Transfer Agents, Registrars and the Like. As provided in Section 5.7 of the Declaration, the
Trustees shall have authority to employ and compensate such transfer agents and registrars with
22
respect to the Shares of the various classes and series, if any, of the Trust as the Trustees shall
deem necessary or desirable. In addition, the Trustees shall have power to employ and compensate
such dividend disbursing agents, warrant agents and agents for the reinvestment of dividends as
they shall deem necessary or desirable. Any of such agents shall have such power and authority as
is delegated to any of them by the Trustees.
Transfer of Shares. The Shares of the Trust shall be transferable on the books of the Trust only
upon delivery to the Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust of proper documentation as provided
in Section 5.8 of the Declaration. The Trust, or its transfer agents, shall be authorized to refuse
any transfer unless and until presentation of such evidence as may be reasonably required to show
that the requested transfer is proper.
Registered Shareholders. The Trust may deem and treat the holder of record of any Shares as the
absolute owner thereof for all purposes and shall not be required to take any notice of any right
or claim of right of any other person.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS
Amendment and Repeal of By-Laws. In accordance with Section 3.8 of the Declaration, only the
Trustees shall have the power to amend or repeal the By-Laws or adopt new By-Laws at any time.
Action by the Trustees with respect to the By-Laws shall be taken by an affirmative vote of a
majority of the Trustees then in office. The Trustees shall in no event adopt By-Laws which are in
conflict with the Declaration, and any apparent inconsistency shall be construed in favor of the
related provisions in the Declaration.
Amended by the Board of Trustees on: February 16, 2011
23
Exhibit
(K)(i)
SUBSCRIPTION AGENT AGREEMENT
This Subscription Agent Agreement (the Agreement) is made as of __________, 2011 by and
among The
Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness
Rx
Fund
(the Company), Computershare Inc., a
Delaware corporation and its fully owned subsidiary Computershare Trust Company, N.A., a national
banking (collectively, the Agent or individually Computershare and the Trust Company or the
Transfer Agent, respectively). All terms not defined herein shall have the meaning given in the
prospectus supplement (the Prospectus Supplement) included in the (Registration Statement on Form
N-2 Securities Act, File No. 333-166168 filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on March [ ], 2011, as amended by any amendment filed with respect thereto (the
Registration Statement).
WHEREAS, the Company proposes to make a subscription offer by issuing certificates or other
evidences of subscription rights, in the form designated by the Company (the Subscription
Certificates) to shareholders of record (the Shareholders) of its Common Shares (Common
Shares), as of a record date specified by the Company (the Record Date), pursuant to which each
Shareholder will have certain rights (the Rights) to subscribe for additional Common Shares, as
described in and upon such terms as are set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, a final copy of
which has been or, upon availability will promptly be, delivered to the Agent; and
WHEREAS, the Company wishes the Agent to perform certain acts on behalf of the Company, and
the Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the distribution of the Subscription
Certificates and the issuance and exercise of the Rights to subscribe therein set forth, all upon
the terms and conditions set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual agreements set forth
herein, the parties agree as follows:
The Company hereby appoints the Agent to act as subscription agent in connection with the
distribution of Subscription Certificates and the issuance and exercise of the Rights in accordance
with the terms set forth in this Agreement and the Agent hereby accepts such appointment.
2.
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Form and Execution of Subscription Certificates.
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A. Each Subscription Certificate shall be irrevocable. The Agent shall, maintain a register
of Subscription Certificates and the holders of record thereof (each of whom shall be deemed a
Shareholder hereunder for purposes of determining the rights of holders of Subscription
Certificates).
3.
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Rights and Issuance of Subscription Certificates
.
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A. Each Subscription Certificate shall evidence the Rights of the Shareholder therein named
to purchase Common Shares upon the terms and conditions therein and herein set forth.
B. Upon the written advice of the Company, signed by any of its duly authorized officers, as
to the Record Date, the Agent shall, from a list of the Company Shareholders as of the Record Date
to be obtained from the Transfer Agent of the Company, prepare and record Subscription Certificates
in the names of the Shareholders, setting forth the number of Rights to subscribe for the Companys
Common Shares calculated on the basis of one Rights for each Common Share recorded on the books in
the name of each such Shareholder as of the Record Date. Each Subscription Certificate shall be
dated as of the Record Date and shall be executed manually or by facsimile signature of a duly
authorized officer of the Rights Agent. Upon the written advice, signed as aforesaid, as to the
effective date of the Registration Statement, the Agent shall promptly countersign and deliver the
Subscription Certificates, together with a copy of the Prospectus Supplement, instruction letter
and any other document as the Company deems necessary or appropriate, to all Shareholders with
record addresses in the United States (including its territories and possessions and the District
of Columbia). Delivery shall be by first class mail (without registration or insurance), except
for those Shareholders having a registered address outside the United States (who will only receive
copies of the Prospectus Supplement, instruction letter and other documents as the Company deems
necessary or appropriate, if any), delivery shall be by air mail (without registration or
insurance) and by first class mail (without registration or insurance) to those Shareholders having
APO or FPO addresses. No Subscription Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so
executed.
C. The Agent will mail a copy of the Prospectus Supplement, instruction letter, a special
notice and other documents as the Company deems necessary or appropriate, if any, but not
Subscription Certificates to Record Date Shareholders whose record addresses are outside the United
States (including its territories and possessions and the District of Columbia) (Foreign Record
Date Shareholders). The Rights to which such Subscription Certificates relate will be held by the
Agent for such Foreign Record Date Shareholders accounts until instructions are received to
exercise, sell or transfer the Rights.
A. Record Date Shareholders may acquire shares of Common Shares on Primary Subscription and
pursuant to the Over-Subscription Privilege by delivery to the Agent as specified in the Prospectus
Supplement of (i) the Subscription Certificate with respect thereto, duly executed by such
Shareholder in accordance with and as provided by the terms and conditions of the Subscription
Certificate, together with (ii) the Subscription Price, as disclosed in the Prospectus Supplement,
for each Common Share subscribed for by exercise of such Rights, in U.S. dollars by money order or
check drawn on a bank in the United States, in each case payable to the order of the Company or
Computershare.
B. Rights may be exercised at any time after the date of issuance of the Subscription
Certificates with respect thereto but no later than 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time on such date as the
Company shall designate to the Agent in writing (the Expiration Date). For the purpose of
determining the time of the exercise of any Rights, delivery of any material to the Agent shall be
deemed to occur when such materials are received at the Shareholder Services Division of the Agent
specified in the Prospectus Supplement.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4 (a) and 4 (b) regarding delivery of an
executed Subscription Certificate to the Agent prior to 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time on the Expiration
Date, if prior to such time the Agent receives a Notice of Guaranteed Delivery by facsimile
(telecopy) or otherwise from a bank, a trust company or a New York Stock Exchange member
guaranteeing delivery of (i) payment of the full Subscription Price for Common Shares subscribed
for on Primary Subscription and any additional Common Shares subscribed for pursuant to the
Over-Subscription Privilege, and (ii) a properly completed and executed Subscription Certificate,
then such exercise of Primary Subscription Rights and Over-Subscription Rights shall be regarded as
timely, subject, however, to receipt of the duly executed Subscription Certificate and full payment
for the Common Shares by the Agent within three Business Days (as defined below) after the
Expiration Date (the Protect Period). For the purposes of the Prospectus Supplement and this
Agreement, Business Day shall mean any day on which trading is conducted on the New York Stock
Exchange.
D. A holder of Rights may purchase one Common Share for every [three] Rights excercised.
Rights may be exercised at a price of $[_____].00 per Common Share (the Subscription Price). As
soon as practicable after the Expiration Date, COMPUTERSHARE shall send to each exercising
shareholder (or, Common Shares on the Record Date are held by Cede & Co. or any other depository or
nominee, to Cede & Co. or such other depository or nominee) a confirmation showing the number of
Common Shares acquired pursuant to the Primary Subscription, and, if applicable, the
Over-Subscription Privilege, the per share and total purchase price for such shares, and any
additional amount payable to the Company by such shareholder or any excess to be refunded by the
Company to such shareholder in the form of a check and stub, along with a letter explaining the
allocation of Common Shares pursuant to the Over-Subscription Privilege.
E. Any additional payment required from a shareholder must be received by Computershare
within ten Business Days after the Expiration Date and any excess payment to be refunded by the
Company to a shareholder will be mailed by Computershare within ten Business Days after the
Confirmation Date. If a shareholder does not make timely payment of any additional amounts due in
accordance with Section 4(D), Computershare will consult with the Company in accordance with
Section 5 as to the appropriate action to be taken. Computershare will not instruct issuance to
the Transfer Agent for shares subscribed for until payment in full therefore has been received,
including collection of checks and payment pursuant to notices of guaranteed delivery.
5.
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Validity of Subscriptions
.
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Irregular subscriptions not otherwise covered by specific instructions herein shall be
submitted to an appropriate officer of the Company and handled in accordance with his or her
instructions. Such instructions will be documented by the Agent indicating the instructing officer
and the date thereof.
If, after allocation of Common Shares to Record Date Shareholders, there remain unexercised
Rights, then the Agent shall allot the shares issuable upon exercise of such unexercised Rights
(the Remaining Shares) to Shareholders who have exercised all the Rights initially issued to them
and who wish to acquire more than the number of shares for which the Rights issued to them are
exercisable. Shares subscribed for pursuant to the Over-Subscription Privilege will be allocated
in the amounts of such over-subscriptions. If the number of shares for which the Over-Subscription
Privilege has been exercised is greater than the Remaining Shares, the Agent shall allocate the
Remaining Shares to Record Date Shareholders subscribing pursuant
to the Over-Subscription Privilege based on the number of Common Shares owned by them on the Record
Date. Rights acquired in the secondary market may not participate in the over subscription
privilege. The Agent shall advise the Company immediately upon the completion of the allocation
set forth above as to the total number of Common Shares subscribed and distributable.
7.
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Holding Proceeds of Rights Offering.
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A. All proceeds received by Computershare from Shareholders in respect of the exercise of
Rights shall be held by Computershare, on behalf of the Company, in a segregated account (the
Account). No interest shall accrue to the Company or shareholders on funds held in the Account
pending disbursement in the manner described in Section 4(E) above.
B. Computershare shall deliver all proceeds received in respect of the exercise of Rights to
the Company as promptly as practicable, but in no event later than four business days after the
Expiration Date.
C. The Company acknowledges that the bank accounts maintained by Computershare in connection
with the services provided under this Agreement will be in its name and that Computershare may
receive investment earnings in connection with the investment at Computershares risk and for its
benefit of funds held in those accounts from time to time.
Daily, during the period of the offer until termination of the Subscription Period, the Agent
will report by telephone or telecopier, confirmed by letter, to an officer of the Company, data
regarding Rights exercised, the total number of Common Shares subscribed for, and payments received
therefor, bringing forward the figures from the previous days report in each case so as to show
the cumulative totals and any such other information as may be mutually determined by the Company
and the Agent.
If any Subscription Certificate is lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed, the Agent may, on
such terms which will indemnify and protect the Company and the Agent as the Agent may in its
discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Subscription Certificate include the
surrender and cancellation thereof), issue a new Subscription Certificate of like denomination in
substitution for the Subscription Certificate so lost, stolen, mutilated or destroyed.
10.
Compensation for Services
.
The Company agrees to pay to the Agent compensation for its services hereunder in accordance
with its Fee Schedule to act as Agent attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Company further agrees
that it will reimburse the Agent for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the
performance of its duties as such.
11.
Instructions, Indemnification and Limitation of Liability.
11.1
Company Indemnity
. The Company covenants and agrees to indemnify and to hold
the Agent harmless against any costs, expenses (including reasonable fees of its legal counsel),
losses or damages, which may be paid, incurred or suffered by or to which it may become subject,
arising from or out of, directly or indirectly, any claims or liability resulting from its
actions as Agent (including as Agent the provision of any services set forth in the Fee and Service
Schedule attached hereto) pursuant to the terms set forth in this Agreement; provided, that such
covenant and agreement does not extend to, and the Agent shall not be indemnified with respect to,
such costs, expenses, losses and damages incurred or suffered by the Agent as a result of, or
arising out of, its gross negligence, bad faith, or willful misconduct.
In addition to the foregoing, the Agent:
A. Shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically set forth herein or as
may subsequently be requested of the Agent by the Company with respect to the Subscription Offer
and agreed upon by the Agent;
B. May rely on and shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company in acting upon any
certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, facsimile transmission, telegram or other
document, or any security delivered to it, and reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have
been signed by the proper party or parties;
C. May consult with counsel satisfactory to it (including counsel for the Company) and shall
be held harmless in relying on the written advice or opinion of such counsel in respect of any
action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice
or opinion of such counsel.
11.2
Instructions
. From time to time, Agent may apply to any officer of the Company for
instruction and Company shall provide Agent with such instructions concerning the Services. In
addition, Agent may consult with legal counsel for the Agent or the Company with respect to any
matter arising in connection with the services to be performed by the Agent under this Agreement,
and Agent and its agents and subcontractors shall not be liable and shall be indemnified by the
Company for any action taken or omitted by it in reliance upon any Company instructions or upon the
advice or opinion of such counsel. The Agent shall not be held to have notice of any change of
authority of any person, until receipt of written notice thereof from the Company.
11.3
Agent Indemnification/Limitation of Liability
. Agent shall be responsible for and
shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, costs,
charges, counsel fees, payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to: (a)
Agents refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, (b) Agents gross negligence
or willful misconduct, or (c) Agents breach of any representation or warranty hereunder, for which
Agent is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement; provided, however, that Agents
aggregate liability during any term of this Agreement with respect to, arising from, or arising in
connection with this Agreement, or from all Services provided or omitted to be provided under this
Agreement, whether in contract, or in tort, or otherwise, is limited to, and shall not exceed, the
amounts paid hereunder by the Company to Agent as fees and charges, but not including reimbursable
expenses.
11.4
Notice
. In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this Section
shall apply, upon the assertion of a claim for which one party may be required to indemnify the
other, the party seeking indemnification shall promptly notify the other party of such assertion,
and shall keep the other party advised with respect to all developments concerning such claim. The
indemnifying party shall have the option to participate with the indemnified party in the defense
of such claim or to defend against said claim in its own name or the name of the indemnified party.
The indemnified party shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in
which the indemnifying party may be required to indemnify it except with the indemnifying partys
prior written consent.
12.
Changes in Subscription Certificate
.
The Agent may, without the consent or concurrence of the Shareholders in whose names
Subscription Certificates are registered, by supplemental agreement or otherwise, concur with the
Company in making any changes or corrections in a Subscription Certificate that it shall have been
advised by counsel (who may be counsel for the Company) is appropriate to cure any ambiguity or to
correct any defective or inconsistent provision or clerical omission or mistake or manifest error
therein or herein contained, and which shall not be inconsistent with the provision of the
Subscription Certificate except insofar as any such change may confer additional rights upon the
Shareholders.
13.
Assignment/Delegation
.
A. Except as provided in Section 13(B) below, neither this Agreement nor any rights or
obligations hereunder may be assigned or delegated by either party without the written consent of
the other party.
B. The Agent may, without further consent on the part of the Company, subcontract with other
subcontractors for systems, processing, telephone and mailing services, and post-exchange
activities, as may be required from time to time; provided, however, that the Agent shall be as
fully responsible to the Company for the acts and omissions of any subcontractor as it is for its
own acts and omissions.
14.
Third Party Beneficiaries.
Except as explicitly stated elsewhere in this Agreement, nothing under this Agreement shall be construed to give any rights or benefits in this Agreement to
anyone other than the Agent and the Company and the duties and responsibilities undertaken pursuant
to this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Agent and the Company.
Neither party shall make any commitments with third parties that are binding on the other party
without the other partys prior written consent.
15.
Governing Law
.
The validity, interpretation and performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the law of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
16.
Partnership
.
This Agreement does not constitute an agreement for a partnership or joint venture between the
Agent and the Company.
17.
Force Majeure
.
In the event either party is unable to perform its obligations under the terms of this
Agreement because of acts of God, strikes, terrorist acts, equipment or transmission failure or
damage reasonably beyond its control, or other cause reasonably beyond its control, such party
shall not be liabile for damages to the other for any damages resulting from such failure to
perform or otherwise from such causes. Performance under this Agreement shall resume when the
affected party or parties are able to perform substantially that partys duties.
18.
Consequential Damages
.
Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party for any consequential,
indirect, special or incidental damages under any provisions of this Agreement or for any
consequential, indirect, penal, special or incidential damages arising out of any act or failure to
act hereunder even if that party has been advised of or has foreseen the possibility of such
damages.
19.
Severability
.
If any provision of this Agreement shall be held invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the
valididty, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be
affected or impaired.
20.
Counterparts
.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an
original and all of which together shall be considered one and the same agreement.
21.
Captions.
The captions and descriptive headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only.
They do not in any way modify, amplify, alter or give full notice of the provisions hereof.
22.
Confidentiality
.
22.1
Definition
. Each party acknowledges and understands that any and all technical, trade
secret, or business information, including, without limitation, financial information, business or
marketing strategies or plans, product development, Company information, Shareholder information
(including any non-public information of such Shareholder), proprietary information, or proprietary
software (including methods or concepts used therein, sources code, object code, or related
technical information) which has been or is disclosed to the other or has been or is otherwise
obtained by the other, its affiliates, agents or representatives before or during the term of this
Agreement (the Confidential Information) is confidential and proprietary, constitutes trade
secrets of the owner (or its affiliates), and is of great value and importance to the success of
the owners (or its affiliates) business. The parties shall treat the terms and conditions (but
not the existence) of this Agreement as the Confidential Information of the other party.
Confidential Information shall not include any information that is: (a) already known to the other
party or its affiliates at the time of the disclosure; (b) publicly known at the time of the
disclosure or becomes publicly known through no wrongful act or failure of the other party; (c)
subsequently disclosed to the other party or its affiliates on a non-confidential basis by a third
party not having a confidential relationship with the owner and which rightfully acquired such
information; or (d) independently developed by one party without access to the Confidential
Information of the other.
22.2
Use and Disclosure
. All Confidential Information relating to a party will be held in
confidence by the other party to the same extent and with at least the same degree of care as such
party protects its own confidential or proprietary information of like kind and import, but in no
event using less than a reasonable degree of care. Neither party will disclose, duplicate,
publish, release, transfer or otherwise make available Confidential Information of the other party
in any
form to, or for the use or benefit of, any person or entity without the other partys consent.
Each party will, however, be permitted to disclose relevant aspects of the other partys
Confidential Information to its officers, affiliates, agents, subcontractors and employees to the
extent that such disclosure is reasonably necessary for the performance of its duties and
obligations under this Agreement and such disclosure is not prohibited by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley
Act of 1999 (15 U.S.C. 6801 et seq.), as it may be amended from time to time (the GLB Act), the
regulations promulgated thereunder or other applicable law. Each party will establish commercially
reasonable controls to ensure that the confidentiality of the Confidential Information and to
ensure that the Confidential Information is not disclosed contrary to the provisions of this
Agreement, the GLB Act or any other applicable privacy law. Without limiting the foregoing, each
party will implement such physical and other security measures as are necessary to (a) ensure the
security and confidentiality of the Confidential Information; (b) protect against any threats or
hazards to the security and integrity of the Confidential Information; and (c) protect against any
unauthorized access to or use of the Confidential Information. To the extent that any duties and
responsibilities under this Agreement are delegated to an agent or other subcontractor, the party
ensures that such agent and subcontractor are contractually bound to confidentiality terms
consistent with the terms of this Section 23.
22.3
Required or Permitted Disclosure
. In the event that any requests or demands are made
for the disclosure of Confidential Information, other than requests to Agent for records of
Shareholders pursuant to standard subpoenas from state or federal government authorities (e.g., in
divorce and criminal actions), the party will notify the other party to secure instructions from an
authorized officer of such party as to request and to enable the other party the opportunity to
obtain a protective order or other confidential treatment. Each party expressly reserves the
right, however, to disclose the Confidential Information to any person whenever it is advised by
counsel that it may be held liable for the failure to disclose such Confidential Information or if
required by law or court order.
22.4
Unauthorized Disclosure
. As may be required by law and without limiting either
partys rights in respect of a breach of this Section, each party will:
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(a)
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promptly notify the other party in writing of any unauthorized possession, use or
disclosure of the other partys Confidential Information by any person or entity that may
become known to such party;
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(b)
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promptly furnish to the other party full details of the unauthorized possession, use or
disclosure; and
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(c)
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promptly use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent a recurrence of any such
unauthorized possession, use or disclosure of Confidential Information.
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22.5
Costs
. Each party will bear the costs it incurs as a result of compliance with this Section
23.
Term and Termination.
This Agreement shall remain in effect until the earlier of (a) thirty (30) days after the
Expiration Date; (b) it is terminated by either party upon a material breach of this Agreement
which remains uncured for 30 days after written notice of such breach has been provided; or (c) 30
days written notice has been provided by either party to the other.
24.
Notices.
Until further notice in writing by either party hereto to the other party, all written
reports, notices and other communications between the Agent and the Company required or permitted
hereunder shall be delivered or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, telecopier or
overnight courier guaranteeing next day delivery,addressed as follows:
If to the Company, to:
The Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness
Rx
Trust
Attention Bruce N. Alpert
One Corporate Center
Rye, New York 10580-1422
Tel: 914.921.5070
Fax: 914.921.5118
If to the Agent, to:
Computershare Trust Company, N.A.
c/o Computershare Inc.
250 Royall Street
Canton, MA 02021
Attn: Reorganization Department
25.
Survival
.
The provisions of Paragraphs 11, 15, 17-19, 22, and 24-26 shall survive any termination, for
any reason, of this Agreement.
26.
Merger of Agreement.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto and supercedes any
prior agreement with respet to the subject matter hereof whether oral or written.
27.
Priorities.
In the event of any conflict, discrepancy, or ambiguity between the terms and
conditions contained in this Agreement and any schedules or attachments hereto, the terms and
conditions contained in this Agreement shall take precedence.
28.
Successors
.
All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the
Transfer Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns
hereunder.
29.
No Strict Construction.
The parties hereto have participated jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this
Agreement. In the event any ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this
Agreement shall be construed as if drafted jointly by all parties hereto, and not presumption or
burden or proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any
provision of this Agreement.
30.
Descriptive Headings.
Descriptive headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall
not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their
respective officers, hereunto duly authorized, as of the day and year first above written.
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COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NA.
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THE GABELLI HEALTHCARE &
WELLNESS
Rx
TRUST
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By:
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Date:
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Title:
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COMPUTERSHARE INC.
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