“Real estate investment trust” as used in this part means any unincorporated association or trust formed to engage in business and managed by, or under the direction of, one or more trustees for the benefit of the holders or owners (hereinafter in this part “shareowners”) of transferable shares of beneficial interest in the trust estate (hereinafter in this part “shares”) and that meets one of the following two tests:

permit, or qualification, and it has for one or more of its three fiscal years immediately prior to the effective date of this part complied with, or in good faith filed a federal income tax return on the basis that it has complied with the requirements for real estate investment trusts set forth in Section 856 of the Federal Internal Revenue Code; or

An unincorporated association or trust that otherwise meets the requirements of this section shall not

be affected in its status as a real estate investment trust, regardless of whether it is in fact taxable for any year or years under Part II of Subchapter M of Chapter 1 of Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

No shareowner of a real estate investment trust shall be personally liable as such for any liabilities, debts or obligations of, or claims against, the real estate investment trust, whether arising before or after such shareowner became the owner or holder of the shares thereof.

Section 23001 shall apply to any real estate investment trust organized under the laws of this state with respect to liabilities, debts, obligations and claims wherever arising, and to any real estate investment trust organized under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction with respect to liabilities, debts, obligations and claims arising in this state.

A real estate investment trust shall not issue any security redeemable at the option of the holder of the security.

Section 23001 shall apply with respect to all liabilities, debts, obligations of, and claims against, a real estate investment trust arising after the effective date of this part, and prior law shall continue to govern with respect to liabilities, debts, obligations and claims existing on the effective date of this part. No implication shall be created by the adoption of this part that the holders or owners of shares of beneficial interest in business trusts which do not meet the definition of real estate investment trust in Section 23000 are, or are not, as such, personally liable for the liabilities, debts or obligations of, or claims against, any such trust.

The provisions of Sections 1400 and 1402 governing bankruptcy reorganizations for corporations also apply to real estate investment trusts. For that purpose where the term “corporation” is used in such sections it shall also include the term “real estate investment trust,” the terms “director” or “board of directors” shall include “trustee” or “board of trustees,” the term “articles” shall include “declaration of trust” and the term “capital stock” shall include “shares of beneficial interest.”