The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-03-23
An Act for the Regulation and Control OF
FraternaI Benefit Associations.

Section /. BE IL enacleu ny liie
General Assembly of the State ofSouth
Carolina, that any corporation, society,
oder, or voluntary association with
out a capital stock, organized and
carried on solely for the mutual btn
fit of its membt rs and their beneflcl-
aries, and not for profit, by q lodge
system with ri ualislic form of work
| aud a representative form OF govern
ment, and which may make provision
for the payment of benefits, in accord
ance with Section 3 hereof, is hereby
declared to be a fraternal beneht
association.
Sec. .. Any association having a
supreme governing or Legislative BODY
and subordinate lodges or branches,
by whatever name known, into whlch
members of one race only shall oe
elected and initiated in accordance
with its constitution, rules, regu-
lations and prescribed ritualistic cere-
monies, which supreme or governing
nodv shall meet at least every fourth
wear. and the subordinate lodges or
branches shall be required by the laws
of such association to hold regular or
stated meetings at least once each
month, shall be deemed to be opera
ting on the lodge system. ANY uch
association shall be deemed to nave a
representative form of government
| when it shall require In It's consul
tution and laws that there be a SUI
preme legislative or governing pody
composed of representatives tlected
directly or indirectly by the members,
together with such members as may
he prescribed by its constitution II
laws. provided, that the elective mem
hers shall constitute a majority III
nnmher, and have not less than a
majority of the votes nor less than the
votes required to amend It's constl-
LINTON and laws: Provided, further,
that provision shall be made FOR me
election of at least n representative
to the supreme governing oodV from
the membership in this STATE.
Sec. 8. Every association trans
acting business under this Act may
nrovide for the payment of natural or
accidental death benefits, Il may
provide for the payment OF DEMENT'S III
case of temporary or permanent ply.
steal disability, either as the result Of
disease or accident. Such ASSOCIATION
shall have the power 10 grant sur
render values, not to exceed The net
value of the certificates, less any sur
render charges specified by the laws
oftbe association, and may provide
for the placing Of and payment for
monuments to the memory OF us ue'
ceased members. And eacn sucn
association shall keep a separate una
for expenses, and no part of any other
fund shall be used for expenses or
collecting, disbursing or investing
the reserve or disability funds, bu all
such ex expenses shall be paid out OF the
EXPENSE fund of such association.
Sec. 4. The payment of death
benefits shall be confined to wife, hus-
band. relative by blood to the fourth
degree, ascending or descending, step
mother, step-children, children by
legal adoption, or TO a person or per-
SONS d%ependent upon the member:
Provided, that if, after the issuance OF
the original certificate, the member
shall become dependent upon the
charity of an individual or OF al IN
stitution, he shall have the priyilere,
with the consent Of the association,
to make such individual Or institution
his beneficiary. Within the above
restrictions, each member shall have
the right TO d. signate his beneficiary,
and from time 10 time have the same
changed in accordance with the laws,
rules or regulations of the association,
and 10 beneficiary shall have or obtain
any vts'ed interest in the said benefit
until thesame has become due Il pay
able upon the death Of said member:
Provided. that any association may,
by its laws, limit The scope of benefi-
Charles within the above classes.
Sec. 5. An association may adj
NIT to beneficial membership any per
son not less than sixteen nor more
than sixty years of age, who has been
examined by q competent physician,
and whose examination has been su.
pervised and approved as provided by
the laws IF the association; Provided,
That when adeath benefit is less than
one hundred dollars a medical inspec-
ton only may be required: Aud pro-
vided, further, That any association
which does not promise natural death
bel. efts shall not be required to make
any such examination, and any bene-
ficiary member of such association,
who shall apply for a certificate pre-
vidipg for dis stability benefits, need
not he required to pass an addilional
medical examination therefor. Moth
ing herein contained shall prevent
such association from accepting gen.
eral or social members.
Sec. 6. Every certificate issued
BY any such association shall specify
the maximum amount Of benefit pro-
vided thereby, and shall provide that
the certificate, the charter or articles
of the association, the constitu ion and
Law s Of the ass ociation and the appll-
cation for membership and medical
examination. signed by the applicant,
shall constitute the agreement between
the association and the member: pro-
vided, that any changes, additions, or
amendments, to said charter or ar
ticles of association, the constitution
and laws, duly made or enacted sub
seQuent to the issuance of the benefit
certificate shall bind the member and
his beneticiaries and shall govern and
control the contract in all respects the
same as though such changes, addi-
tiOns, or amendments, had been made
prior thereto and were in force at the
time of the application for member
ship.
Sec. I. No subordinate body or
any of its officers or members Shall
have the power or authority to waive
any of the provisions of the laws and
oonstitution Of the association. and