3. a. A corporation organized under the provisions of the "New Jersey Business Corporation Act," N.J.S.14A:1-1 et seq., may become a benefit corporation under this act by amending its certificate of incorporation so that it contains a statement that the corporation is a benefit corporation. The amendment shall not be effective unless it is adopted by at least the minimum status vote.
b. If a corporation that is not a benefit corporation is a party to a merger or consolidation or is the exchanging corporation in a share exchange, and the surviving or new corporation in the merger, consolidation, or share exchange is to be a benefit corporation, then the plan of merger, consolidation, or share exchange shall not be effective unless it is adopted by the corporation by at least the minimum status vote.