Corp. Code, § 12509

A corporation formed for a limited period may at any time subject to the expiration of the term of its corporate existence, extend the term of its existence by an amendment to its articles removing any provision limiting the term of its existence and providing for perpetual existence. If the filing of the certificate of amendment providing for perpetual existence would be prohibited if it were original articles by the provisions of Section 12302, the Secretary of State shall not file such certificate unless, by the same or a concurrently filed certificate of amendment, the articles of such corporation are amended to adopt a new available name. For the purpose of the adoption of any such amendment, persons who have been functioning as directors of such corporation shall be considered to have been validly elected even though their election may have occurred after the expiration of the original term of the corporate existence.