N.Y.
Benevolent Orders Law Section 7
Joint corporations
1.
Any number of masonic bodies within the state, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York, the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of New York, the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of the State of New York, the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of the State of New York, the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Northern Masonic jurisdiction, United States of America, the Imperial Council of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America, or the Supreme Council of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm of the United States of America, any number of chapters of the Order of the Eastern Star chartered by the Grand Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star of the State of New York and any number of masonic clubs duly chartered by or affiliated with the National League of Masonic Clubs, and any number of courts of the Order of the Amaranth chartered by the Grand Court of the Order of the Amaranth of the State of New York;2.
Any subordinate courts or other bodies of the Foresters of America, instituted, established or authorized by the supreme or a grand court thereof;3.
Any lodges, encampments and cantons within the state chartered by the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Grand Encampment or by the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, pursuant and subject to the constitution, general rules or laws of said order.4.
Any Rebekah lodges under the control and direction of the General Assembly of Rebekah lodges of the State of New York, chartered by the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the State of New York, pursuant and subject to the constitution, general rules or laws of said order or by the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows;5.
Any lodges or other bodies of the Knights of Pythias duly chartered by and installed according to the general rules and regulations of the grand lodge of Knights of Pythias of the State of New York;6.
Any post of the Grand Army of the Republic chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization;7.
Any lodges or other bodies of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks duly chartered by and installed according to the regulations of that organization;8.
Any lodges or other bodies of the Deutcher Orden der Harugari, duly chartered and installed according to the general rules and regulations of the grand lodges of the Deutcher Orden der Harugari of the state of New York, or of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Deutcher Orden der Harugari of the United States;9.
Any councils or other bodies of the Knights of Columbus chartered and instituted by the National Council of the Knights of Columbus pursuant to the charter, constitution and laws of said order;10.
Any tribes or other bodies of the Improved Order of Red Men chartered and instituted according to the constitution, general rules and regulations of the Improved Order of Red Men of the State of New York;11.
Any councils of the Degree of Pocahontas of the state of New York;12.
Any councils of the Degree of Pocahontas of the Improved Order of Red Men, duly chartered and instituted according to the rules and regulations of The Great Council of New York State, Degree of Pocahontas of the Improved Order of Red Men;13.
The State Camp of New York of The Patriotic Order Sons of America and any subordinate camps of the Patriotic Order Sons of America duly chartered and instituted according to the rules and regulations of the State Camp of New York of the Patriotic Order Sons of America;14.
Any commanderies of the Knights of Malta, chartered by and instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the Supreme Grand Commandery of the Ancient and Illustrious Order of Knights of Malta;15.
Any sisterhoods of the Dames of Malta, Ladies of the Order of Saint John, Ancient and Illustrious Order, Knights of Malta, Continent of America, chartered by and instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the Zenodacia of the Dames of Malta;16.
Any number of posts of the American Legion chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization; 16-a. Any number of posts of Jewish War Veterans of the United States, Inc., chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization; 16-b. Any number of posts of Catholic War Veterans, Inc., chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization; 16-c. Any number of garrisons of the Army and Navy Union of the United States of America, chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization; 16-d. Any member of posts or councils of the Veterans of National Guard and Naval Militia, chartered and instituted according to the general rules and regulations of that organization: 16-e. Any number of posts of the Masonic War Veterans of the State of New York, Incorporated, chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization; 16-f. Any number of posts of Italian American War Veterans of the United States, Incorporated, chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization. 16-g. Any number of units of the American Legion Auxiliary and Le Boutique des Huit Chapeaux et Quarante Femmes, chartered and installed according to the regulations of those organizations; 16-h. Any number of units of Ladies’ Auxiliary, Italian American War Veterans of the United States, Incorporated, chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization. 16-i. Any number of charters of the Vietnam Veterans of America, chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization;17.
Any number of trades unions, trades assemblies, trades associations or labor organizations;18.
Any number of subordinate lodges, tribes or other bodies of any benevolent or fraternal order or society incorporated under and pursuant to the laws of this state; 18-a. Any subordinate lodge of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in America, Incorporated, duly chartered by and installed according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in America, Incorporated. 18-b. Any number of units of Ladies’ Lodges, Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in America, Incorporated, duly chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization.19.
Any subordinate lodges within the state, chartered by and installed according to the general rules and regulations of the United States Grand Lodge, Independent Order Brith Abraham of the United States of America; 19-a. Any number of chapters of the order of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, Incorporated, duly chartered and installed according to the constitution and laws of the supreme lodge of said order. 19-b. Any member of posts or units of the Department of New York, Polish Legion of American Veterans, or any subordinate post thereof, which is duly chartered and instituted in accordance with the constitution and by-laws of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, U. S. A. , and the Ladies Auxiliary, Department of New York, Polish Legion of American Veterans or any subordinate chapter thereof, which is duly chartered and installed according to the regulations of the Polish Legion of American Veterans. 19-c. Any number of clans of the United Scottish Clans of New York and New Jersey, duly chartered and installed according to the regulations of that organization;20.
A subordinate of the King of Tyre Affiliation A.F. and A.M. of the State of New York.21.
Any of the benevolent or fraternal orders or societies, or their subordinate bodies, enumerated in this section;22.
The International Veterans Boxers Association. May unite in forming a corporation, providing they do not hold membership in a similar organization, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, maintaining and managing a hall, temple or other building, or a home for the aged and indigent members of such order and their dependent surviving spouses and orphans, of acquiring, constructing, maintaining and managing an asylum, home or school for the free education of the orphans and children of the worthy, aged and indigent members of the bodies so uniting and of creating, collecting and maintaining a library for the use of the bodies uniting to form such corporation, or for any of such purposes, but the membership of any such lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory, council, temple, grotto, post, tent, nest, camp, encampment, or canton will be dependent upon its continued allegiance to the governing body by whom it was chartered, installed, and under whose general rules and regulations it exists, and such governing body, if its consent to such incorporation is necessary, and it is a domestic corporation, shall have the right of visitation to such home, asylum or school for the aged and indigent members of such order or society, and their dependent surviving spouses and orphans, for the purpose of controlling and arresting abuses, and to enforce a due observance of the general laws, rules and regulations of such order or society, governing its care, control and maintenance of aged and indigent members, their dependent surviving spouses and orphans, in so far as the same shall not be contrary to any law or statute. Each body hereafter uniting to form such corporation shall at a regular meeting thereof, held in accordance with its constitution and general rules and regulations or by-laws, elect one or more members thereof for a term of either one, two or three years, as the rules, regulations and by-laws of the body may prescribe, to represent it in such corporation. If the bodies uniting to form such corporation, do not exceed thirty in number, then each representative so elected shall be a trustee of said corporation, and shall make and file in the office of the clerk of the county where such building is, or is to be located, a certificate of such election signed and acknowledged by the highest two officers of the body electing him, stating the time and place of the election, its regularity, the name of the trustee, and the name of the body from which he was elected. If the bodies uniting to form such corporation shall exceed thirty in number then the representatives elected as hereinbefore provided, shall assemble annually at a time and place fixed by the constitution, by-laws, rules and regulations of the corporation, and shall elect from amongst themselves a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, each of whom shall be ex-officio trustees of the corporation, and not less than nine nor more than twenty-four other trustees. Each of the bodies uniting to form such corporation shall elect not more than three representatives, who shall be elected in the manner above prescribed and whose certificate of election shall be made and filed in the manner and form above prescribed. The trustees so elected shall make, acknowledge and file with the secretary of state a certificate stating the name of the corporation to be formed, and indorsed thereon the written consent of the grand body to which it is subordinate, if so required by the general rules and regulations of such superior body, its purposes and objects, the names and places of residence of the trustees, the names of the bodies which they respectively represent, the names of the bodies uniting to form the corporation and their location, and the name of the town, village or city and the county where such building is, or is to be located; and there upon the several bodies so uniting shall be a corporation for the purposes specified in such certificate.
Source:
Section 7 — Joint corporations, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/BVO/7 (updated May 5, 2017; accessed Apr. 20, 2024).
