reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 176p § 16 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|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 hereinafter provided for that it is accumulating and maintaining the tabular reserve required by a table of mortality not lower than the National Fraternal Congress Table of Mortality as adopted by the National Fraternal Congress on August 23, 1899, and 4 per cent interest, and which has provided for state periodical mortuary contributions based on said standard, or which shows that its stated periodical mortuary contributions for the five preceding years at rates at no time higher than those in use following said period, were sufficient to pay the actual claims and maintain the aforesaid reserve for said period without recourse to the reserves released by the lapsing of certificates, and without falling below said standard for any two consecutive years of said period, may grant to its members such extended or paid-up protection or such loans on any certificate of membership or such withdrawal equities as its constitution and by-laws may provide. Such grants shall be equitable, and shall in no case exceed in value the portion of the reserve derived from the payments of the individual member to whom they are made.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 17 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|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 by a competent actuary that the actual assets of a society exceed its liabilities, including in such liabilities the tabular reserves computed on the basis specified in section 16, by an amount equal to 5 per cent of such reserves, increased by an amount equal to all its other mortuary liabilities, it may, by vote of its officers having the powers of directors, and for such period as its assets are maintained at the levels set forth in this section, waive the further collection of the regular mortuary contributions from its members. A society maintaining a surplus of assets in excess of such amount as enables it to waive contributions under this section may pay to its several members an equitable portion of such surplus in such manner as may be determined by vote of such officers.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 18 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 18 - Investment of Funds

Section 18. A society shall invest its funds in securities permitted by chapter 175 for the investment of the capital of insurance companies, except that it may invest an amount not exceeding 10 per cent of its funds in the shares of federal savings and loan associations located in the commonwealth, and in addition, invest and deposit in paid-up shares and accounts of and in co-operative banks chartered by the commonwealth, and may deposit any of its funds in any savings bank or savings department of a trust company, chartered under the laws of the commonwealth. A foreign society permitted or seeking to do business in the commonwealth may invest its funds in accordance with the laws of the state where it is incorporated, but a part of such funds, not exceeding 20 per cent of its death fund, may be invested in a building for use and occupation by the society as its home office. A society having branches situated in the Dominion of Canada may invest a part of its death fund in the public funds of the Dominion of Canada, or of any province of the Dominion of Canada, not exceeding in the aggregate an amount equal to the sum of its collected premiums for the four months last past.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 19 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|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 of death benefits; may issue to its members, term, life, endowment and annuity certificates and combinations thereof; and may provide for the payment of benefits in case of temporary or permanent physical disability, either as the result of disease, accident or old age, and provide further for hospitalization and medical service, but the period of life at which the payment of benefits for disability on account of old age shall commence shall not be under 70 years of age. Such society may give a member, when permanently disabled, or on attaining the age of 70, all or such portion of the face value of his certificate as the by-laws of the society may provide. This chapter shall not prevent the issuing of benefit certificates, for a term of years less than the whole of life, which are payable upon the death or permanent disability of the member occurring within the term of which the benefit certificate is issued.  (b) Such society may, upon written application of a member, accept a part of the periodical contribution for mortuary purposes in cash and charge the remainder, not exceeding one-half of the periodical contribution, against the certificate, with interest payable or compounded annually at a rate not lower than 4 per cent per annum. This privilege shall not be exercised except by societies which have readjusted or may hereafter readjust their rates or contributions, and then only as to contracts affected by such readjustment. The yearly amount and the amount in the aggregate of such charges against the certificates of members, including interest charged, as cannot be collected on account of the lapsing of members against whose certificates such charges have been made, shall be stated in the records of the proceedings of the annual or other regular meetings of the society.  (c) Such society providing on January 1, 1912 for tombstones to the memory of deceased members may continue such provision, but not at an expense in excess of $100 for any member.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 19a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 19a - Death Benefits Payable as Annuities

Section 19A. A society operating on the lodge system which provides for stated periodic contributions of its members based upon a table of mortality not lower than the National Fraternal Congress Table of Mortality, as adopted by the National Fraternal Congress on August 23, 1899, and 4 per cent interest, may provide that the amount of the death benefit payable by it shall be payable as an annuity. The annuity payments under this section shall be based upon a table not lower than ''McClintock's Table of Mortality among Annuitants'', or on such higher table as the commissioner may from time to time prescribe, with interest at not more than 4 per cent per annum. In no case shall the amount payable to the beneficiary or to the beneficiary's estate be less than the amount of the death benefit specified in the certificate issued to the member.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 20 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 20 - Death Benefit Certificates

Section 20. A certificate issued by any society shall specify the amount of death benefit provided by it. The certificate, the charter of the articles of organization, or, if it is a voluntary association, the articles of association, the constitution and by-laws of the society, the application for membership, the medical examination, if any, signed by the applicant, and all amendments to each thereof, shall constitute the agreement between the society and the members. Copies of such documents, certified by the secretary of the society or corresponding officer, shall be received as evidence of the terms and conditions thereof. Any changes, additions or amendments to the charter, articles of incorporation, or articles of association, constitution or by-laws duly made or enacted subsequent to the issuance of a benefit certificate shall bind the member and his beneficiaries, and shall govern and control the agreement in all respects in the same manner as if such changes, additions or amendments had been made prior to and were in force at the time of the application for membership. The language in the preceding sentence shall be incorporated in substance in every benefit certificate hereafter issued.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 21 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 21 - Death or Annuity Benefits; Beneficiaries Designated by Members

Section 21. Death or annuity benefits shall be payable to any beneficiary designated by the member, but the society may by its by-laws make restrictions as to whom may be beneficiaries. Each member shall have the right to change his beneficiary from time to time in accordance with the by-laws of the society. No beneficiary shall have or obtain any vested interest in such benefits until the same have become due and payable upon the death of the member. No contract under this chapter, except where an incorporated charitable institution or home is made a beneficiary in accordance with the by-laws of the society, shall be valid that is conditioned upon an agreement or understanding that the person to whom the death or annuity benefit is made payable shall pay the periodic or other contributions of the member.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 22 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 22 - Funeral Expenses of Insureds

Section 22. A society may provide in its by-laws that a part of the amount payable as a death benefit may be used to pay the funeral expenses of the insured, but the amount so paid shall not exceed $300 and shall be deducted from the amount payable as a death benefit.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 22a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|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 any contract or policy made or issued by it in the commonwealth restrict the payment of benefits or any part thereof accruing under such by-laws, contract or policy upon the death of a member or of the person insured, as the case may be, to a designated funeral director or group of funeral directors. No society shall in any way deprive the personal representative or family of the deceased of freedom of choice in procuring and purchasing supplies and services in connection with the burial of the deceased. Such benefits or any part thereof shall be paid to such funeral director as the person or persons entitled to such benefits or the personal representative of the deceased shall direct. Every limited society shall be subject to this section notwithstanding any special law to the contrary.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 23 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|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 provide in its constitution and by-laws, in addition to other benefits provided for therein, for the payment of death, endowment or annuity benefits upon the lives of children less than 18 years of age, and may loan upon the security of the value of certificates of such benefits a sum not exceeding the legal reserve which it is required to maintain thereon. Any such society may at its option organize and operate branches for such children, and membership in local lodges and initiation therein shall not be required for such children, nor shall they have any voice in the management of the society.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 24 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 24 - Death Benefit Certificates as to Children

Section 24. No death benefit certificate as to any child shall be issued unless the society shall simultaneously put in force at least 500 such certificates, on each of which at least one assessment has been paid, and so long as the number of lives presented by such certificates does not fall below 500. A society that has so put in force at least 500 certificates on each of which at least one assessment has been paid may, during the year after first putting in force said number of certificates, continue to issue certificates notwithstanding withdrawals reducing the number of certificates in force to less than 500, if the number of such certificates does not remain below 500 for a period exceeding 90 days. The death benefit contributions to be made upon such certificate shall be based upon the Standard Industrial Mortality Table or the English Life Table Number Six, with a rate of interest not greater than 4 per cent per annum, or upon a higher standard. Contributions may be waived or returns may be made from any surplus held in excess of reserve and other liabilities, as provided in the by-laws, but extra contributions shall be made if the reserves provided for in the following section become impaired. Such society may grant to the holder of such a certificate extended or paid-up protection or such withdrawal equities as its constitution and by-laws may provide, but in no case to exceed in value the reserve held against the individual certificate.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 25 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|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 23 shall maintain on all such contracts the reserve required by the standard of mortality and interest adopted by the society for computing contributions as provided in section 24. The funds representing the benefit contributions and all accretions thereto shall be kept as separate and distinct funds, independent of the other funds of the society, and shall not be liable for nor used for payment of the debts and obligations of the society other than the benefits authorized in sections 23 and 24. A society may provide that when a juvenile member reaches the minimum age for initiation into membership in such society, any benefit certificate issued under sections 23 to 28, inclusive, may be surrendered for cancellation and exchanged for any other form of certificate issued by the society. If it does not mature or expire prior to the attainment of such minimum age, any such benefit certificate may, notwithstanding any limitation in section 23, be continued in force, if in either case, such juvenile members shall present themselves for initiation as provided in the society's by-laws relative to the admission of adult members. All reserve accumulated under the certificate prior to the admission of any juvenile member to adult membership shall be transferred to the adult department to the credit of the transferring member. After the transfer of membership, the member shall have the sole right to designate a beneficiary, subject, however, to the by-laws of the society.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 26 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 26 - Separation of Assets, Funds and Liabilities

Section 26. The separation of assets, funds and liabilities required by section 25 shall not be terminated, rescinded or modified, nor shall the funds be diverted for any use other than as specified in section 25, as long as any certificates issued under sections 23 to 28, inclusive, remain in force. This requirement shall be recognized and enforced in any liquidation, reinsurance, merger or other change in the condition or status of the society.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 27 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 27 - Mingling of Certain Funds

Section 27. A society may provide in its by-laws and in the certificate issued under sections 23 to 28, inclusive, for specified payments on account of the expense or general fund, which may be mingled with the general fund of the society as its constitution and by-laws may provide.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 28 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 28 - Actions by Beneficiaries

Section 28. In case of the termination of membership in the society by the person responsible for the support of any child on whose account a certificate has been issued under sections 23 to 28, inclusive, the certificate may be continued for the benefit of the estate of the child, or for the benefit of any other person responsible for the support and maintenance of such child if the contributions are continued.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 29 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 29 - Attachment or Taking of Benefits to Pay Debt of Member or Beneficiary

Section 29. The beneficiary under a certificate issued by any society may maintain an action thereon in his own name.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 30 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 30 - Exemption From Attachment or Execution

Section 30. Money or other benefit, charity, or relief or aid, to be paid, provided or rendered by any society, shall not be attached or taken upon execution or other process or by operation of law to pay any debt or liability of a member or beneficiary, or of any other person who may have a right thereunder, either before or after payment. This section shall not be applicable to any indebtedness charged against the member's certificate under the authority of section 16.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 31 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 31 - Admission of Persons to Beneficial Membership

Section 31. Except as provided in sections 23 to 28, inclusive, a society may admit to beneficial membership any person, not less than 16 and not more than 60 years of age, who has been examined by a legally qualified physician, if the examination has been supervised and approved in accordance with the by-laws of the society. A member of such society under 40 years of age who shall apply for a certificate providing for death benefits not exceeding the total sum of $500, and a member of such society who shall apply for a certificate providing for benefits on account of disability from sickness or injury, hospitalization, medical service or death by accident only, need not be required to pass a medical examination therefore. Such society may accept, without medical examination, for a face amount of life insurance not more than $3,000 on any one life, any person not more than 45 years of age who shall make acceptable declaration of the person's insurability. This section shall not prevent such society from accepting general or social members.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 32 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 32 - Constitution and By-Laws of Society; Amendments

Section 32. (a) A society may, subject to this chapter, make a constitution and by-laws for its government, admission of members, management of its affairs, and the fixing and readjusting of the rates and contributions of its members from time to time, and may amend its constitution and by-laws. A society shall have such other powers as are necessary or incidental to carry into effect its objects and purposes.  (b) The constitution and by-laws may prescribe the officers and elected members of standing committees, who may be ex officio directors or other officers corresponding thereto, and may, with the approval of the commissioner, provide for a system of absentee voting, other than proxy voting, under which absent members entitled to vote may vote in the election of officers and directors or similar governing body and on the adoption of amendments to the constitution and by-laws. The commissioner shall not approve any provision for such a system of absentee voting unless:  (1) the society submitting such provision for approval satisfies the commissioner that absentee voting is necessary in order to have an adequate representation of the membership of the society at its election;  (2) not less than 30 days advance notice, with copies of the proposed amendments to the constitution and by-laws which are to be balloted upon, is forwarded to each member of the society; and  (3) the commissioner is satisfied that the proposed absentee voting system requires the ballots to be carefully guarded against any disclosure of their contents until the same have been counted at the central meeting place.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 32a (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 32a - Fraudulent Alteration or Concealment of Records

Section 32A. Whoever with fraudulent intent alters, defaces, mutilates, destroys or conceals any record of a fraternal benefit society made by or in the custody of the secretary thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 33 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 33 - Location of Meetings; Location of Principal Office

Section 33. A domestic society may provide that the meetings of its legislative or governing body may be held in any state or province wherein such society has subordinate branches, and all business transacted at such meetings shall be as valid in all respects as if such meetings were held in the commonwealth. Its principal office shall, however, be situated in this commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 34 - Waiver of Constitutional Provisions

Section 34. The constitution and by-laws of the society shall be binding on it, on its members, and on all beneficiaries of members, and shall provide that no subordinate body or any of its subordinate officers or members shall have power or authority to waive any provision thereof. There shall be no waiver except as the constitution and by-laws of the supreme body shall specifically permit.
MA Gen L ch 176p § 35 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176p - Limited Societies|Section 35 - Filing Certified Copies of Amendments to Constitution or By-Laws With Commissioner

Section 35. The recording officer of a society shall file with the commissioner a duly certified copy, in English, of any amendments of or additions to its constitution and by-laws, within 90 days after their adoption. Printed copies of the constitution and by-laws, as amended, changed or added to, and certified by the secretary or corresponding officer of the society, shall be prima facie evidence of the same and of the legal adoption thereof.