Corporate powers of the Military Order of the Purple Heart
Wis. Stat. § 188.16
in effect(1) Any chapter, county or district council or department composed exclusively of persons who were awarded the medal known as the Purple Heart organized in this state pursuant to the constitution and bylaws of the national organization of the Military Order of the Purple Heart and any unit, county or district council or department of the auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart organized in this state shall have full corporate power to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing chapters, units, county or district councils, or departments upon filing with the department of financial institutions a statement of its intent so to do and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers and thereupon it shall become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the department of financial institutions for so doing.
(2) All acts done by any chapter, unit, county or district council or department, so incorporated, or its constituted authorities, shall be considered acts of such chapter, unit, county or district council or department, as a corporate body, and no personal liability shall be attached to any member therefor.
(3) Sections 180.0203 and 181.0203 shall not apply to corporations organized under this section. In the execution of any conveyance or encumbrance by such corporations, the chapter, county or district, or department commander, and the chapter, county or district council, or department adjutant, or like or similar officers, shall have the powers and duties granted to presidents and secretaries respectively under s. 706.03 (2) and (3). The provisions of subs. (1) and (2) shall apply to all corporations incorporated thereunder whether incorporated before or after March 28, 1943.
(4) Any chapter, county, district council, department or other unit of the Military Order of the Purple Heart or of the auxiliary of the Military Order of the Purple Heart which has become a body corporate under the provisions of this section may change its name or dissolve by the adoption of a written resolution to that effect, by a vote of a majority of its members present at a meeting called for that purpose and by filing the same as herein provided. Such resolution, with a certificate thereto affixed, signed by the commander and adjutant, or like or similar officers, stating the facts, including the date of the adoption of such resolution, the number of members present at such meeting, and the number of members who voted for the adoption of the resolution, shall be forwarded to and filed with the department of financial institutions, and thereupon the name of such corporation shall be changed or the corporation shall cease to exist, as the case may be, except that in case of dissolution it shall continue to exist for the purpose of winding up its affairs. No fee shall be charged by the department of financial institutions for such filing.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/188.16Fetched: 10/7/2026