(a)  The principal office of any domestic society shall be located in this state. The meetings of its supreme governing body may be held in any state, district, province, or territory in which the society has at least one subordinate lodge, or in any other location determined by the supreme governing body, and all business transacted at the meetings shall be as valid in all respects as if the meetings were held in this state. The minutes of the proceedings of the supreme governing body and of the board of directors shall be in the English language.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 27-25-7

  • Benefit member: means an adult member who is designated by the laws or rules of the society to be a benefit member under a benefit contract. See Rhode Island General Laws 27-25-4
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Laws: means the society's articles of incorporation, constitution, and bylaws, however designated. See Rhode Island General Laws 27-25-4
  • Lodge: means subordinate member units of the society, known as camps, courts, councils, branches, or by any other designation. See Rhode Island General Laws 27-25-4
  • Rules: means all rules, regulations, or resolutions adopted by the supreme governing body or board of directors that are intended to have general application to the members of the society. See Rhode Island General Laws 27-25-4
  • Society: means fraternal benefit society, unless otherwise indicated. See Rhode Island General Laws 27-25-4

(b)  A society may provide in its laws for an official publication in which any notice, report, or statement required by law to be given to members, including notice of election, may be published. The required reports, notices, and statements shall be printed conspicuously in the publication. If the records of a society show that two (2) or more members have the same mailing address, an official publication mailed to one member is deemed to be mailed to all members at the same address unless a member requests a separate copy.

(c)  Not later than June 1 of each year, a synopsis of the society’s annual statement providing an explanation of the facts concerning the condition of the society disclosed in the statement shall be printed and mailed to each benefit member of the society or, in lieu of that, the synopsis may be published in the society’s official publication.

(d)  A society may provide in its laws or rules for grievance or complaint procedures for members.

History of Section.
P.L. 1984, ch. 201, § 2.