reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9 - Free Churches › 180 - Corporation, How Formed.

§ 180. Corporation, how formed. Any seven or more persons of full age,
  citizens of the United States, and a majority of them being residents of
  this  state,  who shall associate themselves for the purpose of founding
  and  continuing  one  or  more  free  churches,  may  make,   sign   and
  acknowledge, before any officer authorized to take the acknowledgment of
  deeds  of  land to be recorded in this state, and may file in the office
  of the secretary of state, and also of the clerk of the county in  which
  any  such church is to be established, and record as provided in section
  three of this chapter, a certificate  in  writing,  in  which  shall  be
  stated  the  name  or  title by which such society shall be known in the
  law, the purpose of its organization, and the names of  seven  trustees,
  of whom not less than five shall be persons who are not ministers of the
  gospel  or  priests  of  any  denomination, to manage the same; but such
  certificate shall not be filed, unless  with  the  written  consent  and
  approbation  of  a justice of the supreme court of the district in which
  any such church shall be intended to be established, to be  indorsed  on
  such certificate.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9 - Free Churches › 181 - Rights, Powers and Limitations.

§  181.  Rights,  powers  and  limitations.  Upon  the  filing of such
  certificate the persons named therein as trustees, and their successors,
  being citizens of the United States and residents of this  state,  shall
  be a body politic and corporate, with all the rights, powers and duties,
  and   subject   to  all  the  restrictions  and  obligations  and  other
  provisions, so far as the same may be  applicable  and  consistent  with
  this  article,  specified  and contained in the act entitled "An act for
  the incorporation of benevolent, charitable, scientific  and  missionary
  societies,"  passed April twelfth, eighteen hundred and forty-eight, and
  the act amending the same, passed April seventh,  eighteen  hundred  and
  forty-nine,  except that the limitation in the first of the said acts of
  the value of real estate that may be held by any society in the city  or
  county  of  New  York,  incorporated  under  this  article, shall not be
  applicable to any church edifice erected or owned by  such  society,  or
  the  lot  of  ground on which the same may be built; and except that the
  provision in the first of the said acts, in  relation  to  the  personal
  liability  of the trustees, shall be applicable only to the trustees who
  shall have assented to the creation of any debt.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9 - Free Churches › 182 - Vacancies in Boards of Trustees.

§ 182. Vacancies in boards of trustees. Any vacancies occurring in the
  said  board  of  trustees shall be supplied by the remaining trustees at
  any legal meeting of the members; but there shall  always  be  at  least
  five members of the board who are not ministers of the gospel or priests
  of any denomination.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9 - Free Churches › 182-A - Increasing Number of Trustees.

§  182-a. Increasing number of trustees. The number of trustees may be
  increased to not exceeding eleven by said board of trustees at any legal
  meeting of the members, whereupon a certificate of such  increase  shall
  be  made, signed, acknowledged and filed by the existing trustees in the
  manner provided by section one hundred and eighty for the execution  and
  filing  of the certificate of incorporation, except that the consent and
  approbation of a justice of the supreme court shall not be necessary  to
  the  filing  of  such certificate. The additional trustees authorized by
  such increase shall be supplied in the same manner as vacancies  in  the
  original  board  of  trustees;  but  there  shall  always  be at least a
  majority of the board who are not ministers of the gospel or priests  of
  any denomination.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9 - Free Churches › 183 - Seats and Pews to Be Free.

§  183. Seats and pews to be free. The seats and pews in every church,
  building or edifice, owned or  occupied  by  any  corporation  organized
  under  this  article,  shall be forever free for the occupation and use,
  during public worship, of all persons choosing to occupy the  same,  and
  conducting  themselves  with  propriety, and no rent, charge or exaction
  shall ever be made or demanded for such occupation or use.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 184 - Application of This Article.

§  184.  Application  of  this  article.  This article applies only to
  Churches of Christ, Scientist and Christian Science Societies, which are
  branches  of  The  First  Church  of  Christ,  Scientist,   in   Boston,
  Massachusetts.  Any such church or society heretofore incorporated shall
  hereafter be governed by the  provisions  of  this  article  so  far  as
  applicable  except  that  no  person, who shall, when this article takes
  effect, be a duly qualified voter in any  such  previously  incorporated
  church  or  society,  shall  be  deprived  of  the  right to vote at its
  corporate meetings by any provision of this article.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 185 - Notice of Meeting for Incorporation.

§  185.  Notice  of meeting for incorporation. Notice of a meeting for
  the  purpose  of  incorporating  an  unincorporated  Church  of  Christ,
  Scientist  or  Christian Science Society, shall be given as follows: The
  notice shall be in writing,  and  shall  state,  in  substance,  that  a
  meeting  of  such  unincorporated  church or society will be held at its
  usual place of worship at a specified day and hour, for the  purpose  of
  incorporating  such  church  or  society, electing trustees thereof, and
  selecting a corporate name therefor.
The notice must be signed by at least six persons of full age who  are
  then  members  in good and regular standing of such church or society by
  admission into full membership therewith, in accordance with  the  rules
  and  regulations  of such church or society. A copy of such notice shall
  be publicly read at each regular service of such  unincorporated  church
  or  society on the two successive Sundays next preceding such meeting by
  the person acting as first reader, and a copy of such  notice  shall  be
  sent  by  mail  post  paid at least ten days prior to the date fixed for
  such meeting to each member of  such  church  or  society  in  good  and
  regular standing at his last known address as same appears in the church
  or society records.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 186 - Meeting for Incorporation.

§  186.  Meeting  for  incorporation. At the meeting for incorporation
  held in pursuance of such notice, the following persons, and no  others,
  shall be qualified voters, to wit: All persons of full age, who are then
  members  in  good  and  regular  standing  of  such church or society by
  admission into full membership therewith, in accordance with  the  rules
  and regulations thereof.
At  such meeting, the presence of a majority of such qualified voters,
  at least six in number, shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.   The
  action  of the meeting upon any matter or question shall be decided by a
  majority of the qualified voters voting thereon, a quorum being present.
  The meeting shall be called to order by one of the signers of the  call.
  There  shall  be elected at such meeting, from the qualified voters then
  present, a presiding  officer,  a  clerk  to  keep  the  record  of  the
  proceedings,  of  the  meeting and two inspectors of election to receive
  the  ballots  cast.  The  presiding  officer  of  the  meeting  and  the
  inspectors  shall  decide the results of the ballots cast on any matter,
  and shall be the judges of the qualifications of voters.
Such meeting  shall  decide  whether  such  unincorporated  church  or
  society shall become incorporated. If such decision shall be in favor of
  incorporation  such  meeting  shall decide upon the name of the proposed
  corporation which shall be "Church of Christ,  Scientist,"  prefixed  by
  "First," "Second," "Third" or other numerical designation, or "Christian
  Science  Society"  as  the  case may be, and followed by the name of the
  place where it shall be located;  the  meeting  also  shall  decide  the
  number  of  the  trustees  of such church or society, which shall be any
  number from three to twelve, and shall determine the date, not more than
  fifteen months thereafter, on which the first  annual  election  of  the
  trustees  thereof  after  such meeting shall be held. Such meeting shall
  thereupon elect by ballot, from the persons qualified to  vote  thereat,
  one-third  of  the  number  of trustees as nearly as possible so decided
  upon who shall hold office until the first annual election  of  trustees
  thereafter,  one-third  of such number of trustees as nearly as possible
  who shall hold office until  the  second  annual  election  of  trustees
  thereafter,  and  the  remainder  of such trustees who shall hold office
  until the third annual election of trustees  thereafter,  or  until  the
  respective successors of such trustees shall be elected and take office.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 187 - Certificate of Incorporation.

§  187. Certificate of incorporation. If the meeting shall decide that
  such unincorporated church or society  shall  become  incorporated,  the
  presiding  officer  of  such meeting and the two inspectors of election,
  shall execute and acknowledge a certificate  of  incorporation,  setting
  forth  the  name  of  the  proposed  corporation, the number of trustees
  thereof, the names of the persons elected  as  trustees,  the  terms  of
  office for which they were respectively elected and the county and town,
  city  or  village  in  which  its  principal  place of worship is, or is
  intended to be located. On the filing and recording of such certificate,
  as hereinbefore provided in this chapter, the persons qualified to  vote
  at  such  meeting  and  those persons who shall thereafter, from time to
  time be qualified voters at the corporate meetings thereof, shall  be  a
  corporation  by  the  name  stated  in such certificate, and the persons
  therein stated to be elected trustees of such church or society shall be
  the trustees thereof for the terms for which they were  respectively  so
  elected,  or until their respective successors shall be elected and take
  office.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 188 - Time, Place and Notice of Corporate Meetings.

§  188.  Time,  place  and  notice  of  corporate meetings. The annual
  corporate meeting of every incorporated church or society to which  this
  article  is  applicable shall be held at the time and place fixed by its
  by-laws. A special corporate meeting of any such church or  society  may
  be called by the board of trustees thereof, on its own motion, and shall
  be  called  on  the  written request of at least ten qualified voters of
  such church or society. The trustees shall cause written notice  of  the
  time  and  place  of  any  corporate  meeting, therein specifying, if an
  annual meeting, the names of any trustees whose  successors  are  to  be
  elected  thereat,  and, if a special meeting, specifying the business to
  be transacted thereat, to be served, either personally or by mail,  upon
  each  qualified  voter  of the church or society entitled to vote at the
  meeting, not less than ten nor more than forty days before the  meeting.
  If mailed, the notice shall be directed to each qualified voter entitled
  to  notice  at  his address as it appears on the books or records of the
  church or society.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 189 - Organization and Conduct of Corporate Meetings; Qualifications of Voters Thereat.

§  189. Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualifications
  of voters thereat. At a corporate meeting of every  incorporated  church
  or  society  to which this article is applicable, the following persons,
  and no others, shall be qualified voters, to wit: All  persons  who  are
  then  members  in good and regular standing of such church or society by
  admission into full membership therewith. The presence at such  meetings
  of  at least six persons qualified to vote thereat shall be necessary to
  constitute a quorum, provided that any church or society to  which  this
  article  is  applicable  may  by  its  by-laws fix the number of members
  necessary to constitute a quorum. The action of  the  meeting  upon  any
  matter  or  question  shall  be  decided  by a majority of the qualified
  voters voting thereon, a quorum being present, except that  by-laws  may
  provide  specifically for action being taken upon any matter or question
  by more than a majority vote, in  which  event  such  by-law  provisions
  shall  govern  any such action; and further excepted that by-laws can be
  adopted or amended only by a two-thirds vote, as  hereinbefore  provided
  by  this  chapter.  The  clerk  of  the church or society shall call the
  meeting to order, and then turn it over to a presiding officer chosen by
  the qualified voters then present or to the  one  designated  under  the
  provisions  of  the  by-laws;  and  if an election is to be held at such
  meeting, two inspectors of election shall be  chosen  by  the  qualified
  voters then present, unless otherwise designated under the provisions of
  the  by-laws. The presiding officer and the inspectors of election shall
  receive the votes, shall be the judges of the qualifications  of  voters
  and shall decide the result of the votes cast at any election. The polls
  of an annual corporate meeting shall remain open for such time as may be
  determined by a majority of the qualified voters present. At each annual
  corporate  meeting  successors  to  those trustees whose terms of office
  then expire, shall be elected from the qualified voters by ballot, for a
  term of three years thereafter, and  until  their  successors  shall  be
  elected and take office.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 189-A - Changing Date of Annual Corporate Meetings.

§  189-a. Changing date of annual corporate meetings. Any incorporated
  church or society to which this article is  applicable,  at  any  annual
  meeting  may  change  the date of its subsequent annual meetings. If the
  date fixed for the annual meeting shall be less than  six  months  after
  the annual meeting at which such change is made, the next annual meeting
  shall  be  held  one  year  from  the  date so fixed. For the purpose of
  determining the terms of office  of  trustees  and  officers,  the  time
  between  the  annual  meeting  at which such change is made and the next
  annual meeting thereafter shall be reckoned as one year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 189-B - Changing Number of Trustees.

§  189-b.  Changing  number  of  trustees.  Any incorporated church or
  society to which this article is applicable may, at an annual  corporate
  meeting,  change  the number of its trustees to any number from three to
  twelve and classify them so that the terms of  one-third  as  nearly  as
  possible  expire each year, provided that notice of such intended change
  be included in the notice of such  annual  corporate  meeting.  No  such
  change shall affect the terms of the trustees then in office, and if the
  change  reduces  the  number  of trustees, election shall not be held to
  fill the vacancies caused by the expiration of the  terms  of  trustees,
  until  the  number  of  trustees equals the number to which the trustees
  were reduced. Whenever the number of trustees in office is less than the
  number so determined on, sufficient additional trustees shall be elected
  to make the number of trustees for the ensuing year equal to the  number
  so  determined on. The trustees so elected up to and including as nearly
  as possible one-third of the number so determined on, shall  be  elected
  for three years, the remainder up to and including as nearly as possible
  one-third of the number so determined on for two years and the remainder
  for one year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 9-A - Churches of Christ, Scientist › 189-C - Meetings of Trustees.

§  189-c.  Meetings of trustees. The chairman of the board of trustees
  of  any  incorporated  church  or  society  to  which  this  article  is
  applicable  or  any two members of such board may call a meeting of such
  trustees  by  giving  at  least  twenty-four  hours'   notice   thereof,
  personally  or  by mail, to all the other trustees, but by the unanimous
  consent of the trustees a meeting may be held  without  previous  notice
  thereof. A majority of the trustees lawfully convened shall constitute a
  quorum  for  the  transaction of business.  In case of a tie vote at the
  meeting of the trustees the presiding officer  of  such  meeting  shall,
  notwithstanding  he  had voted once, have an additional casting vote. In
  case of a vacancy in the office of trustee the  remaining  trustees  may
  fill  such  vacancy  until  the  next  annual corporate meeting when the
  vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 190 - Application of This Article.

§ 190. Application of this article.  This article is not applicable to
  a  Baptist  church,  a Congregational Christian church, whether or not a
  part of the United Church of Christ, a church of the  United  Church  of
  Christ incorporated after September first, nineteen hundred seventy-one,
  an Independent church, a United Methodist church, a Protestant Episcopal
  church,  a  Roman  Catholic  church, a Presbyterian church in connection
  with the General Assembly of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United
  States  of  America, a Christian Orthodox Catholic church of the Eastern
  Confession, a Ruthenian Greek Catholic church, or a  Church  of  Christ,
  Scientist.  No  provision  of  this  article is applicable to a reformed
  church in America, a True Reformed Dutch church in the United States  of
  America,  a  Reformed Presbyterian church, or to an Evangelical Lutheran
  church,  incorporated  after  October  first,   eighteen   hundred   and
  ninety-five,  except  as  declared to be so applicable by article six of
  this chapter; this article is  applicable  to  an  Evangelical  Lutheran
  church  incorporated before October first, eighteen hundred ninety-five,
  if the trustees thereof were then elective as such and so long  as  they
  continue  to  be  elective  as  such.  Article  six  of  this chapter is
  applicable to an Evangelical Lutheran church incorporated before October
  first, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, if its trustees were  not  then
  elective as such and so long as its trustees continue not to be elective
  as   such.   This  article  is  applicable  to  churches  of  all  other
  denominations.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 191 - Notice of Meeting for Incorporation.

§  191.  Notice of meeting for incorporation.  Notice of a meeting for
  the purpose of incorporating an unincorporated  church,  to  which  this
  article is applicable, shall be given as follows:
The  notice shall be in writing, and shall state, in substance, that a
  meeting of such unincorporated church will be held at its usual place of
  worship at a specified day and hour, for the  purpose  of  incorporating
  such church and electing trustees thereof.
The notice must be signed by at least six persons of full age, who are
  then  members  in  good and regular standing of such church by admission
  into full communion or membership  therewith,  in  accordance  with  the
  rules   and   regulations   of   such   church,  and  of  the  governing
  ecclesiastical body of the denomination or order, if any, to  which  the
  church belongs, or who have statedly worshiped with such church and have
  regularly  contributed  to the financial support thereof during the year
  next prior thereto, or from the time of the formation thereof.
A copy of such notice shall be posted conspicuously on the outside  of
  the main entrance to such place of worship, at least fifteen days before
  the  day  so  specified  for such meeting, and shall be publicly read at
  each of the two next preceding regular meetings of  such  unincorporated
  church  for public worship, at least one week apart, at morning service,
  if such service be held, on Sunday,  if  Sunday  be  the  day  for  such
  regular  meetings,  by  the  first named of the following persons who is
  present thereat, to wit: The minister of such  church,  the  officiating
  minister thereof, the elders thereof in the order of their age beginning
  with  the  oldest,  the  deacons of the church in the order of their age
  beginning with the oldest, any person qualified to sign such notice.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 192 - The Meeting for Incorporation.

§   192.   The   meeting  for  incorporation.    At  the  meeting  for
  incorporation held in pursuance of such notice, the  following  persons,
  and  no  others,  shall be qualified voters, to wit: All persons of full
  age, who are then members in good and regular standing of such church by
  admission into full communion or  membership  therewith,  in  accordance
  with   the   rules   and  regulations  thereof,  and  of  the  governing
  ecclesiastical body, if any, of the denomination or order, to which  the
  church belongs, or who have statedly worshiped with such church and have
  regularly  contributed  to the financial support thereof during the year
  next preceding such meeting, or from the time of the formation thereof.
The presence of a majority of such qualified voters, at least  six  in
  number,  shall be necessary to constitute a quorum of such meeting.  The
  action of the meeting upon any matter or question shall be decided by  a
  majority of the qualified voters voting thereon, a quorum being present.
The  first  named  of  the  following  persons  who is present at such
  meeting shall preside thereat, to wit: The minister of the  church,  the
  officiating  minister  thereof, the elders thereof in the order of their
  age, beginning with the oldest, the deacons  thereof  in  the  order  of
  their  age,  beginning  with  the oldest, any qualified voter elected to
  preside. The presiding officer of the meeting shall receive  the  votes,
  be  the  judge of the qualifications of voters and declare the result of
  the votes cast on any matter. The polls of the meeting shall remain open
  for one hour, and longer, in the discretion of the presiding officer, or
  if required by a majority of the voters present.
Such meeting shall decide whether  such  unincorporated  church  shall
  become incorporated. If such decision shall be in favor of incorporation
  such meeting shall decide upon the name of the proposed corporation, the
  number  of  the trustees thereof, which shall be three, six or nine, and
  shall determine the date, not more than fifteen  months  thereafter,  on
  which  the  first  annual  election  of  the trustees thereof after such
  meeting shall be  held.  Such  meeting  shall  elect  from  the  persons
  qualified  to  vote at such meeting, one-third of the number of trustees
  so decided on who shall hold office until the first annual  election  of
  trustees thereafter, one-third of such number of trustees to hold office
  until  the  second annual election of trustees thereafter, and one-third
  of such number of  trustees  to  hold  office  until  the  third  annual
  election of trustees thereafter.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 193 - The Certificate of Incorporation.

§  193.  The  certificate of incorporation.   The presiding officer of
  such meeting and at least two other persons present and voting  thereat,
  shall  execute  and  acknowledge a certificate of incorporation, setting
  forth the matters so determined at such meeting,  the  trustees  elected
  thereat and the terms of office for which they were respectively elected
  and  the  county,  town, city or village in which its principal place of
  worship is or is intended to be located.  On filing such certificate the
  members of such church and the persons qualified to vote at such meeting
  and who shall thereafter, from time to time, be qualified voters, at the
  corporate meetings thereof, shall be a corporation by the name stated in
  such certificate, and the persons therein stated to be elected  trustees
  of  such  church  shall be the trustees thereof, for the terms for which
  they were respectively so elected.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 194 - Time, Place and Notice of Corporate Meetings.

§  194.  Time,  place  and  notice  of  corporate meetings. The annual
  corporate meeting of every incorporated church to which this article  is
  applicable, shall be held at the time and place fixed by or in pursuance
  of law therefor, if such time and place be so fixed, and otherwise, at a
  time and place to be fixed by its trustees.  A special corporate meeting
  of  any  such  church may be called by the board of trustees thereof, on
  its own motion or on the written  request  of  at  least  ten  qualified
  voters  of  such church. The trustees shall cause notice of the time and
  place of its annual corporate meeting, therein specifying the  names  of
  any  trustees,  whose  successors  are  to be elected thereat, and, if a
  special meeting, specifying the business to be transacted thereat, to be
  given at a regular meeting of the church for public worship, at  morning
  service,  if such service be held, on each of the two successive Sundays
  next preceding such meeting, if Sunday  be  the  regular  day  for  such
  public  worship,  and  public  worship be had thereon, or otherwise at a
  regular meeting of such church for public worship on each of  two  days,
  at  least  one  week  apart,  next preceding such meeting, or if no such
  public worship be held during such period, by conspicuously posting such
  notice, in writing, upon the outer entrance to the  principal  place  of
  worship  of  such  church. Such notice shall be given by the minister of
  the church, if there be one, or if  not,  by  the  officiating  minister
  thereof,  if  there be one, or if not, or if any such minister refuse to
  give such notice, by any officer of such church. But a special corporate
  meeting of an incorporated Presbyterian church, to  elect  a  pastor  of
  such  church  or  to  take action in reference to the dissolution of the
  relations of the pastor and the  church,  may  be  called  only  by  the
  session of such church. They may call such meeting whenever they deem it
  advisable  to  do  so,  or  upon  the request to them, by petition, of a
  majority of the qualified voters of such  corporation,  they  must  call
  such meeting.  They shall give notice of such meeting in either case, in
  the manner in this section provided in a notice of a special meeting.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 195 - Organization and Conduct of Corporate Meetings; Qualification of Voters Thereat.

§  195.  Organization and conduct of corporate meetings; qualification
  of voters thereat.  At a corporate meeting of an incorporated church  to
  which  this  article is applicable the following persons, and no others,
  shall be qualified voters, to wit: All persons who are then  members  in
  good  and  regular  standing  of  such  church  by  admission  into full
  communion or membership therewith  in  accordance  with  the  rules  and
  regulations  thereof,  and of the governing ecclesiastical body, if any,
  of the denomination or order to which the church belongs,  or  who  have
  been  stated  attendants  on  divine  worship  in  such  church and have
  regularly contributed to the financial support thereof during  the  year
  next  preceding  such  meeting;  and any other church incorporated under
  this article, may at  any  annual  corporate  meeting  thereof,  or  any
  corporate  meeting called pursuant to the provisions of this article, if
  notice of the intention so to do has been given with the notice of  such
  meeting,  determine that thereafter only members of such church shall be
  qualified voters at corporate meetings thereof.  The  presence  at  such
  meetings  of  at  least  six  persons qualified to vote thereat shall be
  necessary to constitute a quorum. The action of  the  meeting  upon  any
  matter  or  question  shall  be  decided  by a majority of the qualified
  voters voting thereon, a quorum being present. The first  named  of  the
  following  persons who is present at such meeting shall preside thereat,
  to wit:  The minister of such church, the officiating minister  thereof;
  the  officers  thereof  in  the  order  of  their age beginning with the
  oldest, any qualified  voters  elected  therefor  at  the  meeting.  The
  presiding  officer  of the meeting shall receive the votes, be the judge
  of qualifications of voters and declare the result of the votes cast  on
  any matter. The polls of an annual corporate meeting shall continue open
  for  one hour, and longer in the discretion of the presiding officer, or
  if required by a majority of the qualified  voters  present.    At  each
  annual  corporate  meeting,  successors to those trustees whose terms of
  office then expire, shall  be  elected  from  the  qualified  voters  by
  ballot, for a term of three years thereafter.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 196 - Changing Date of Annual Corporate Meetings.

§  196.  Changing  date  of  annual  corporate  meetings.    An annual
  corporate meeting of an incorporated church to  which  this  article  is
  applicable,  may  change  the  date of its annual meeting thereafter. If
  such date shall next thereafter occur less than  six  months  after  the
  annual  meeting  at  which  such change is made, the next annual meeting
  shall be held one year from such next recurring date.   For the  purpose
  of  determining  the  terms  of office of trustees, the time between the
  annual meeting at which such change is made and the next annual  meeting
  thereafter shall be reckoned as one year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 197 - Changing Number of Trustees.

§  197.  Changing number of trustees.  An incorporated church to which
  this article is applicable, may, at an annual corporate meeting,  change
  the  number  of  its  trustees  to  three,  six,  nine, twelve, fifteen,
  eighteen, twenty-one or twenty-four, or classify them so that the  terms
  of  one-third expire each year. No such change shall affect the terms of
  the trustees then in office, and if the change  reduces  the  number  of
  trustees,  it  shall  not take effect until the number of trustees whose
  terms of office continue for one or more years after an annual  election
  is  less  than the number determined on. Whenever the number of trustees
  so holding over is less than the number so determined on, trustees shall
  be elected in addition to those so holding over, sufficient to make  the
  number  of  trustees  for  the  ensuing  year  equal  to  the  number so
  determined on. The trustees so elected up to and including one-third  of
  the  number  so  determined  on,  shall  be elected for three years, the
  remainder up to and including one-third of the number so  determined  on
  for two years, and the remainder for one year.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 198 - Meetings of Trustees.

§  198.  Meetings of trustees.  Two of the trustees of an incorporated
  church, to which this article is applicable, may call a meeting of  such
  trustees,   by   giving  at  least  twenty-four  hours'  notice  thereof
  personally or by mail to the other trustees. A majority of the  trustees
  lawfully  convened  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for the transaction of
  business. In case of a tie vote  at  a  meeting  of  the  trustees,  the
  presiding  officer  of  such meeting shall, notwithstanding he has voted
  once, have an additional casting vote.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 199 - Vacancies Among Trustees.

§  199.  Vacancies among trustees.   If any trustee of an incorporated
  church to which this article is applicable, declines to act, resigns  or
  dies,  or having been a member of such church, ceases to be such member,
  or not having been a member of such church, ceases  to  be  a  qualified
  voter  at  a  corporate meeting thereof, his office shall be vacant, and
  such vacancy may be filled by the  remaining  trustees  until  the  next
  annual  corporate  meeting  of such church, at which meeting the vacancy
  shall be filled for the unexpired term.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 200 - Control of Trustees by Corporate Meetings; Salaries of Ministers.

§  200.  Control  of  trustees  by  corporate  meetings;  salaries  of
  ministers.   A  corporate  meeting  of  an  incorporated  church,  whose
  trustees  are  elective  as  such, may give directions, not inconsistent
  with law, as to the manner in which any of the temporal affairs  of  the
  church   shall  be  administered  by  the  trustees  thereof;  and  such
  directions shall be  followed  by  the  trustees.  The  trustees  of  an
  incorporated  church  to which this article is applicable, shall have no
  power to settle or remove or fix the salary of the minister, or  without
  the  consent  of  a  corporate  meeting,  to  incur debts beyond what is
  necessary for the care of the property of the corporation; or to fix  or
  charge the time, nature or order of the public or social worship of such
  church,  except  when  such  trustees are also the spiritual officers of
  such church.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 201-A - Incorporation of the Religious Society of Friends.

§  201-a  Incorporation  of  the  Religious  Society  of  Friends.  An
  unincorporated meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in this state
  may be incorporated by executing, acknowledging and filing a certificate
  of incorporation, stating the corporate name by which such meeting shall
  be known, and the county, town, city  or  village  where  its  principal
  place  of  worship  or principal office is or is intended to be located.
  Such certificate of incorporation shall be executed and acknowledged  by
  the  clerk of such meeting, and shall have attached thereto a statement,
  duly executed and acknowledged by the secretary, assistant clerk or such
  person as shall have the duty of recording the transactions of  business
  sessions  of  meetings  of  such  meeting, certifying that at a business
  session or meeting of such meeting, duly held and  upon  not  less  than
  thirty  days notice, to the members thereof, as hereinafter provided, by
  a minute of the proceedings thereat,  duly  approved  according  to  the
  usage  and  custom  of  such  meeting,  the  clerk  of  such meeting was
  authorized  and  directed  to  execute  and  file  such  certificate  of
  incorporation.  Such  notice shall be in writing, shall be given by mail
  addressed to the last known address  of  each  member  of  such  meeting
  according  to  the  records thereof, and shall state in substance that a
  meeting of such unincorporated meeting will be held at its  usual  place
  of   convening  at  a  specified  date  and  hour  for  the  purpose  of
  incorporating such  meeting.  On  the  filing  of  such  certificate  in
  accordance  with the provisions of this chapter, such meeting shall be a
  corporation by the name stated in the certificate.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 203 - Conveyance or Incumbrance of Trust Property of Friends.

§  203.  Conveyance  or incumbrance of trust property of Friends.  The
  trustee or trustees, or survivor of any trustees, of any meeting of  the
  Religious  Society  of Friends, appointed pursuant to the last preceding
  section, may sell, convey and grant, mortgage, or demise any or  all  of
  the trust property described in said trust deed or declaration of trust,
  to  any  person  absolutely  or  in trust for such meeting, whenever any
  meeting of said society by resolution  so  directs.  Any  conveyance  or
  mortgage  of  real estate or property so held in trust by any meeting of
  the Religious Society of Friends, which is hereafter made  in  pursuance
  of  a  resolution  of such meeting as provided herein, shall be as valid
  and effectual for the conveyance or mortgage of the title  of  any  real
  estate  so  held  in  trust, as if the heirs of any trustee who has died
  prior to the passage of such resolution had joined in the  execution  of
  such  conveyance,  mortgage  or  demise.  Any  instrument  for the sale,
  mortgage or demise of such property shall embody such resolution, and be
  executed and acknowledged by such  trustee  or  trustees;  and  in  such
  acknowledgment such trustee or trustees shall make an affidavit that the
  person  or persons executing such conveyance, mortgage or demise are the
  trustee or trustees of the  trust  property,  and  that  the  resolution
  embodied  in such conveyance, mortgage or demise was duly passed by such
  meeting. Such affidavit shall be  prima  facie  evidence  of  the  facts
  therein stated.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 204-B - Change of Name of Churches and Affiliated and Subsidiary Organizations of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and the Evangelical Church.

§  204-b.  Change  of  name  of churches and affiliated and subsidiary
  organizations of the church of the United Brethren  in  Christ  and  the
  Evangelical Church.  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or of
  any  general,  special  or local law, the two denominations known as the
  church of the United Brethren  in  Christ  and  the  Evangelical  Church
  having  united under the name of the Evangelical United Brethren Church,
  all  existing   corporations,   institutions,   unincorporated   boards,
  societies,  associations,  churches  or administrative agencies formerly
  affiliated either with the church of the United Brethren  in  Christ  or
  the   Evangelical   Church,  and  all  societies,  conferences,  boards,
  associations, corporations or organizations directly connected therewith
  or subsidiary thereto, shall be known as the Evangelical United Brethren
  Church or an affiliate thereof  and  all  such  churches,  corporations,
  unincorporated  associations, and other organizations shall hereafter be
  known by such names as changed and amended by this section.
The changes in names provided for by this section  shall  not  in  any
  respect  change the identity of or affect, abate, defeat, alter or amend
  any of the rights, privileges, powers,  property,  rights,  obligations,
  liabilities,   or   duties   of  any  of  said  churches,  corporations,
  organizations, or unincorporated associations aforesaid,  all  of  which
  shall  remain  in full force and effect as though their respective names
  had not been so changed.
All   churches,   corporations,   organizations,   or   unincorporated
  associations  using  the changed names as provided in this section shall
  continue to have and be possessed of all  the  interest,  property,  and
  rights  to  which  they  are  or  may become entitled under their former
  corporate names or other respective designations.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 205 - Presiding Officer.

§  205.  Presiding  officer.   Nothing contained in this article shall
  prevent the qualified voters  at  any  meeting  held  pursuant  to  this
  article  or in this article described, from choosing a person to preside
  at any such meeting, other than the person or officer designated in this
  article to preside thereat, and when such other person shall  be  chosen
  he  shall  exercise  all  the  powers in this article conferred upon the
  presiding officer of such meeting.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 207 - The Number of Trustees of Jewish Congregations and Voting by Proxy at Certain Meetings Thereof.

§  207.  The  number of trustees of Jewish congregations and voting by
  proxy at certain meetings thereof. A congregation of  the  Jewish  faith
  may  at  any  general  or  special  corporate meeting thereof change the
  number of its trustees to not more than seventy-two and classify them so
  that the terms of one-third shall expire  each  year  and  the  trustees
  elected  shall  hold  office  for  three  years.  Whenever the number of
  trustees in office is less than the  number  determined  on,  sufficient
  additional  trustees  shall  be  elected  to  make  the  total number of
  trustees equal to the number determined on. The additional  trustees  so
  to  be  elected  shall be classified and hold office for such terms, not
  exceeding three years each, so that the terms of one-third of the  total
  number  of trustees shall expire each year, and thereafter for a term of
  three years each. The right of the members of such congregation to  vote
  at  meetings  thereof shall be fixed by its by-laws, but every member of
  such congregation entitled to vote at any meeting thereof  may  vote  by
  proxy  on any proposition to sell, mortgage or lease any of its property
  or for its consolidation with one or more other  religious  corporations
  of the Jewish faith, or, in a city having a population of one million or
  more according to the latest federal census, in any election of trustees
  or  officers.  Every  proxy  must  be  executed in writing by the member
  conferring the same and shall not be given to any person  other  than  a
  member of the congregation. No proxy shall be valid after the expiration
  of  one  year  from  the  date  of its execution.   Every proxy shall be
  revocable at the pleasure of the person executing it.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 208 - Consolidation.

§  208.  Consolidation.  Any two or more religious corporations of the
  Jewish faith, incorporated under or by  general  or  special  laws,  may
  enter  into  an  agreement  for  the  consolidation  or  merger  of such
  corporations, setting forth the terms and conditions  of  consolidation,
  the  name  of  the  proposed or surviving corporation, the number of its
  trustees, the time of the annual election and the names of  the  persons
  to  be  its  trustees  until  the  first  or  next  annual meeting. Each
  corporation may petition the supreme court for an order consolidating or
  merging the corporations, setting forth the agreement for  consolidation
  or  merger  and a statement of its real property and of its liabilities.
  Before the presentation of the petition to the court the  agreement  and
  petition  must  be approved by two-thirds of the votes cast in person or
  by proxy at a meeting of the members of each corporation called for  the
  purpose  of  considering  the  proposed  consolidation  or merger in the
  manner prescribed by section six  hundred  five  of  the  not-for-profit
  corporation law. An affidavit by the president and the secretary of each
  corporation  stating  that such approval has been given shall be annexed
  to the petition. On presentation to  the  court  of  such  petition  and
  agreement  for  consolidation  or merger and on such notice as the court
  may direct, the court after hearing all the parties interested  desiring
  to  be  heard,  may make an order approving the consolidation or merger.
  When such order is made and duly entered and a  certified  copy  thereof
  filed  with  the  secretary of state and in the offices of the clerks of
  the counties in which the certificates of incorporation of  the  several
  constituent  corporations  were  recorded, or if no such certificate was
  recorded, then in the office of the clerk of the  county  in  which  the
  principal  place  of  worship  of  the  new  or surviving corporation is
  intended to be situated, such corporations shall become one  corporation
  by  the  name  designated  in  the  order  and the trustees named in the
  agreement for consolidation or merger  shall  be  the  trustees  of  the
  consolidated corporation.
2023 New York Laws › RCO - Religious Corporations › Article 10 - Other Denominations › 209 - Effect of Consolidation.

§ 209. Effect of consolidation. The consolidated or merged corporation
  shall  possess  all the powers of the constituent corporations and shall
  have the power and be  subject  to  the  duties  and  obligations  of  a
  congregation  of  the  Jewish  faith  formed for like purposes under the
  religious corporations law. All the rights, privileges and interests  of
  each  of  the constituent corporations, all the property, real, personal
  and mixed, and all the debts due on whatever account to either of  them,
  and  all  things in action, belonging to either of them, shall be deemed
  to be transferred to and vested in such new corporation without  further
  act  or  deed;  and  all  claims,  demands,  property,  and  every other
  interest, belonging to the several constituent corporations, shall be as
  effectually the property of the new corporation  as  they  were  of  the
  constituent  corporations,  and  the title to all real property, held or
  taken by deed or otherwise under the laws of this state, vested  in  the
  several  constituent corporations shall not be deemed to revert or to be
  in any way impaired by reason of the consolidation but shall  be  vested
  in the new corporation. Any devise, bequest, gift, grant, or declaration
  of  trust, contained in any deed, will, or other instrument, in trust or
  otherwise, made before or after such consolidation, or merger to or  for
  any  of  the constituent corporations, shall inure to the benefit of the
  consolidated or merged corporation. The consolidated  corporation  shall
  be  deemed  to  have  assumed  and  shall  be  liable  for all debts and
  obligations of the constituent corporations in the  same  manner  as  if
  such new corporation had itself incurred such debts or obligations.