reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MA Gen L ch 176 § 34 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 34 - Foreign or Alien Societies; Suspension or Denial of License

Section 34. When the commissioner upon investigation finds that a foreign or alien society transacting or applying to transact business in this state, (a) has exceeded its powers; (b) has failed to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter; (c) is not fulfilling its contracts in good faith; or (d) is conducting its business fraudulently or in a manner hazardous to its members or creditors or the public, he shall notify the society of his findings, state in writing the reasons for his dissatisfaction, and require the society to show cause on a date named why its license should not be suspended, revoked or refused. If on such date the society does not present good and sufficient reason why its authority to do business in this state should not be suspended, revoked or refused, he may suspend or refuse the license of the society to do business in this state until satisfactory evidence is furnished to him that such suspension or refusal should be withdrawn, or he may revoke the authority of the society to do business in this state.  Nothing contained in this section shall be taken or construed as preventing any such society from continuing in good faith all contracts made in the commonwealth during the time such society was legally authorized to transact business herein.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 36 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 36 - Commissioner as Attorney for Service of Process

Section 36. Every society authorized to do business in the commonwealth shall appoint in writing the commissioner and each successor in office to be its true and lawful attorney upon whom all lawful process in any action or proceeding against it shall be served, and shall agree in such writing that any lawful process against it which is served on said attorney shall be of the same legal force and validity as if served upon the society, and that the authority shall continue in force so long as any liability remains outstanding in the commonwealth. Copies of such appointment, certified by said commissioner, shall be deemed sufficient evidence thereof and shall be admitted in evidence with the same force and effect as the original thereof might be admitted.  Service shall only be made upon the commissioner, or if absent, upon the person in charge of his office. It shall be made in duplicate and shall constitute sufficient service upon the society. When legal process against a society is served upon the commissioner, he shall forthwith forward one of the duplicate copies by registered mail, prepaid, directed to the secretary or corresponding officer. Such service shall be made at least thirty days prior to the return day of the writ, and a society shall not be required to appear or file an answer, pleading or defence in less than thirty days after such service of any other process not commenced by writ. Legal process shall not be served upon a society except in the manner herein provided. At the time of serving any process upon the commissioner, the plaintiff or complainant in the action shall pay to the commissioner a fee of two dollars.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 37 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 37 - Injunction; Attorney General

Section 37. No application or petition for injunction against any domestic, foreign or alien society, or branch thereof, shall be brought in any court of the commonwealth except by the attorney general upon request of the commissioner.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 38 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 38 - Review of Commissioner's Decisions and Findings

Section 38. All decisions and findings of the commissioner made under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to review by proper proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction in the commonwealth.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 39 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 39 - Assets; Special Funds; Expenses

Section 39. All assets shall be held, invested and disbursed for the use and benefit of the society, and no member or beneficiary shall have or acquire individual rights therein or become entitled to any apportionment or the surrender of any part thereof, except as provided in the contract.  A society may create, maintain, invest, disburse and apply any special fund or funds necessary to carry out any purpose permitted by the by-laws of such society.  Every society, the admitted assets of which are less than the sum of its accrued liabilities and reserves under all of its certificates when valued according to standards required for certificates issued, shall, in every provision of the by-laws of the society for payments by members of such society, in whatever form made, distinctly state the purpose of the same and the proportion thereof which may be used for expenses, and no part of the money collected for mortuary or disability purposes or the net accretions thereto shall be used for expenses.  A society may, pursuant to resolution of its supreme governing body, establish and operate one or more separate accounts and issue contracts on a variable basis, subject to the law regulating life insurers establishing such accounts and issuing such contracts. To the extent the society deems it necessary in order to comply with the federal or state laws, or any rules issued under such laws, the society may adopt special procedures for the conduct of the business and affairs of such separate accounts. The society may also, for persons having beneficial interests in such accounts, provide special voting and other rights, including without limitation special rights and procedures relating to an investment policy, investment advisory services, selection of a committee to manage the business and affairs of the account and the society may further issue contracts on a variable basis to which the first and fifth paragraphs of section 23 shall not apply.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 42 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 42 - Valuation of Bonds or Other Evidences of Debt

Section 42. Any society may, in the annual statement required by section forty-one, value its bonds or other evidences of debt having a fixed term and rate and not in default as to principal or interest and if amply secured, in accordance with the following rule:— if purchased at par, at the par value; if purchased above or below par, on the basis of the purchase price adjusted so as to bring the value to par at maturity and so as to yield meantime the effective rate of interest at which the purchase was made; provided that the purchase price shall in no case be taken at a higher figure than the actual market value at the time of purchase and provided, further, that the commissioner shall have full discretion in determining the method of calculating values according to the foregoing rule; and provided, also, that any society may return such bonds or other evidences of debt at either their market or their book value but in no event at any aggregate value exceeding the aggregate of the values calculated according to the foregoing rule.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 43 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 43 - Additional, Increased or Extra Rates of Contributions

Section 43. If the stated periodical contributions of the members of any society subject to section forty-one are insufficient to pay all reported death, disability, hospitalization and medical service claims in full, and to provide for the creation and maintenance of the funds required by its by-laws or by this chapter, additional contributions or additional, increased or extra rates of contributions shall be collected from its members to meet the deficiency, and the by-laws of the society shall so provide; and such by-laws may provide that upon the written application or consent of the member his certificate may be charged with its proportion of any deficiency disclosed by valuation, with interest not exceeding five per cent per annum.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 46 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 46 - Financial Statement, Report or Finding; Service Upon Society

Section 46. Pending, during or after an examination or investigation of a society, either domestic, foreign or alien, the commissioner shall make public no financial statement, report or finding, nor shall he permit to become public any financial statement, report or finding affecting the status, standing or rights of any society, until a copy thereof shall have been served upon the society at its principal office and the society shall have been afforded a reasonable opportunity to answer any such financial statement, report or finding and to make such showing in connection therewith as it may desire.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 47 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 47 - Misrepresentations, Etc. Concerning Society or Contract

Section 47. No person shall cause or permit to be made, issued or circulated in any form—  (a) Any misrepresentation or false or misleading statement concerning the terms, benefits or advantages of any fraternal insurance contract now issued or to be issued in the commonwealth, or the financial condition of any society;  (b) Any false or misleading estimate or statement concerning the dividends or shares of surplus paid or to be paid by any society on any insurance contract; or  (c) Any incomplete comparison of an insurance contract of one society with an insurance contract of another society or insurer for the purpose of inducing the lapse, forfeiture or surrender of any insurance contract. A comparison of insurance contracts is incomplete if it does not compare in detail—  (1) The gross rates, and the gross rates less any dividend or other reduction allowed at the date of the comparison; and  (2) Any increase in cash values, and all the benefits provided by each contract for the possible duration thereof as determined by the life expectancy of the insured; or if it omits from consideration—  (3) Any benefit or value provided in the contract;  (4) Any differences as to amount or period of rates; or  (5) Any differences in limitations or conditions or provisions which directly or indirectly affect the benefits.  In any determination of the incompleteness or misleading character of any comparison or statement, it shall be presumed that the insured had no knowledge of any of the contents of the contract involved.  Any person who violates any provision of this section or knowingly receives any compensation or commission by or in consequence of such violation, shall be punished by a fine not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment; and shall, in addition, be liable in the amount of three times the sum received by such violator as compensation or commission, which may be sued for and recovered by any person or society aggrieved for his or its own use and benefit in an action of tort.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 48 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 48 - Unfair Discrimination; Inducements Not Specified in Certificate or Contract

Section 48. No society doing business in the commonwealth shall make or permit any unfair discrimination between insured members of the same class and equal expectation of life in the premiums charged for certificates of insurance, in the dividends or other benefits payable thereon, or in any other of the terms and conditions of the contracts it makes.  No society, by itself, or any other party, and no agent or solicitor, personally, or by any other party, shall offer, promise, allow, give, set off, or pay, directly or indirectly, any valuable consideration or inducement to, or for insurance, on any risk authorized to be taken by such society, which is not specified in the certificate. No member shall receive or accept, directly or indirectly, any rebate of premium, or part thereof, or agent's or solicitor's commission thereon, payable on any certificate, or receive or accept any favor or advantage or share in the dividends or other benefits to accrue on, or any valuable consideration or inducement not specified in, the contract of insurance.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 49 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 49 - Tax Exemption

Section 49. Every society organized or licensed under this chapter is hereby declared to be a charitable and benevolent institution, and all of its funds shall be exempt from all and every state, county, district, municipal and school tax other than taxes on real estate and office equipment.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 50 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 50 - Law Governing

Section 50. Societies shall be governed by this chapter, and shall be exempt from all other provisions of the insurance laws of the commonwealth except sections sixteen, one hundred and sixty A, one hundred and sixty B, one hundred and seventy-eight to one hundred and eighty, inclusive, and one hundred and eighty-five of chapter one hundred and seventy-five, not only in governmental relations with the commonwealth, but for every other purpose; and no law hereafter enacted shall apply to them unless they are expressly designated therein; provided, however, that the provisions of sections one hundred and eighty M to one hundred and eighty Q, inclusive, of chapter one hundred and seventy-five shall apply to domestic societies.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 51 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 51 - Application of Chapter

Section 51. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be so construed as to affect or apply to—  (a) Grand or subordinate lodges of societies, orders or associations doing business in the commonwealth on December thirty-first, nineteen hundred and fifty-eight, which provide benefits exclusively through local or subordinate lodges;  (b) Orders, societies or associations which admit to membership only persons engaged in one or more crafts or hazardous occupations, in the same or similar lines of business, insuring only their own members, their families and descendants of members, and the ladies' societies or ladies' auxiliaries to such orders, societies or associations;  No society which, by the provisions of this section, is exempt from the requirements of this chapter, except any society described in clause (b) of this section, shall give or allow, or promise to give or allow, to any person any compensation for procuring new members.  Every society which provides for benefits in case of death or disability resulting solely from accident, and which does not obligate itself to pay natural death or sick benefits, shall have all of the privileges and be subject to all the applicable provisions and regulations of this chapter except that the provisions thereof relating to medical examination, valuations of benefit certificates, and incontestability, shall not apply to such society.  The commissioner may require from any society or association, by examination or otherwise, such information as will enable him to determine whether such society or association is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 52 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 52 - Penalties

Section 52. Any person who willfully makes a false or fraudulent statement in or relating to an application for membership or for the purpose of obtaining money from or a benefit in any society, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not less than thirty days nor more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment.  Any person who willfully makes a false or fraudulent statement in any verified report or declaration under oath required or authorized by this chapter, or of any material fact or thing contained in a sworn statement concerning the death or disability of a member for the purpose of procuring payment of a benefit named in the certificate, shall be guilty of perjury and shall be subject to the penalties therefor prescribed by law.  Any person who solicits membership for, or in any manner assists in procuring membership in, any society not licensed to do business in this state shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than two hundred dollars.  Any person guilty of a willful violation of, or neglect or refusal to comply with, the provisions of this chapter for which a penalty is not otherwise prescribed, shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 53 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 53 - Jurisdiction to Restrain Violations, Etc.

Section 53. The superior court shall have jurisdiction in equity, upon an information filed by the Attorney General at the relation of the commissioner, to restrain all violations of this chapter and to enforce compliance with the provisions thereof and payment of all fines, forfeitures or penalties provided thereby. The remedy herein provided shall be in addition to all other remedies otherwise provided by law or by this chapter, and not in substitution therefor.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 54 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 54 - Validity of Contracts Issued in Violation of Chapter, Charter, Articles, Constitution or By-Laws

Section 54. Any contract of insurance or any benefit certificate made, issued, issued or delivered by any society in violation of any provision of this chapter, or any provision of its charter, articles of association, constitution or by-laws, shall nevertheless be valid and binding upon it and its members, but the rights, duties and obligations of the parties thereto shall be determined by the provisions of this chapter and of the charter, articles of association, constitution and by-laws of the society.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 55 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 55 - Solicitation of Membership in Society Not Authorized to Transact Business, Etc.

Section 55. Whoever solicits membership in any society not duly authorized to transact business in the commonwealth, or, whoever, for a person other than himself, or as an agent, solicitor, organizer, officer or other representative of any such society or of any local or subordinate lodge or branch thereof, acts or aids in any manner in the issue, delivery, negotiation, continuance or renewal of any contract of insurance or benefit certificate in such society, or whoever, as such agent, solicitor, organizer, officer or other representative, acts or aids in any manner in the transaction of any business on behalf of such society or of any local or subordinate lodge or branch thereof, by the collection or transmission of dues or assessments, the calling or holding of meetings, or otherwise, shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars.  Whoever, by the means of cards, circulars, letterheads, advertisements, signs or other methods, represents or holds himself out to the public as being an agent, solicitor, organizer, officer or other representative of any such society or of any local or subordinate lodge or branch thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars.
MA Gen L ch 176 § 56 (2021)
2021 Massachusetts General Laws|Part I - Administration of the Government|Title XXII - Corporations|Chapter 176 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|Section 56 - Payment of Pensions to Employees of Society

Section 56. Any society operating on the lodge system with a representative form of government whose rates are on a basis of mortality not lower than the national fraternal congress table as adopted by the national fraternal congress, August twenty-third, eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, if its constitution and by-laws so provide, may pay a pension to any employee who has been continuously in the service of the society for ten years or more and who has become incapacitated for further service by reason of physical or mental disability, and may pay a pension to any employee who has been continuously in the service of the society for fifteen years or more and who is retired by reason of the infirmities of age or has attained the age of sixty-five years. All moneys expended for the purposes of this section shall be paid from the expense fund of the society.