Grand Lodge Statutory Changes

At the Grand Lodge Session in Minneapolis the members of the Grand Lodge voted to make the following changes to the Grand Lodge Statutes.

1. Amending Section 18 of the GL Constitution by removing the word “Ladies” when referencing organizations that Lodges can recognize in their bylaws. This was considered a redundancy by Grand Lodge Judiciary. This resolution passed 2490 in favor and 84 against. This change will require Lodges to ratify the change to the constitution.
2. Added a section to 9.070-Offenses against the Laws of the Order, other than those specified in Section 9.060. The following language was adopted:Using one’s membership in the Order; any emblem, sign, symbol, or resource of the Order, or utilizing or exploiting any Local Lodge venue, membership list, Lodge position, or Lodge affiliation to fundraise resources to defend or appeal in any Local Forum or Grand Forum proceeding by private, public, or social media fundraising activity or service; or to knowingly allow another member to organize any similar fundraising activity for or on behalf of that member. Suspension from membership for not less than one (1) year nor more than three (3) years or expulsion.The purpose is to prohibit the use of resources of the Order and of Local Lodges for private, public, or social media fundraising activities in connection with a Local Forum or Grand Forum action. This resolution passed 2336 in favor and 236 against.
3. Added a new section 7.151, which reads as follows:Section 7.151. The use of any implement, symbol, resource, or Local Lodge venue for the purpose of raising funds to prosecute or defend any Grand Forum action by a Member involved in any Grand Forum matter; or to knowingly allow another Member to organize, promote, or conduct a fundraiser on the Member’s behalf; may constitute contempt and may be punishable by suspension of all rights and privileges of membership for a period not to exceed three (3) years.The purpose is to prohibit the use of resources of the Order and of Local Lodges for private, public, or social media fundraising activities in connection with a local Forum or Grand Forum Action, and to authorize the Grand Forum to issue a contempt order. This resolution passed 2382 in favor and 224 against.
4. Added a new section 4.620, which reads as follows:Section 4.520. Upon request of a State Sponsor, a Special Representative, District Leader, or an Area Special Representative may be designated by Executive Order for any District established by the Board of Grand Trustees as provided in Section 4.260, as a Special Representative of the Grand Exalted Ruler and shall be recognized as such by the Lodges in the respective District, or for any Area within a State established by a State Sponsor.
   
   The duties of such Special Representative, District Leader, or Area Special Representative shall be set forth in the terms of the Executive Order and/or as provided for by the State Sponsor. A Special Representative, District Leader, or an Area Special Representative must comply with all Laws of the Order in performing their duties under the Executive Order effectuating such appointment or any additional instructions from the State Sponsor.This section formalizes the appointment and authority of Special Representatives, District Leaders, and Area Special Representatives. Previously, there was no provision in the statutes that recognized these positions. Here in Maine, this formalizes the appointment of our District Special Representatives. This resolution passed 2455 in favor and 145 against.
5. Changed Section 12.020 to clarify that the determination of “good cause” rests with the District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler when providing dispensation for an Exalted Ruler to not attend a District Deputy Clinic. Previously, it was not specified in the statutes as to who would make that determination. This passed 2406 in favor and 185 against.
6. Changed Section 12.050 (o) to clarify that the determination of “good cause” rests with the District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler when providing dispensation for a Lodge Secretary to not attend a District Deputy Clinic. Previously, it was not specified in the statutes as to who would make that determination. This passed 2404 in favor and 196 against.
7. Inserted a new subsection 12.060 (i) to clarify that the determination of “good cause” rests with the District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler when providing dispensation for a Lodge Treasurer to not attend a District Deputy Clinic. Previously, the Lodge Treasurer was not required to attend a District Deputy Clinic, and it was not specified in the statutes as to who would make that determination. This passed 1623 in favor and 897 against.The requirement to attend all District Deputy clinics now includes the Exalted Ruler, Leading Knight, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors/Trustees.
8. Amended Section 16.050 which relates to building permits to include the following (changes in bold):
   1. 16.050 (d) Make additions, repairs, or alterations to its present facilities, if the cost is in excess of $25,000.
   2. 16.050 (e) Contract for services not included in subsection (d) of this section, purchase furnishings, fixtures, and equipment, other than equipment required for normal maintenance, at a total cost in excess of $25,000; provided, however the requirement of this section shall not apply to employment contracts with employees of the club or home.
   3. 16.050 (i) Sell, exchange, or make a gift of its personal property, intangible property, legal contractual rights or licenses valued in excess of $25,000.
   4. 16.050 No Lodge shall exceed the authority granted in the permit unless and until it has received further authorization from the Board of Grand Trustees. If it appears, during the course of completion of the project, its cost will exceed the authority, the Lodge shall immediately communicate that fact and all information concerning it, to the appropriate Building Applications Member and the Chairman of the Board of Grand Trustees and it shall be guided by their instructions in the matter.The changes clarify the requirements of a Lodge to file a building permit application and who to whom the request is sent. This passed 2375 in favor and 238 against.
9. Amended Section 9.170 of the Laws of the Order which references defunct Lodges (those who have had their charter surrendered or revoked) as follows:…Upon such final adjudication, the Grand Exalted Ruler may appoint a number of Trustees, who in his judgement would be appropriate, who shall be authorized and empowered to take all necessary actions and execute all required instruments to receive, hold, conserve, manage, sell or encumber, mortgage, borrow against the Lodge property, as they may deem necessary, retaining the proceeds therefrom, until such time as said Lodge may be reinstated or a new Charter granted in the same community. However, the number of Trustees appointed shall be at least three (3) where such trust assets exceed thirty-five thousand dollars.If the Lodge is reinstated or a new Charter is granted for a Lodge or Lodges within jurisdiction including a portion of the same jurisdiction of the former Lodge, said Trustees, upon order of the Grand Exalted Ruler, shall transfer and deliver title to all or part of the assets of the Lodge to the Lodge so reinstated or to the new Lodge or Lodges to which a Charter or Charters have been granted, in such proportions as determined by a majority of the Board of Grand Trustees with the approval of the Grand Exalted Ruler, and the appointed Trustees shall execute and deliver any and all necessary and proper deeds and instruments with the approval of the Grand Exalted Ruler endorsed thereon to vest full and complete title in the Lodge entitled thereto.

   (d) At any time after five (5) years from the date of the creation of the trust, when it appears to the Grand Exalted Ruler and the State Sponsor that the Lodge in question may not be reinstated, or a new Lodge or Lodges are not likely to be formed in the same jurisdiction, the Grand Exalted Ruler may order all or part of the remaining trust assets conveyed to either:…

   The purpose of these changes allows greater discretion for the use of defunct Lodge funds and to allow the Grand Exalted Ruler the authority to appoint a sufficient number of Trustees to administer the funds of a defunct Lodge. This passed with 2370 in favor and 245 against.

10. Amending Section 14.260 to allow Local Lodges to establish a minimum age for Life Membership as follows:(h) A Local Lodge, by adoption of a by-law, may establish a minimum age for a Member to be considered for Life Membership pursuant to paragraph (a) or (b) above.With a recent change to the statutes that eliminated the requirement for all members seeking Life Membership to be at least 65 years of age, the provision above allows a Local Lodge to establish a minimum age in their bylaws for members to be considered for Life Membership. This passed 2240 in favor and 374 against.
11. Added a new section 1.185 which reads as follows:Section 1.185. Spouse–an individual who is recognized by the law of the state in which the Lodge is located as a spouse. For purposes of listing in Grand Lodge directories and publications the term spouse will also include domestic partners (as defined by the United States Office of Personnel Management 5 C.F. R.§ 875.213) whose cohabitation has occurred for not less than seven (7) consecutive years.The purpose of this is to define spouse as used in the Grand Lodge Statutes and in publications. This resolution passed with 1396 in favor and 1205 against.
12. A resolution to require the Grand Lodge to credit per-capita payments to an Elk Lodge after 5 months paid for delinquent members. This would have effectively created a negative budget situation for the Grand Lodge which could force the GL Operations per-capita payments to increase. This resolution failed to pass 769 in favor and 1826 against.
13. Added a new Section 14.161 on dropping delinquent members which reads as follows:Section 14.161. Whenever, during the Lodge year, the Lodge receives any written communication from a delinquent member stating that the Member no longer wishes to be a member in Good Standing in the Order, the Lodge may drop such Member from the rolls prior to March 31st of the Lodge year.The procedure to drop such Member shall be as follows:

    (a) At the time such notice is received from the Member, the Lodge Secretary shall confirm in writing with the Member their request to be dropped from the rolls.

    (b) At the time the Secretary sends the confirmation notice to the Member, the Secretary shall post the Member’s name on the Lodge Bulletin Board and shall report the posting of the list at t the next Lodge meeting.

    (c) The notice shall confirm to the Member requesting removal from the rolls that the member will no longer be entitled to the privileges of membership and that the member can be reinstated only in the manner provided by the Laws of the Order.

    (d) After thirty (30) days of sending the confirmation notice to the Member or, when confirmed in writing by the Member, the Lodge Secretary shall remove the member from the rolls and report such action at the next regular Lodge Meeting.

    The purpose of this new section is to authorize and prescribe the procedure by which a Member may resign from membership during the Lodge year. This applies to delinquent members. Prior to this, only members in good standing could resign from membership by obtaining an “Absolute Dimit.” This new statute allows a delinquent member to resign their membership provided the process outlined above is followed. Previously, Secretaries had to keep the member on the rolls until March 31st of each year, regardless of whether a delinquent member indicated that they no longer wished to be a member of the Order. This change effectively saves the Lodge some money in chasing down delinquent members who have no intention of maintaining their membership, and to allow their membership statistics to be more accurately represented by moving delinquent members into the dropped for non-payment category.

    This resolution passed with 1376 votes in favor and 1229 against.

14. Added a new Section 14.235 so that a Member of a Lodge who’s charter has been revoked can transfer to another Lodge while an appeal is pending.Section 14.235. A Member in good standing of a Lodge whose charter has been revoked by Executive Order, and such Lodge has appealed the Executive Order, shall be entitled to apply for membership by Transfer Dimit in any Lodge.
15. Added a new Section 14.255, to allow a delinquent member to apply for reinstatement in any Lodge, while their Lodge whose charter is being revoked by Executive Order.Section 14.255. A Member, who by reason of non-payment of dues was not in good standing in a Lodge whose charter has been revoked by Executive Order, and such Lodge has appealed the Executive Order, shall be entitled to apply for reinstatement in any Lodge. The application shall be made under the laws governing reinstatement. The application shall be accompanied by a Certificate of Status similar to the Certificate provided in Section 14.230 and they shall pay the Grand Secretary a fee of ten (10) dollars.
    
16. Resolution 16-18 are all related to allowing a Past Exalted Ruler’s Associations or Advisory Committee to form a separate non-profit corporation under the Laws of the state or territory wherein it is located.  This resolution, and the next two are all related, and were dependent on passage of this resolution. The resolution failed with 349 votes in favor and 2251 against.