The purpose of this chapter is to do all of the following:

In enacting this chapter, the Legislature finds and declares as follows:

Associations are “nonprofit,” since they are not organized to make profit for themselves, as such, or for their members, as such, but only for their members as producers.

Any provision of law which is in conflict with this chapter does not apply to any association.

Any exemption under any existing law which applies to gas in the possession, or under the control, of the individual producer, applies equally to gas in the possession, or under the control, of an association.

No person, corporation, or association, that is hereafter organized or doing business in this state, may use the word “cooperative” as part of its corporate name or other business name or title for gas producers’ cooperative marketing activities, unless it has complied with this chapter.

Any person, corporation, or association which is organized pursuant to any previously existing statute for the purpose of cooperatively selling gas is deemed to be organized and existing pursuant to this chapter, and this chapter applies to that person, corporation, or association.

An association is not any of the following:

The marketing contracts and agreements between an association and its members, and any agreements authorized in this chapter, are not illegal, in restraint of trade, or contrary to any statute which is enacted against pooling or combinations.

The General Corporation Law (Division 1 (commencing with Section 100) of Title 1 of the Corporations Code) applies to each association which is organized pursuant to this chapter, except where this chapter provides otherwise. For the purpose of associations organized without shares of stock, the members are deemed to be “shareholders” as the term is used in the General Corporation Law.

It is an unfair trade practice, and unlawful, for any gas corporation to do any of the following: