192 General Laws Amendments Make For Sweeping Changes
> ‘This is the largest number of amendments since the General Laws were thoroughly revamped in 2000,” said General Governor David Chambers in a statement at the Charlotte Convention, before delegates were to vote with near unanimity to approve all 192 proposed amendments. Full text of all amendments had been circulated in 20-page booklet form mailed to every Lodge office in late March.

“Although at first blush, the sheer number of the proposed changes may appear massive,” Chambers said, almost all the amendments fit into one of three categories:

• Clarifications of previous wording to help Lodge officers better understand their duties/responsibilities;

• Provisions to enable Moose International to implement new technology to operate the fraternity’s business more effectively;

• Allowances for Moose International management restructuring to further reduce costs and give more effective service to all fraternal units.
Below is a summary of some of the most important changes; the full revised 2004 edition of the General

Laws has been mailed in book form to every Lodge
office and is always available on the Members Only side
of www.mooseintl.org; click on “General Governor.”

Amendment Highlights

> Following are some of the more significant of the 192 amendments to the General Laws approved in one nearly unanimous vote (two “no” votes were spotted from the stage) by International Convention delegates Monday, June 28. For clarification on any, call the General Governor’s office at 630/966-2207.

• Allows for the collection of dues for Lodges, Chapters and Moose Legions, and issuance of membership cards, by Moose International.

• Redefines who are Supreme Lodge officers, provides for one or more Moose International vice presidents, and eliminates the Executive Committee.

• Allows for a woman to be a Moose International corporate officer (i.e., Vice President), or to become a member of the Judiciary Committee or to be a Justice of the Supreme Forum.

• Reorganizes the traditional Moose International Membership and Supreme Secretary departments into other areas (specifically, functional areas known as Member Relations, Member Retention and Membership Promotion/Marketing, to provide better service to the fraternity.

• Allows a Lodge to change its meeting nights and dues without obtaining General Governor approval, subject to required reporting.

• Replaces the specific prohibition against members of the Communist Party as Moose members, with the stipulation that no one affiliated with a terrorist or known subversive organization may become a member.

• Replaces the term “Investigating Committee” for new applicants with the more appropriate term “Application Review Committee.”

• Requires all new applicants to go through an orientation before being enrolled.

• Allows for multiple Lodge memberships (upon implementation of new technology).

• Allows Lodges to charge any (or no) amount for dues—over and above the ABCD (per-capita) amount established by the Supreme Council.

• Provides that any member in arrears shall be dropped from the rolls at the end of six months.

• Requires joint monthly meetings between Lodge and Chapter officers, if the Lodge has an affiliated Chapter.

• Prohibits smoking and consumption of alcoholic beverages at all official meetings.

• Increases the amount, from $2,500 to $5,000, which a Lodge may spend to purchase or equipment without having to obtain a dispensation from the General Governor.

• Allows a Lodge (in compliance with stated conditions) to conduct legal Bingo, Community Service events, and charitable fundraisers without obtaining a dispensation from the General Governor.

• Allows a Lodge (in compliance with stated conditions) to publicly advertise activities, events and fundraisers—and to establish a Website—without obtaining a dispensation from the General Governor.

• Allows a Lodge (in compliance with stated conditions) to conduct two open houses annually without obtaining a dispensation from the General Governor.

• Requires every House Committee to adopt written rules on smoking.

• Requires that for a Lodge to be in good standing with its Association, it must be current in all its financial obligations due both the Association and Moose International—or to be in compliance with a mutually-agreed-upon payment agreement.

• Places all disciplinary proceedings for members of the Order (both men and women) under jurisdiction of the General Governor; allows men and women to file formal disciplinary charges against a member of the other gender, with consent of the General Governor.



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