Home > About Us > Bylaws > Article XV > Section C-15.1

Section C-15.1. Amendment of Bylaws.

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote at a regular General Assembly if a proposed amendment has been placed on the agenda; provided, however, that proposals to amend or repeal a section of these Bylaws whose section number is preceded by a "C" (hereinafter a "C Bylaw"), or to add a new such section, shall be governed by subsections (b) or (c) hereof.
1. A proposal to amend, repeal or add a new C Bylaw, other than those C Bylaws in Article II of these Bylaws, shall be subject to a two-step approval process. Such proposals must be placed on the agenda of a regular
  General Assembly and approved preliminarily by a majority vote at such regular General Assembly.
  Following such preliminary approval, the proposal to amend, repeal or add a new C Bylaw shall be placed on the agenda of the next regular General Assembly for final adoption. Final adoption shall require a two-thirds vote.
2. The text of a proposed amendment to a C Bylaw, other than those bylaws in Article II, which has been approved by one General Assembly, may be amended at any time prior to final adoption. If the Moderator rules that the amendment to the proposal is substantive, final adoption shall only be by a subsequent General Assembly. Any such proposal that has been under consideration for final approval at three successive regular General Assemblies shall not be subject to substantive amendment at the third such regular General Assembly.
3. A proposal to amend a C Bylaw, other than those Bylaws in Article II, which on any vote for final adoption receives a majority but not a two-thirds vote, shall be placed on the agenda of the next regular General
  Assembly, at which it may be finally adopted if it receives the requisite approval. If the proposal is not passed by a two-thirds vote at the third regular General Assembly at which it is considered for final approval, neither the proposal nor another proposal that is substantively similar shall be placed on the agenda of a General Assembly for two years.
1. A proposal to amend, repeal or add a new C Bylaw in Article II of these Bylaws shall be admitted to the agenda of a regular General Assembly for the sole purpose of determining whether the proposal shall be referred to a commission appointed by the Board of Trustees for review and study. Such a review shall involve member congregations. A majority vote at a regular General Assembly shall be required to refer such a proposal to the study commission. Once the review and study of the proposal is complete, which shall be completed in no more than three years, the study commission shall submit to the Planning Committee for inclusion on the agenda of the next regular General Assembly following completion of the review and study process the proposal in the form originally presented to the regular General Assembly and any amendments to the proposal that the study commission recommends as a result of the review and study process. All proposals regarding Article II of the Bylaws that are placed on the agenda after review and study (including amendments to such proposals recommended by the study commission) shall require a two-thirds vote for adoption. If the proposal does not receive the requisite approval at the General Assembly following the completion of the review and study process, neither the proposal nor another proposal that is substantively similar shall be placed on the agenda of a General Assembly for two years.
2. A motion to dispense with the review and study process with respect to a proposal to amend Article II shall be in order at the General Assembly at which the review and study process is authorized. A motion to dispense with the review and study process shall require a four-fifths vote for passage.
3. After completion of the review and study process, proposals regarding Article II of the Bylaws shall not be subject to substantive amendment. The Moderator shall determine whether an amendment to such a proposal is substantive.
4. If no review and study process of Article II has occurred for a period of fifteen years, the Board of Trustees shall appoint a commission to review and study Article II and to recommend appropriate revisions, if any, thereto to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall review the recommendations of the study commission and, in its discretion, may submit the recommendations of the study commission to the Planning Committee for inclusion on the agenda of the next regular General Assembly. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, proposals to amend Article II which are promulgated by a study commission in accordance with this paragraph shall be subject to a two-step approval process. Such proposals must be approved preliminarily by a majority vote at a regular General Assembly. Following such preliminary approval, the proposal shall be placed on the agenda of the next regular General Assembly for final adoption. Final adoption shall require a two-thirds vote.

Last updated on Friday, November 10, 2006.