§ 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.