Massachusetts § 6 - Corporate powers; religious corporations; indemnification of officers, et al.

§ 6. Corporate powers; religious corporations; indemnification of officers, et al.

Section 6. A corporation shall have in furtherance of its corporate purposes the powers specified in paragraphs (a) to (d), inclusive, and clause (k) of section nine of chapter one hundred and fifty-six B and the power to convey land to which it has a legal title. Except as otherwise provided in its articles of organization, a corporation shall have in furtherance of its corporate purposes all of the other powers specified in said section nine except those provided in paragraph (m). To the extent provided in its articles of organization, a corporation shall have the powers specified in sections nine A and nine B of said chapter one hundred and fifty-six B, except that a corporation which constitutes a public charity shall not have the power specified in said section nine B. No power referred to above shall be exercised in a manner inconsistent with this chapter or any other chapter of the General Laws, but this chapter shall not limit or reduce any powers of corporations whether general or special existing on October first, nineteen hundred and seventy-one.

Corporations organized under this chapter or corresponding provisions of earlier laws exclusively for religious purposes shall have the right to purchase, hold, preserve and maintain burial grounds; provided, that no land shall be so used for burial purposes unless such use shall have been permitted and approved in accordance with the provisions of chapter one hundred and fourteen.

Any corporation may hold real and personal estate to an unlimited amount, which estate or its income shall be devoted to the purposes set forth in its charter or articles of organization or in any amendment thereof, and it may receive and hold, in trust or otherwise, funds received by gift or bequest to be devoted by it to such purposes; this provision shall be applicable notwithstanding the specification of a limited amount in any special law.

Indemnification of directors, officers, employees and other agents of a corporation and persons who serve at its request as directors, officers, employees or other agents of another organization or who serve at its request in a capacity with respect to any employee benefit plan may be provided by it to whatever extent shall be specified in or authorized by (i) the articles of organization or (ii) a by-law adopted by the incorporators pursuant to section three or by the members or (iii) a vote adopted by a majority of the members entitled to vote on the election of directors.

The provisions of this section shall apply to by-laws adopted by the incorporator regardless of whether such by-laws were authorized or adopted at any time prior to the effective date of this act.