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Section 1 - Definitions - Section 1. In this chapter, the following words shall have...
Section 2 - Lodge System - Section 2. A society shall be deemed to be operating...
Section 3 - Representative Government; Elections; Meetings; Record - Section 3. A society shall be deemed to have a...
Section 4 - Limitation of Membership - Section 4. A corporation which limits its membership to the...
Section 5 - Exemption From Certain Laws - Section 5. Societies shall be governed by this chapter, and...
Section 6 - Formation of Corporation; Purposes; Association Agreement - Section 6. Seven or more persons, residents of the commonwealth,...
Section 7 - First Meeting; Notice; Adoption of By-Laws; Filing of Certificate - Section 7. (a) The first meeting of the associates shall...
Section 8 - Lodge Plan; Preliminary License; Solicitation of Members; Collection of Payments; Minimum Membership; Issuance of Certificate - Section 8. (a) The commissioner shall then furnish the incorporators...
Section 9 - Certificate of Organization; Certificate Endorsed by Commissioner; Filing; Certification by State Secretary; Evidence of Corporate Existence - Section 9. The society shall file a certificate of organization,...
Section 10 - Certificate of Commissioner; Time Limitation; Certificate of Incorporation; Cessation of Business Operations - Section 10. If a society fails to secure its certificate...
Section 11 - Limited Societies; Change of Location of Business; Change of Purpose of Corporation - Section 11. A limited society may, with the approval of...
Section 12 - Mergers; Transfers; Notice; Contracts, Financial Statements and Certificates; Commissioner's Approval - Section 12. (a) No domestic society shall merge with or...
Section 13 - Death Funds; Emergency Funds; Disability Funds - Section 13. A society may create, maintain, invest, disburse and...
Section 13a - By-Laws; Creation of Independent Hospitalization and Medical Services Fund - Section 13A. A society, except one organized under section 46,...
Section 14 - By-Laws; Payments by Members; Provisions; Purpose of Payments; Proportion of Payments Which May Be Used for Expenses - Section 14. (a) Every provision of the by-laws of the...
Section 15 - Deferred Payments; Installments of Claims; Fixed Liabilities on Happening of Contingency - Section 15. (a) Deferred payments or installments of claims shall...
Section 16 - Loans to Members; Accumulating and Maintaining Tabular Reserve Required by Table of Mortality - Section 16. A society which shows by the annual valuation...
Section 17 - Societies Maintaining Surplus of Assets at Required Level May Waive Collection of Regular Mortuary Contributions From Members - Section 17. Whenever it appears by a valuation certified to...
Section 18 - Investment of Funds - Section 18. A society shall invest its funds in securities...
Section 19 - Payment of Benefits for Disability on Account of Old Age; Periodical Member Contribution for Mortuary Purposes; Restrictions - Section 19. (a) Every society may provide for the payment...
Section 19a - Death Benefits Payable as Annuities - Section 19A. A society operating on the lodge system which...
Section 20 - Death Benefit Certificates - Section 20. A certificate issued by any society shall specify...
Section 21 - Death or Annuity Benefits; Beneficiaries Designated by Members - Section 21. Death or annuity benefits shall be payable to...
Section 22 - Funeral Expenses of Insureds - Section 22. A society may provide in its by-laws that...
Section 22a - Personal Representative or Family of Deceased; Freedom of Choice in Procuring Burial Supplies and Services - Section 22A. No society shall by its by-laws or by...
Section 23 - Payment of Death, Endowment or Annuity Benefits Upon Lives of Children Less Than 18 Years of Age - Section 23. A society operating on the lodge system may...
Section 24 - Death Benefit Certificates as to Children - Section 24. No death benefit certificate as to any child...
Section 25 - Funds Representing Benefit Contributions for Lives of Children Less Than 18 Years of Age - Section 25. A society entering into insurance agreements under section...
Section 26 - Separation of Assets, Funds and Liabilities - Section 26. The separation of assets, funds and liabilities required...
Section 27 - Mingling of Certain Funds - Section 27. A society may provide in its by-laws and...
Section 28 - Actions by Beneficiaries - Section 28. In case of the termination of membership in...
Section 29 - Attachment or Taking of Benefits to Pay Debt of Member or Beneficiary - Section 29. The beneficiary under a certificate issued by any...
Section 30 - Exemption From Attachment or Execution - Section 30. Money or other benefit, charity, or relief or...
Section 31 - Admission of Persons to Beneficial Membership - Section 31. Except as provided in sections 23 to 28,...
Section 32 - Constitution and By-Laws of Society; Amendments - Section 32. (a) A society may, subject to this chapter,...
Section 32a - Fraudulent Alteration or Concealment of Records - Section 32A. Whoever with fraudulent intent alters, defaces, mutilates, destroys...
Section 33 - Location of Meetings; Location of Principal Office - Section 33. A domestic society may provide that the meetings...
Section 34 - Waiver of Constitutional Provisions - Section 34. The constitution and by-laws of the society shall...
Section 35 - Filing Certified Copies of Amendments to Constitution or By-Laws With Commissioner - Section 35. The recording officer of a society shall file...
Section 36 - Examinations of Domestic Societies by Commissioner; Confidentiality and Privilege; Proceedings Brought by Attorney General Against Domestic Societies - Section 36. (a) The commissioner, or any person designated by...
Section 37 - Copy of Commissioner's Examination Reports Served on Societies - Section 37. (a) After an examination of any society, either...
Section 37a - Disbursements Made by Societies; Requirements - Section 37A. No society shall make any disbursements of $15...
Section 38 - Annual Statement of Society's Condition and Standing - Section 38. A society shall annually, on or before March...
Section 38a - Applicability of Chapter 176v to a Limited Society Governed by This Chapter - Section 38A. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the...
Section 38b - Applicability of Chapter 176w to a Limited Society Governed by This Chapter - Section 38B. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the...
Section 39 - Annual Valuation Report in Addition to Annual Statement; Societies on Lodge System - Section 39. (a) In addition to the annual statement required...
Section 39a - Valuation of Bonds or Other Evidence of Debt - Section 39A. A society may, in the annual statement required...
Section 40 - Deficiencies; Additional Contributions or Increased Rates of Contribution; Higher Rate Class of Members - Section 40. (a) If the stated periodical contributions of the...
Section 41 - Licenses for Foreign Societies to Transact Business in Commonwealth - Section 41. (a) No foreign society shall transact any business...
Section 42 - Foreign Societies; Service of Process - Section 42. A foreign society applying for admission to the...
Section 42a - Foreign Societies; Deposit - Section 42A. (a) A foreign society, if formed under the...
Section 43 - Foreign Societies; Refusal to Issue License; Revocation of License - Section 43. (a) Whenever the commissioner is satisfied that any...
Section 44 - Foreign Societies; Examination by Commissioner - Section 44. The commissioner or his designee may examine any...
Section 45 - Domestic Societies Governed by Direct Vote of Members; Membership Limited to Permanent Employees of Cities or Towns, Commonwealth or Federal Government; No Death Benefits; Annuities or Gratuities Contingent on Disabilities or Long Servic... - Section 45. (a) Domestic societies governed by direct vote of...
Section 46 - Domestic Societies; Limited Membership; Members and Ex-Members of Any Social Organization; Governing Provisions - Section 46. (a) A domestic society which limits its membership...
Section 46a - Subordinate Lodge of Society; Ritualistic Form of Work; Disability Benefits - Section 46A. A subordinate lodge of a society with ritualistic...
Section 46b - Incorporated Domestic Society Transacting Business Under Sec. 45 or 46; Real Estate - Section 46B. An incorporated domestic society formed or transacting business...
Section 46c - Society Subject to Sec. 45 or 46; Payment of Benefits - Section 46C. A society subject to section 45 and section...
Section 46d - Grand or District Lodge of Secret Order or Fraternity Transacting Business Under Sec. 45 or 46; Benefits - Section 46D. A grand or district lodge of a secret...
Section 47 - Jurisdiction of Superior Court in Equity - Section 47. The superior court shall have jurisdiction in equity,...
Section 47a - Contract of Insurance or Benefit Certificate Issued in Violation of Any Provision of This Chapter - Section 47A. A contract of insurance or a benefit certificate...
Section 48 - False or Fraudulent Statement or Representation by Society With Reference to Application for Membership; Penalties - Section 48. A person, officer, member or examining physician of...
Section 49 - Unauthorized Solicitation; Penalties - Section 49. (a) Whoever solicits membership in any society not...
Section 49a - Pensions for Society Employees; Expense Fund - Section 49A. A society operating on the lodge system with...
Section 50 - Violation of Chapter Provisions; Penalty - Section 50. Whoever violates any provision of this chapter for...