State |
Does the Grand Lodge have Life Membership
Programs? |
| Alabama |
|
| Alaska |
In Alaska, Grand Lodge does not have a Life Membership program per se - but individual lodges may offer
one, and if desired, those programs may be invested through Grand Lodge. |
| Arizona |
Any Master Mason in good standing may purchase a Perpetual
Membership by paying the sum of 15 times the annual dues of his Lodge. |
| Arkansas |
|
| California |
Life Membership is allowed. the dues fees are as follows:
under the age of 49 - 21 times annual dues
50-54 inclusive - 19 times annual dues
55-59 inclusive - 17 times annual dues
60-64 inclusive - 14 times annual dues
65 and over - 11 times annual dues
this is according to the California Masonic Code 27020 |
| Colorado |
From an email Nov. 2006:
In Colorado, the Grand Lodge does not have a
Life Membership program per se - but individual lodges may offer one.
|
| Connecticut |
|
| District of Columbia |
No, but each Lodge is permitted to have its own Life
Membership program. |
| Delaware |
|
| Florida |
In Florida, we have a "Perpetual Membership" program where, for
20 times the annual dues, you can be exempt from paying dues forever. The
money goes to an endowment fund at grand lodge with the income going to the lodge you signed up for
your perpetual membership in. This income stream continues to the lodge even after
the brother dies. One can also purchase a memorial perpetual membership for a
deceased brother. One can also purchase an honorary perpetual membership in a
lodge where one was elected to honorary membership. |
| Georgia |
|
| Hawaii |
|
| Idaho |
Life membership may be purchased for 21 times the annual
dues. Returns from the program to the lodge in perpetuity. |
| Illinois |
Code 271. Life memberships are authorized in constituent lodges, subject to the following terms and
conditions:
A. Any member in good standing in a constituent lodge who has paid all current dues
& charges, may become a life member in that lodge.
B. The member desiring a life membership pays the lesser of either (1)
15 times the annual dues of his lodge at the time of the application but in no event less than $375, or (2) a sum equal to
the amount of dues the member would have to pay until he would become eligible to become a 50 year
member if such dues remained the same as the dues at the date of the application,
but not be less than $25 for each year remaining until the member would become eligible to
be a 50 year member. |
| Indiana |
Yes. Endowment program paid by member, managed by a special
committee of Grand Lodge in a foundation. |
| Iowa |
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| Kansas |
|
| Kentucky |
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| Louisiana |
|
| Maine |
|
| Maryland |
|
| Massachusetts |
The GL of Massachusetts has a plan for pre-payment of GL
dues. It is based on your age and is a rolling scale where you will have nothing to pay by
the time you are in your 70's or so. |
| Michigan |
Michigan allows their lodges to give life memberships after
forty (40) years, as per the following legislation:
4-25 SECTION 31. A Lodge may grant a Life Membership to any of its members in good
standing and not indebted to the Lodge who, for not less than a total of forty years,
shall have been a Master Mason in good standing of some Lodge or Lodges in this Grand
Jurisdiction or in other Grand Jurisdictions with which the Grand Lodge of Michigan is in
fraternal relations. Provided, that no proposal to grant a Life Membership shall be
submitted to a Lodge at a date earlier than four months prior to the date on which the
proposed recipient shall have actually completed forty years of membership in good
standing, and provided further that such proposed recipient shall have been a dues paying
member of a Michigan Lodge or Lodges for at least five years. In each case, the proposal
to grant a Life Membership shall be presented at a Regular Communication, and shall lie
over without action until the next Regular Communication, at which time it shall be acted
upon. A majority of those present and voting shall be sufficient to decide the matter.
Thereafter such Life Member shall not be liable for annual dues. A Lodge may present a
Life Membership Certificate and/or a Life Membership Lapel Button to any of its members
elected to Life Membership in accordance with the foregoing regulations, provided,
however, that the presentation shall not be made prior to the date on which the recipient
shall have actually completed the required forty years of membership in good standing.
(1959, 1962, 1965)
The Grand Lodge also allows a member to take a "Pre Paid" membership. |
| Minnesota |
|
| Mississippi |
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| Missouri |
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| Montana |
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| Nebraska |
|
| Nevada |
Nevada's life membership plan is identical to Idaho's.
Life membership may be purchased for 21 times the annual
dues. Returns from the program to the lodge in perpetuity. |
| New Hampshire |
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| New Jersey |
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| New Mexico |
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| New York |
|
| North Carolina |
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| North Dakota |
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| Ohio |
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| Oklahoma |
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| Oregon |
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| Pennsylvania |
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| Rhode Island |
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| South Carolina |
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| South Dakota |
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| Tennessee |
|
| Texas |
From an email message:
Texas has two distinct programs.
1. Endowed Membership program which provides for the purchase of a Endowed
Membership for a set fee (currently $500.00) The constituent lodge receives an
income from the Trust Fund which is managed by the Grand Lodge Trustees. The
lodge pays all Grand Lodge per capita fees on the endowed member from the income while he is alive and in good standing
(unless exempted by other conditions such as being a member for 50 years). The lodge continues to receive the income
from the trust fund in perpetuity.
2. Life Membership is conferred by vote of a lodge and is restricted to no more than 4
Life Memberships in any three year period. The lodge pays all Grand Lodge per
capita fees on the endowed member while he is alive and in good standing (unless
exempted by other conditions such as being a member for 50 years).
As a general rule a Life Membership is granted to an outgoing Master as recognition
for his service. Thus in any three year period there is one Life Membership for each
outgoing Master and one additional if the lodge so desires. Since the lodge
continues to pay the Grand Lodge per capita, additional Life Memberships are seldom granted. |
| Utah |
|
| Vermont |
|
| Virginia |
Yes. Each Mason may pay 16 years' dues and thus become a
"Life Member in Perpetuity," meaning he doesn't pay any dues for life, and the
program continues to pay his dues to his lodge each year even after his death. Purchases
can be honorary, such as for George Washington to be a Perpetual Member of a selected
lodge. Masons can be LMIP's in as many lodges as they wish. |
| Washington |
|
| West Virginia |
October 1999 the West Virginia Grand Lodge approved a
perpetual membership program effective January 2001. The funds are to be deposited and invested by the Grand Lodge Board of Trustees for the
benefit of the lodge. The price is $800. |
| Wisconsin |
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| Wyoming |
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