HB 1795

Present law authorizes t he officers and members of a masonic lodge to purchase or take by deed such quantity of ground for the purpose of building a hall or temple, or for a burial place, as may be necessary. The deed must vest the legal title to the same in such officers and members and their successors. This bill rewrites the present law to, instead, authorize t he officers and members of a masonic lodge, or a masonic lodge-sponsored corporation or limited liability company, to take by deed through a purchase or by gift real property, including any structure located upon the real property, and personal property for the purposes of, but not limited to, building, maintaining, or acquiring a masonic lodge, hall, or temple, or for a burial place. Such a deed for real or personal property, whether such deed ef fectuates a purchase or gift, must still vest the legal title to such real or personal property in the officers or members of the acquiring masonic lodge or in a masonic lodge-sponsored corporation or limited liability company formed and organized for such purpose. This bill further authorizes a masonic lodge-sponsored corporation or limited liability company to rent or lease real or personal property to a masonic lodge or another entity on such terms and conditions as such masonic lodge-sponsored corporation or limited liability company may designate. This bill clarifies that its provisions do not affect a conveyance of real property or personal property to a corporation or limited liability company that occurred prior to the effective date of this bill .