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ART. XXIII] FRATERNAL ORDERS. 149
the members or by delegates elected directly or indirectly by the mem-
bers, together with such other members as may be prescribed by its
constitution and laws; provided, that the elective members shall con-
stitute a majority in number and not have less than two-thirds of the
votes, nor less than the votes required to amend its constitution and
laws; and provided, further, that the meetings of the supreme or gov-
erning body, and the election of officers, representatives or delegates
shall be held as often as once in four years. The members, officers, rep-
resentatives or delegates of a fraternal beneficiary association shall not
vote by proxy.
See notes to this section in volume 1 of the Annotated Code.
1912, ch. 824, sec. 6A. 1916, ch. 343, sec. 234.
234. Beneficiaries. The payment of death benefits shall be con-
fined to wife, husband, relative by blood to the fourth degree, father-
in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepfather, step-
mother, stepchildren, children by legal adoption, or to a person or per-
sons dependent upon the member; provided, that if after the issuance
of the original certificate the member shall become dependent upon an
incorporated charitable institution, he shall have the privilege, with
the consent of the association, to make such institution his beneficiary.
Within the above restrictions, each member shall have the right to
designate his beneficiary, and, from time to time, have the same changed
in accordance with the laws, rules or regulations of the association, and
no beneficiary shall have or obtain any vested interest in the said
benefit until the same has become due and payable upon the death of
the said member; provided, that any association may, by its laws,
limit the scope of beneficiaries within the above classes.
The purpose of this section is to define those having an insurable inter-
est in the life of another, and to discountenance wagering contracts.
Where children (adopted prior to the Maryland statute on the subject—
article 16, section 72 et seq.), are made the beneficiaries under a certifi-
cate of insurance in a fraternal order, payment may be enforced, although
a by-law of the order passed subsequent to the membership of the deced-
ent, restricted payments to legally adopted children. Clayton v. Hepta-
sophs, 130 Md. 37.
See notes to this section in volume 1 of the Annotated Code
1916, ch. 343, sec 244P1.
244F1. (Annual Reports.) Every association transacting business
in this State shall annually, on or before the first day of March, file
with the Insurance Commissioner, in such form as he may require, a
statement under oath of its president and secretary or corresponding
officers, of its condition and standing on the thirty-first day of Decem-
ber next preceding, and of its transactions for the year ending on that
date, and also shall furnish such other information as the Commissioner
may deem necessary to a proper exhibit of its business and plan of
working. The Commissioner may at other times require any further
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