N.Y. BVO Law § 3-A

§ 3-a. (enacted without section heading). A subordinate lodge,\nchapter, post, council, commandery, temple, court or other organization\nentitled to file a certificate of election of trustees under section two\nof the benevolent orders law shall, while the warrant or charter for\nsaid lodge, chapter, post, council, commandery, temple, court or other\norganization, is in force so as to entitle it to operate as a\nsubordinate body of the grand lodge or other grand body under whose\njurisdiction it operates, be deemed to be a corporate entity for the\npurpose of making contracts, incurring liabilities, and acquiring\nrights, and of suing and being sued in the courts of this state in its\nown name, but may not take, hold, lease, mortgage, convey or otherwise\ndispose of real property unless it shall have filed the certificate\nrequired by section two of the benevolent orders law. In the absence of\nfraud or bad faith, the members, officers and trustees of a lodge,\nchapter, post, council, commandery, temple, court or other organization,\nenumerated in section two of the benevolent orders law, shall not be\npersonally liable for its debts, obligations or liabilities.\n