Property owned by a benevolent organization and used exclusively for benevolent purposes is exempt from taxation. A benevolent organization is any lodge, patriotic organization, memorial association, educational association, cemetery association, or similar association. A benevolent organization shall be nonprofit and recognized as an exempt organization under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(7), 501(c)(8), 501(c)(10), or 501(c)(19) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, as defined by § 10-1-47. However, if any such property consists of improved or unimproved property located within a municipality not occupied or directly used in carrying out the primary objective of the benevolent organization owning the same, such property shall be taxed the same as other property of the same class is taxed. However, if any such property consists of agricultural land, such property shall be taxed the same as other property of the same class is taxed. For the purposes of this section, an educational association is a group of accredited elementary, secondary, or postsecondary schools. For the purposes of this section, a benevolent organization also includes a congressionally chartered veterans organization which is nonprofit and recognized as an exempt organization under section 501(c)(4) of the United States Internal Revenue Code, as defined by § 10-1-47.
For purposes of this section, benevolent purpose means an activity that serves the poor, distressed or underprivileged, promotes the physical or mental welfare of youths or disadvantaged individuals, or relieves a government burden.