N.Y. Benevolent Orders Law § 3-a: (enacted without section heading)

§ 3-a. (enacted without section heading). A subordinate lodge,

chapter, post, council, commandery, temple, court or other organization

entitled to file a certificate of election of trustees under section two

of the benevolent orders law shall, while the warrant or charter for

said lodge, chapter, post, council, commandery, temple, court or other

organization, is in force so as to entitle it to operate as a

subordinate body of the grand lodge or other grand body under whose

jurisdiction it operates, be deemed to be a corporate entity for the

purpose of making contracts, incurring liabilities, and acquiring

rights, and of suing and being sued in the courts of this state in its

own name, but may not take, hold, lease, mortgage, convey or otherwise

dispose of real property unless it shall have filed the certificate

required by section two of the benevolent orders law. In the absence of

fraud or bad faith, the members, officers and trustees of a lodge,

chapter, post, council, commandery, temple, court or other organization,

enumerated in section two of the benevolent orders law, shall not be

personally liable for its debts, obligations or liabilities.