As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 17, 2021
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
GB SCIENCES, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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Nevada |
59-3733133 |
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
3550 W. Teco Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89118
(Address of Principal Executive Offices Including Zip Code)
GB Sciences, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan
(Full Title of the Plan)
Jennings & Fulton, Ltd.
2580 Sorrel St., Las Vegas, NV 89146
Tel: (702) 979-3565
(Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer |
☐ |
Accelerated filer |
☐ |
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Non-accelerated filer |
☐ |
Smaller reporting company |
☒ |
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Emerging growth company |
☐ |
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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Securities to be Registered |
Amount to be Registered (1)(2) |
Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share (3) |
Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price (3) |
Amount of
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Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share |
20,000,000 |
$0.04 |
$800,000 |
$87.28 |
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(1) |
Represents the number of shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”), of GB Sciences, Inc. (the “Registrant”), available pursuant to the GB Sciences, Inc. 2021 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) being registered hereon. |
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(2) |
Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement also covers such additional shares of Common Stock as may become available pursuant to any anti-dilution provisions of the Plan. |
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(3) |
Estimated solely for calculating the amount of the registration fee, pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (h) of Rule 457 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act, based upon the average of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock quoted on the OTCQB Market on September 14, 2021, a date that is within five business days prior to filing. |
PART I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
The documents containing the employee benefit plan information and other information required by Part I of Form S-8 will be sent or given to participants under the Plan as specified by Rule 428 under the Securities Act. In accordance with Rule 428 under the Securities Act and the requirements of Part I of Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) either as a part of this Registration Statement or as a prospectus or prospectus supplement pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The Registrant will maintain a file of such documents in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act. Upon request, the Registrant will furnish to the Commission or its staff a copy or copies of all of the documents included in such file.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
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Item 3. |
Incorporation of Documents by Reference. |
The Registrant is subject to the informational and reporting requirements of Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and, in accordance therewith, files reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission. The following documents have been filed by the Registrant with the Commission and are incorporated herein by reference:
All documents filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement, and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, will be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded will not be deemed, except as modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.
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Item 4. |
Description of Securities. |
The holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by stockholders and are entitled to receive such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors from funds legally available therefore, subject to the dividend preferences of the preferred stock, if any. Upon our liquidation or dissolution, the holders of common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets available for distribution after payment of liabilities and liquidation preferences of the preferred stock, if any. Holders of common stock have no preemptive rights, no cumulative voting rights and no rights to convert their common stock into any other securities. Except where a higher percentage vote is required by statute, any action taken by holders of common stock must be taken at an annual or special meeting or by written consent of the holders of over 33% of our capital stock entitled to vote on such action.
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Item 5. |
Interests of Named Experts and Counsel. |
Not applicable.
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Item 6. |
Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
Section 78.7502 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (the “NRS”) provides generally that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except an action by or in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful. To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred above or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, the corporation shall indemnify him or her against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense.
The Registrant’s bylaws provide that the corporation shall indemnify any individual made a party to a proceeding because such individual was a director of the corporation to the extent permitted by and in accordance with the NRS and that the board of directors may authorize the corporation to indemnify and advance expenses to any officer, employee, or agent of the corporation who is not a director of the corporation, to the extent permitted by the NRS.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
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Item 8. |
Exhibits. |
Exhibit Number Description
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4.1 |
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4.2 |
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4.3 |
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4.4* |
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5.1* |
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23.1* |
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (Assurance Dimensions) |
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23.2* |
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24.1* |
*Filed herewith.
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Item 9. |
Undertakings. |
(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising 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. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement;
(iii) 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; provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such 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.
(3) 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.
(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement 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) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Las Vegas, State of Nevada, on this 17 day of September, 2021.
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GB SCIENCES, INC. |
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By: |
/s/ John Poss |
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Name: |
John Poss |
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Title: |
Chief Executive Officer |
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KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned officers and directors of the Registrant hereby constitutes and appoints John Poss and Zach Swarts, or either of them, each acting alone, as the true and lawful attorney-in-fact or agent, or attorneys-in-fact or agents, for each of the undersigned, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, and in the name, place and stead of each of the undersigned, to execute and file any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, supplements and exhibits to this Registration Statement, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing necessary, appropriate or desirable to be done in and about the premises in order to effectuate the same as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
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Signature |
Title |
Date |
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/s/ John Poss John Poss |
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman (Principal Executive Officer) |
September 17, 2021 |
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/s/ Zach Swarts Zach Swarts |
Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Accounting Officer
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September 17, 2021 |
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/s/ Dr. Andrea Small-Howard Dr. Andrea Small-Howard |
President and Director |
September 17, 2021 |
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/s/ Edmond DeFrank Edmond DeFrank |
Director |
September 17, 2021 |
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Exhibit 4.4
GB SCIENCES, INC.
2021 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO BE EFFECTIVE AS OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2021
1. GENERAL.
(a) Eligible Award Recipients. Employees, Directors and Consultants are eligible to receive Awards.
(b) Available Awards. The Plan provides for the grant of the following types of Awards: (i) Incentive Stock Options, and (ii) Nonstatutory Stock Options.
(c) Purpose. The Plan, through the grant of Awards, is intended to help the Company secure and retain the services of eligible award recipients, provide incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the Company and any Affiliate and provide a means by which the eligible recipients may benefit from increases in value of the Common Stock.
2. ADMINISTRATION.
(a) Administration by the Board. The Board will administer the Plan.
(b) Powers of the Board. The Board will have the power, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(i) To determine (A) who will be granted Awards; (B) when and how each Award will be granted; (C) what type of Award will be granted; (D) the provisions of each Award (which need not be identical), including when a person will be permitted to receive Common Stock under the Award; and (E) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to Award.
(ii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Awards granted under it, and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for administration of the Plan and Awards. The Board, in the exercise of these powers, may correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan or in any Award Agreement, in a manner and to the extent it will deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan or Award fully effective.
(iii) To settle all controversies regarding the Plan and Awards granted under it.
(iv) To amend the Plan in any respect the Board deems necessary or advisable, including, without limitation, increasing the number of Options subject to the Plan.
(v) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as the Board deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and that are not in conflict with the provisions of the Plan or Awards.
3. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN.
(a) Limit. The aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Stock Awards will be 20,000,000.
4. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) Eligibility for Awards. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or a “parent corporation” or “subsidiary corporation” thereof (as such terms are defined in Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code). Nonstatutory Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants.
(b) Ten Percent Stockholders. A Ten Percent Stockholder will not be granted an Incentive Stock Option unless the exercise price of such Option is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of grant.
5. PROVISIONS RELATING TO OPTIONS.
(a) Term. No Option will be exercisable after the expiration of 10 years from the date of its grant or such shorter period specified in the Award Agreement.
(b) Exercise Price. The exercise or strike price of each Option or will be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock subject to the Option on the date the Award is granted.
(c) Purchase Price for Options. The purchase price of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be paid as determined by the Board by any combination of the methods of payment set forth below.
The permitted methods of payment are as follows:
(i) by cash, check, or money order payable to the Company;
(ii) if an Option is a Nonstatutory Stock Option, by a “net exercise” or “cashless exercise” arrangement pursuant to which the Company will reduce the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise by the largest whole number of shares with a Fair Market Value that does not exceed the aggregate exercise price; or
(v) in any other form of legal consideration that may be acceptable to the Board.
(d) Transferability of Options. The Board may, in its sole discretion, impose such limitations on the transferability of Options as the Board will determine.
(i) Restrictions on Transfer. An Option will not be transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution (or pursuant to subsections (ii) and (iii) below), and will be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant. The Board may permit transfer of the Option in a manner that is not prohibited by applicable tax and securities laws.
(ii) Domestic Relations Orders. Subject to the approval of the Board, an Option may be transferred pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order, official marital settlement agreement or other divorce or separation instrument as permitted by Treasury Regulation 1.421-1(b)(2). If an Option is an Incentive Stock Option, such Option may be deemed to be a Nonstatutory Stock Option as a result of such transfer.
(iii) Beneficiary upon Death. Upon the death of the Participant, the executor or administrator of the Participant’s estate will be entitled to exercise the Option and receive the Common Stock or other consideration resulting from such exercise.
(e) Vesting Generally. The total number of shares of Common Stock subject to an Option may vest and therefore become exercisable in periodic installments that may or may not be equal. The Option may be subject to such other terms and conditions on the time or times when it may or may not be exercised which may be based on the satisfaction of performance goals or other criteria as the Board may deem appropriate. The vesting provisions of individual Options may vary.
(f) Termination of Continuous Service. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates (other than for Cause and other than upon the Participant’s death or Disability), the Participant may exercise his or her Option to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Award as of the date of termination of Continuous Service within the period of time ending on the earlier of (i) the date three months following the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service or such longer or shorter period specified in the applicable Award Agreement, which period will not be less than 30 days if necessary to comply with applicable laws unless such termination is for Cause) and (ii) the expiration of the term of the Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after termination of Continuous Service, the Participant does not exercise his or her Option within the applicable time frame, the Option will terminate.
(g) Disability of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s Disability, the Participant may exercise his or her Option to the extent that the Participant was entitled to exercise such Option as of the date of termination of Continuous Service.
(h) Death of Participant. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company, if (i) a Participant’s Continuous Service terminates as a result of the Participant’s death, or (ii) the Participant dies within the period (if any) specified in the Award Agreement for exercisability after the termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service (for a reason other than death), then the Option may be exercised by the Participant’s estate, by a person who acquired the right to exercise the Option by bequest or inheritance or by a person designated to exercise the Option upon the Participant’s death, but only within the period ending on the earlier of (i) the date 18 months following the date of death (or such longer or shorter period specified in the Award Agreement, and (ii) the expiration of the term of such Option as set forth in the Award Agreement. If, after the Participant’s death, the Option is not exercised within the applicable time frame, the Option will terminate.
(i) Termination for Cause. Except as explicitly provided otherwise in a Participant’s Award Agreement or other individual written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, if a Participant’s Continuous Service is terminated for Cause, the Option will terminate immediately upon such Participant’s termination of Continuous Service, and the Participant will be prohibited from exercising his or her Option from and after the date of such termination of Continuous Service.
6. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY.
(a) Availability of Shares. The Company will keep available at all times the number of shares of Common Stock reasonably required to satisfy then-outstanding Stock Awards.
(b) Securities Law Compliance. The Company will seek to obtain from each regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan, as necessary, such authority as may be required to grant Stock Awards and to issue and sell shares of Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of the Stock Awards; provided, however, that this undertaking will not require the Company to register under the Securities Act or other securities or applicable laws, the Plan, any Stock Award or any Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any such Stock Award. If, after reasonable efforts and at a reasonable cost, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary or advisable for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Stock under the Plan, the Company will be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Stock upon exercise or vesting of such Stock Awards unless and until such authority is obtained. A Participant will not be eligible for the grant of an Award or the subsequent issuance of Common Stock pursuant to the Award if such grant or issuance would be in violation of any applicable securities law.
(c) No Obligation to Notify or Minimize Taxes. The Company will have no duty or obligation to any Participant to advise such holder as to the tax treatment or time or manner of exercising such Award. Furthermore, the Company will have no duty or obligation to warn or otherwise advise such holder of a pending termination or expiration of an Award or a possible period in which the Award may not be exercised. The Company has no duty or obligation to minimize the tax consequences of an Award to the holder of such Award.
7. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) Stockholder Rights. No Participant will be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of the rights of a holder with respect to, any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award unless and until (i) such Participant has satisfied all requirements for exercise of, or the issuance of shares of Common Stock under, the Award pursuant to its terms, and (ii) the issuance of the Common Stock subject to the Award has been entered into the books and records of the Company.
(b) No Employment or Other Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan, any Award Agreement or any other instrument executed thereunder or in connection with any Award granted pursuant thereto will confer upon any Participant any right to continue to serve the Company or an Affiliate in the capacity in effect at the time the Award was granted or will affect the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate (i) the employment of an Employee with or without notice and with or without cause, (ii) the service of a Consultant pursuant to the terms of such Consultant’s agreement with the Company or an Affiliate, or (iii) the service of a Director pursuant to the bylaws of the Company or an Affiliate, and any applicable provisions of the corporate law of the state of foreign jurisdiction in which the Company or the Affiliate is domiciled or incorporated, as the case may be.
(c) Incentive Stock Option Limitations. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Optionholder during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Affiliates) exceeds $100,000 (or such other limit established in the Code) or otherwise does not comply with the rules governing Incentive Stock Options, the Options or portions thereof that exceed such limit (according to the order in which they were granted) or otherwise do not comply with such rules will be treated as Nonstatutory Stock Options, notwithstanding any contrary provision of the applicable Option Agreement(s).
(d) Withholding Obligations. The Company may, in its sole discretion, satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation relating to a Award by withholding shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock issued or otherwise issuable to the Participant in connection with the Award; provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock are withheld with a value exceeding the maximum amount of tax required to be withheld by law.
(e) Clawback/Recovery. All Awards granted under the Plan will be subject to recoupment in accordance with any clawback policy that the Company is required to adopt pursuant to the listing standards of any national securities exchange or association on which the Company’s securities are listed or as is otherwise required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. In addition, the Board may impose such other clawback, recovery or recoupment provisions in an Award Agreement as the Board determines necessary or appropriate, including but not limited to a reacquisition right in respect of previously acquired shares of Common Stock upon the occurrence of Cause. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy will be an event giving rise to a right to voluntary terminate employment upon a “resignation for good reason,” or for a “constructive termination” or any similar term under any plan of or agreement with the Company.
8. ADJUSTMENTS UPON CHANGES IN COMMON STOCK; OTHER CORPORATE EVENTS.
(a) Capitalization Adjustments. In the event of a Capitalization Adjustment, the Board will appropriately and proportionately adjust: (i) maximum number of securities subject to the Plan, and (ii) and number of securities and exercise price per share of stock subject to outstanding Awards. The Board will make such adjustments, and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive.
(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, in the event of a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, all outstanding Awards (other than Awards consisting of vested and outstanding shares of Common Stock) will terminate immediately prior to the completion of such dissolution or liquidation, provided, however,that the Board may, in its sole discretion, cause some or all Awards to become fully vested and exercisable to the extent such Awards have not previously expired or terminated before the dissolution or liquidation is completed.
(c) Corporate Transaction. The following provisions will apply to Awards in the event of a Corporate Transaction unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing the Award or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board at the time of grant of an Award. In the event of a Corporate Transaction, then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Board may take one or more of the following actions with respect to Awards, contingent upon the closing or completion of the Corporate Transaction:
(i) arrange for the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company) to assume or continue the Award or to substitute a similar stock award for the Award (including, but not limited to, an award to acquire the same consideration paid to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to the Corporate Transaction);
(ii) arrange for the assignment of any reacquisition or repurchase rights held by the Company in respect of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Award to the surviving corporation or acquiring corporation (or the surviving or acquiring corporation’s parent company);
(iii) accelerate the vesting, in whole or in part, of the Award (and, if applicable, the time at which the Award may be exercised) to a date prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction as the Board determines (or, if the Board does not determine such a date, to the date that is five days prior to the effective date of the Corporate Transaction), with such Award terminating if not exercised (if applicable) at or prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction; provided, however, that the Board may require Participants to complete and deliver to the Company a notice of exercise before the effective date of a Corporate Transaction, which exercise is contingent upon the effectiveness of such Corporate Transaction;
(iv) cancel or arrange for the cancellation of the Award, to the extent not vested or not exercised prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction, in exchange for such cash consideration (including no consideration) as the Board, in its sole discretion, may consider appropriate; and
(v) make a payment, in such form as may be determined by the Board equal to the excess, if any, of (A) the value of the property the Participant would have received upon the exercise of the Award immediately prior to the effective time of the Corporate Transaction, over (B) any exercise price payable by such holder in connection with such exercise. For clarity, this payment may be zero ($0) if the value of the property is equal to or less than the exercise price. Payments under this provision may be delayed to the same extent that payment of consideration to the holders of the Company’s Common Stock in connection with the Corporate Transaction is delayed as a result of escrows, earn outs, holdbacks or any other contingencies.
The Board need not take the same action or actions with respect to all Awards or portions thereof or with respect to all Participants. The Board may take different actions with respect to the vested and unvested portions of an Award. Unless otherwise provided in the instrument evidencing a Performance Cash Award or any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant or unless otherwise expressly provided by the Board, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, then all Performance Cash Awards outstanding under the Plan will terminate prior to the effective time of such Corporate Transaction.
(d) Change in Control. An Award may be subject to additional acceleration of vesting and exercisability upon or after a Change in Control as may be provided in the Award Agreement for such Award or as may be provided in any other written agreement between the Company or any Affiliate and the Participant, but in the absence of such provision, no such acceleration will occur.
9. EFFECTIVE DATE OF PLAN.
This Plan, as amended and restated, will become effective on the Effective Date.
10. CHOICE OF LAW.
The laws of the State of Nevada will govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of this Plan, without regard to that state’s conflict of laws rules.
11. DEFINITIONS. As used in the Plan, the following definitions will apply to the capitalized terms indicated below:
(a) “Adoption Date” means December 26, 2018, which is the date the Plan was determined to effective by the Board.
(b) “Affiliate” means, at the time of determination, any “parent” or “majority-owned subsidiary” of the Company, as such terms are defined in Rule 405. The Board will have the authority to determine the time or times at which “parent” or “majority-owned subsidiary” status is determined within the foregoing definition.
(c) “Award” means an Stock Award.
(d) “Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of an Award.
(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(f) “Capital Stock” means each and every class of common stock of the Company, regardless of the number of votes per share.
(g) “Capitalization Adjustment” means any change that is made in, or other events that occur with respect to, the Common Stock subject to the Plan or subject to any Stock Award after the Adoption Date without the receipt of consideration by the Company through merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock dividend, dividend in property other than cash, large nonrecurring cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, liquidating dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate structure, or any similar equity restructuring transaction, as that term is used in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor thereto). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be treated as a Capitalization Adjustment.
(h) “Cause” will have the meaning ascribed to such term in any written agreement between the Participant and the Company defining such term and, in the absence of such agreement, such term means, with respect to a Participant, the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) such Participant’s commission of any felony or any crime involving fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude under the laws of the United States or any state thereof; (ii) such Participant’s attempted commission of, or participation in, a fraud or act of dishonesty against the Company; (iii) such Participant’s intentional, material violation of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company or of any statutory duty owed to the Company; (iv) such Participant’s unauthorized use or disclosure of the Company’s confidential information or trade secrets; or (v) such Participant’s gross misconduct. The determination that a termination of the Participant’s Continuous Service is either for Cause or without Cause will be made by the Company, in its sole discretion. Any determination by the Company that the Continuous Service of a Participant was terminated with or without Cause for the purposes of outstanding Awards held by such Participant will have no effect upon any determination of the rights or obligations of the Company or such Participant for any other purpose.
(i) “Change in Control” means the occurrence, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
(i) any Exchange Act Person becomes the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities other than by virtue of a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control will not be deemed to occur (A) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company directly from the Company, (B) on account of the acquisition of securities of the Company by an investor, any affiliate thereof or any other Exchange Act Person that acquires the Company’s securities in a transaction or series of related transactions the primary purpose of which is to obtain financing for the Company through the issuance of equity securities or (C) solely because the level of Ownership held by any Exchange Act Person (the “Subject Person”) exceeds the designated percentage threshold of the outstanding voting securities as a result of a repurchase or other acquisition of voting securities by the Company reducing the number of shares outstanding, provided that if a Change in Control would occur (but for the operation of this sentence) as a result of the acquisition of voting securities by the Company, and after such share acquisition, the Subject Person becomes the Owner of any additional voting securities that, assuming the repurchase or other acquisition had not occurred, increases the percentage of the then outstanding voting securities Owned by the Subject Person over the designated percentage threshold, then a Change in Control will be deemed to occur;
(ii) there is consummated a merger, consolidation or similar transaction involving (directly or indirectly) the Company and, immediately after the consummation of such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, the stockholders of the Company immediately prior thereto do not Own, directly or indirectly, either (A) outstanding voting securities representing more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction or (B) more than 50% of the combined outstanding voting power of the parent of the surviving Entity in such merger, consolidation or similar transaction, in each case in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such transaction; or
(iii) there is consummated a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries, other than a sale, lease, license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to an Entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are Owned by stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of the outstanding voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such sale, lease, license or other disposition; or
(iv) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including any applicable regulations and guidance thereunder.
(j) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company.
(k) “Company” means GB Sciences, Inc., a Nevada corporation.
(l) “Consultant” means any person, including an advisor, who is (i) engaged by the Company or an Affiliate to render consulting or advisory services and is compensated for such services, or (ii) serving as a member of the board of directors of an Affiliate and is compensated for such services. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such service, will not cause a Director to be considered a “Consultant” for purposes of the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person is treated as a Consultant under this Plan only if a Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act is available to register either the offer or the sale of the Company’s securities to such person.
(m) “Continuous Service” means that the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, whether as an Employee, Director or Consultant, is not interrupted or terminated. A change in the capacity in which the Participant renders service to the Company or an Affiliate as an Employee, Director or Consultant or a change in the Entity for which the Participant renders such service, provided that there is no interruption or termination of the Participant’s service with the Company or an Affiliate, will not terminate a Participant’s Continuous Service; provided, however, that if the Entity for which a Participant is rendering services ceases to qualify as an Affiliate, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, such Participant’s Continuous Service will be considered to have terminated on the date such Entity ceases to qualify as an Affiliate. For example, a change in status from an Employee of the Company to a Consultant of an Affiliate or to a Director will not constitute an interruption of Continuous Service. To the extent permitted by law, the Board or the chief executive officer of the Company, in that party’s sole discretion, may determine whether Continuous Service will be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any leave of absence approved by the Board or chief executive officer, including sick leave, military leave or any other personal leave, or (ii) transfers between the Company, an Affiliate, or their successors. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a leave of absence will be treated as Continuous Service for purposes of vesting in an Award only to such extent as may be provided in the Company’s leave of absence policy, in the written terms of any leave of absence agreement or policy applicable to the Participant, or as otherwise required by law. In addition, to the extent required for exemption from or compliance with Section 409A of the Code, the determination of whether there has been a termination of Continuous Service will be made, and such term will be construed, in a manner that is consistent with the definition of “separation from service” as defined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) (without regard to any alternative definition thereunder).
(n) “Corporate Transaction” means the consummation, in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of any one or more of the following events:
(i) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, of the consolidated assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries;
(ii) a sale or other disposition of more than 50% of the outstanding securities of the Company;
(iii) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is not the surviving corporation; or
(iv) a merger, consolidation or similar transaction following which the Company is the surviving corporation but the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately preceding the merger, consolidation or similar transaction are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger, consolidation or similar transaction into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise.
(o) “Director” means a member of the Board.
(p) “Disability” means, with respect to a Participant, the inability of such Participant to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months as provided in Sections 22(e)(3) and 409A(a)(2)(c)(i) of the Code, and will be determined by the Board on the basis of such medical evidence as the Board deems warranted under the circumstances.
(q) “Effective Date” means the effective date of this Plan as determined by the Board.
(r) “Employee” means any person employed by the Company or an Affiliate. However, service solely as a Director, or payment of a fee for such services, will not cause a Director to be considered an “Employee” for purposes of the Plan.
(s) “Entity” means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other entity.
(t) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(u) “Exchange Act Person” means any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act), except that “Exchange Act Person” will not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (ii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to a registered public offering of such securities, (iv) an Entity Owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their Ownership of stock of the Company; or (v) any natural person, Entity or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Exchange Act) that, as of the Effective Date, is the Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities.
(v) “Fair Market Value” means, as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows:
(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, traded on any established market or listed on the OTC Markets, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock will be, unless otherwise determined by the Board, the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with the greatest volume of trading in the Common Stock) on the date of determination, as reported in a source the Board deems reliable.
(ii) Unless otherwise provided by the Board, if there is no closing sales price for the Common Stock on the date of determination, then the Fair Market Value will be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for which such quotation exists.
(iii) In the absence of such markets for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value will be determined by the Board in good faith and in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code or, in the case of Incentive Stock Options, in compliance with Section 422 of the Code.
(w) “Incentive Stock Option” means an option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that is intended to be, and that qualifies as, an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(x) “Nonstatutory Stock Option” means an option granted pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan that does not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.
(y) “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
(z) “Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to the Plan.
(aa) “Option Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and an Optionholder evidencing the terms and conditions of an Option grant. Each Option Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(bb) “Optionholder” means a person to whom an Option is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Option.
(cc) “Own,” “Owned,” “Owner,” “Ownership” A person or Entity will be deemed to “Own,” to have “Owned,” to be the “Owner” of, or to have acquired “Ownership” of securities if such person or Entity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting, with respect to such securities.
(dd) “Participant” means a person to whom an Award is granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an outstanding Award.
(ee) “Plan” means this GB Sciences, Inc. 2018 Equity Incentive Plan.
(ff) “Rule 405” means Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act.
(gg) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
(hh) “Stock Award” means any right to receive Common Stock granted under the Plan, including an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonstatutory Stock Option.
(ii) “Stock Award Agreement” means a written agreement between the Company and a Participant evidencing the terms and conditions of a Stock Award grant. Each Stock Award Agreement will be subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.
(jj) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, (i) any corporation of which more than 50% of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors of such corporation (irrespective of whether, at the time, stock of any other class or classes of such corporation will have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency) is at the time, directly or indirectly, Owned by the Company, and (ii) any partnership, limited liability company or other entity in which the Company has a direct or indirect interest (whether in the form of voting or participation in profits or capital contribution) of more than 50%.
(kk) “Ten Percent Stockholder” means a person who Owns (or is deemed to Own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate.
Exhibit 5.1
Gary R. Henrie
Attorney at Law
Licensed in Nevada
| 619 South 1040 East | Telephone: 307-200-9415 |
| American Fork, UT 84003 | e-mail: grhlaw@hotmail.com |
September 17, 2021
GB Sciences, Inc.
3550 W. Teco Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada 89118
Re: GB Sciences, Inc., Registration Statement on Form S-8
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have acted as securities counsel for GB Sciences, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), for the purpose of issuing this opinion letter in connection with the registration statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Registration Statement relates to the offering of 20,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock by the Company pursuant to an employee benefit plan.
In rendering the opinion set forth below, I have reviewed: (a) the Registration Statement; (b) the Company's Articles of Incorporation; (c) the Company's Bylaws; (d) the relevant employee benefit plan; and (e) such statutes, records and other documents as I have deemed relevant. In my examination, I have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals, and conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to me as copies thereof and the truthfulness of statements set forth in such documents. In addition, I have made such other examinations of law and fact, as I have deemed relevant in order to form a basis for the opinions hereinafter expressed.
Based upon the foregoing and upon receipt by the Company of the consideration for the shares specified in the resolutions of the board of directors, I am of the opinion that the 20,000,000 shares of common stock to be issued by the Company pursuant to the employee benefit plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. This opinion is based on Nevada general corporate law, all applicable Nevada statutory provisions and reported judicial decisions interpreting these laws.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Gary R. Henrie
_______________________________________
Gary R. Henrie, Esq.
Exhibit 5.1
Gary R. Henrie
Attorney at Law
Licensed in Nevada
| 619 South 1040 East | Telephone: 307-200-9415 |
| American Fork, UT 84003 | e-mail: grhlaw@hotmail.com |
I hereby consent to the use of my opinion in the body of the Registration Statement and as an Exhibit to the Registration Statement and to all references to myself under the caption Legal Matters in the Registration Statement.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Gary R. Henrie
_____________________________________
Gary R. Henrie, Esq.
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of GB Sciences, Inc. of our report dated July 2, 2021 , relating to our audit of the consolidated financial statements, which appears in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of GB Sciences, Inc. for the year ended Mach 31, 2021.
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/s/ Assurance Dimensions, Inc. Assurance Dimensions Margate, FL |
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September 17, 2021 |