N.Y. Benevolent Orders Law § 2: Organization

§ 2. Organization. Either of the following orders:

1. A lodge of Free and Accepted Masons duly chartered by and installed

according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand Lodge of

Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York;

2. A chapter of Royal Arch Masons duly chartered by and installed

according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand Chapter of

Royal Arch Masons of the state of New York;

3. A council of Royal and Select Masons duly chartered by and

installed according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand

Council of Royal and Select Masters of the state of New York;

4. A commandery of Knights Templar duly chartered by and instituted

according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand Commandery

of the state of New York;

5. A consistory, chapter, council or lodge duly chartered by and

instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the Supreme

Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Northern

jurisdiction of the United States;

6. A lodge of Odd Fellows, duly chartered by and installed according

to the general rules and regulations of the Grand Lodge of the

Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the state of New York;

7. A Temple of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine duly chartered by and

instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the

Imperial Council of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic

Shrine for North America;

8. A lodge of the Knights of Pythias, duly chartered by and installed

according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand Lodge of the

Knights of Pythias of the state of New York;

9. A post of the Grand Army of the Republic, chartered and installed

according to the regulations of that organization;

10. Any lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks duly

chartered by and installed according to the regulations of that

organization;

11. Any subordinate lodge, tribe or other body of any benevolent or

fraternal order or society incorporated under and pursuant to the laws

of this state;

12. A council of the Knights of Columbus chartered and instituted by

the National Council of the Knights of Columbus, pursuant to the

constitution and laws of said order;

13. Any high court, subordinate court, or companion court of the

Independent Order of Foresters chartered and instituted by the Supreme

Court of the Independent Order of Foresters pursuant to the constitution

and laws of said order;

14. A tribe of the Improved Order of Red Men, duly chartered by and

instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the Great

Council of the Improved Order of Red Men of the state of New York;

15. The Supreme Council of the Mystic Order of Veiled Prophets of the

Enchanted Realm, or a subordinate grotto duly chartered by and

instituted according to the general rules and regulations of said

supreme council;

16. Any subordinate lodge of the Order of American True Ivorites

chartered and instituted in accordance with the regulations of the Grand

lodge of the Order of American True Ivorites;

17. Any subordinate aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles chartered

and instituted in accordance with the regulations of the grand aerie of

the Fraternal Order of Eagles;

18. Any subordinate council of the Junior Order of United American

Mechanics under the jurisdiction of the national council of such order.

19. Any local camp of the Modern Woodmen of America chartered and

instituted in accordance with the regulations of the head camp of the

Modern Woodmen of America.

20. The Supreme or Cosmopolitan Council of the Brotherhood of the

Commonwealth.

21. A tent of the Knights of the Maccabees of the World, duly

chartered and instituted according to the general rules and regulations

of the supreme tent of the Knights of the Maccabees of the World:

22. Any subordinate lodge of the Loyal Order of Moose, duly chartered

and instituted in accordance with the constitution and laws of the

supreme lodge of the world, Loyal Order of Moose.

23. The Catholic Daughters of America, or any subordinate court

thereof, which is duly chartered and instituted in accordance with the

constitution and laws of said Catholic Daughters of America.

24. The Home Nest or any subordinate nest of the Order of Owls duly

chartered by and instituted according to the general rules and

regulations of the Home Nest of the Order of Owls;

25. An encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, duly

chartered by and installed according to the general rules and

regulations of the grand encampment of the Independent Order of Odd

Fellows;

26. A canton of patriarchs militant, duly chartered by and installed

according to the general rules and regulations of the sovereign grand

lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows;

27. A commandery of the Knights of Malta, chartered by and instituted

according to the general rules and regulations of the Supreme Grand

Commandery of the Ancient and Illustrious Order of Knights of Malta;

28. A sisterhood of the Dames of Malta, Ladies of the Order of Saint

John, Ancient and Illustrious Order, Knights of Malta, Continent of

America, chartered by and instituted according to the general rules and

regulations of the Zenodacia of the Dames of Malta;

29. A council of the Degree of Pocahontas of the Improved Order of Red

Men, duly chartered by and instituted according to the general rules and

regulations of The Great Council of New York State, Degree of Pocahontas

of the Improved Order of Red Men.

30. A chapter of American Legion, chartered and installed according to

the regulations of that organization. A post, county committee, or

department organization of the American Legion, duly chartered according

to the regulations of that organization.

30-a. A unit, county committee or department organization of the

American Legion Auxiliary, duly chartered according to the regulations

of that organization.

30-b. A county or department organization of Le Boutique des Huit

Chapeaux et Quarante Femmes, duly chartered according to the regulations

of that organization.

31. The State Camp of New York of the Patriotic Order Sons of America,

or any subordinate camp thereof duly chartered by and instituted

according to the rules and regulations of such State Camp.

32. A chapter of the order of the Eastern Star duly chartered by and

instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand

Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star of the State of New York.

33. Any subordinate lodge of the Independent Order Brith Abraham of

the United States of America, chartered by and installed according to

the general rules and regulations of the United States Grand Lodge,

Independent Order Brith Abraham.

34. A department or county La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit

Chevaux, chartered and installed according to the regulations of the

American Legion.

35. A court of the order of the Amaranth duly chartered by and

instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the Grand

Court of the Order of the Amaranth of the State of New York.

36. Order of the Alhambra.

37. A post or detachment of the marine corps league.

37. Ancient Order of Hibernians.

38. A post of Jewish War Veterans of the United States, Inc.

38-a. A post of Catholic War Veterans, Inc.

38-b. A post or counties council of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of

the United States, Incorporated.

39. A chapter of the Army and Navy Union of the United States of

America, chartered and installed according to the regulations of that

organization; a garrison, county or district council or department

organization of the Army and Navy Union of the United States of America,

duly chartered according to the regulations of that organization.

40. A post, county, committee or department organization of the

Regular Veterans' Association, duly chartered and installed according to

the regulations of that organization.

41. A chapter, county, committee or department organization of the

Disabled American Veterans, duly chartered and installed according to

the regulations of that organization.

42. Veterans of National Guard and Naval Militia, or any subordinate

post or council, which is duly chartered and instituted according to the

general rules and regulations of the Veterans of National Guard and

Naval Militia.

43. A post, county, district or departmental organization of AMVETS

(American Veterans of World War II), duly chartered and installed

according to the regulations of that organization.

44. A post, county district or department organization of the Air

Force Association, duly chartered and installed, according to the

regulations of that organization.

45. A post, county, district or departmental organization of Italian

American War Veterans of the United States, Incorporated, duly chartered

and installed according to the regulations of that organization.

45-a. A post, county, district or departmental organization of Ladies'

Auxiliary, Italian American War Veterans of the United States,

Incorporated, duly chartered and installed according to the regulations

of that organization.

46. A lodge of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of

the World duly chartered by and installed according to the regulations

of that organization.

47. The Masonic War Veterans of the State of New York, Incorporated,

or any subordinate post thereof which is duly chartered and installed

according to the general rules and regulations of that organization.

48. A lodge of Free and Accepted Masons duly chartered by and

installed according to the general rules and regulations of the Prince

Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York.

49. A temple of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, duly chartered by and

installed according to the general rules and regulations of the Imperial

Council of the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine of

North and South America and its Jurisdictions, Inc.

50. A Forest duly chartered by and installed according to the general

rules and regulations of the Supreme Forest, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, of

the United States of America.

51. Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in

America, Incorporated, and any subordinate lodge of the Grand Lodge of

the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in America, duly chartered by

and installed according to the general rules and regulations of the

Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in America,

Incorporated.

51-a. A post, county, district or departmental organization of Ladies'

Lodges, Grand Lodge of the State of New York, Order Sons of Italy in

America, Incorporated, duly chartered and installed according to the

regulations of that organization.

52. A chapter of the order of the American Hellenic Educational

Progressive Association, Incorporated, duly chartered and installed

according to the constitution and laws of the supreme lodge of said

order.

53. The Department of New York, Polish Legion of American Veterans, or

any subordinate post thereof, which is duly chartered and instituted in

accordance with the constitution and by-laws of the Polish Legion of

American Veterans, U. S. A. , and the Ladies Auxiliary, Department of

New York, Polish Legion of American Veterans or any subordinate chapter

thereof, which is duly chartered and installed according to the

regulations of the Polish Legion of American Veterans.

54. Blinded Veterans Association New York, Inc.

55. A clan of the United Scottish Clans of New York and New Jersey

duly chartered and installed according to the regulations of that

organization.

56. A subordinate of the King of Tyre Affiliation A.F. and A.M. of the

State of New York.

57. The International Veterans Boxers Association.

58. St. Paul's Conclave No. 12, Red Cross of Constantine of New York

city.

59. The Vietnam Veterans of America, or any subordinate chapter

thereof, which is duly chartered by and instituted according to the

constitution and laws of that organization.

May elect at any regular communication, convocation, encampment or

other regular meeting thereof, by whatever name known, held in

accordance with the constitution and general rules and regulations of

such grand lodge, chapter, commandery or council, or other governing

body to which it belongs, or with which it is connected, and in

conformity to its own by-laws, if it has any, not less than three nor

more than five trustees or an executive committee of not more than five

members for such lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory, council,

temple, post, court, tribe, grotto, aerie, camp, tent, nest, encampment

or canton, or Degree of Pocahontas council, who shall be members thereof

in full membership and in good and regular standing therein; and may

file in the office of the secretary of state, a certificate of such

election, signed and acknowledged by the first three elective officers

of such lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory, council, temple, post,

court, tribe, grotto, aerie, camp, tent, nest, encampment or canton, or

Degree of Pocahontas council, stating the time and place of such

election and that same was regular, the names of such trustees or

executive committee, and the term, severally, for which they are elected

to serve, and the name of the lodge, chapter, commandery, consistory,

council, temple, post, court, tribe, grotto, aerie, camp, tent, nest,

encampment or canton, or Degree of Pocahontas council, for which they

are elected.

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, any such

order may determine, at any regular communication, convocation,

encampment or other regular meeting thereof, by whatever name known,

held in accordance with the constitution and general regulations of the

grand lodge, chapter, commandery, council or other governing body to

which it belongs or with which it is connected, and is in conformity

with its own by-laws, if there be any, to increase or decrease the

number of trustees or executive committee members elected under the

provisions of this section; provided, that the number of such trustees

or members shall in no event be less than three; and provided, that the

foregoing provisions of this section shall, to the extent not

inconsistent with this paragraph, be applicable to any order making the

determination authorized by this paragraph.