Changing a provision in the Book of Church Order (BCO) is a three-step process. First, the proposed amendment must be approved by a majority vote of General Assembly (GA). The proposal is then sent to the presbyteries for their “advice and consent,” where it must be approved by two-thirds of them (currently, 59). Finally, it is docketed for ratification by the next GA. Ratification requires a majority of commissioners to that GA who are present and voting.

As of March 16, 79 presbyteries have submitted votes and six of the eight changes proposed by the 48^th GA have been approved by a sufficient number of presbyteries to be sent to the 49^th GA for ratification:

• Item 1 would amend BCO 12-6 and 13-4 to allow presbyteries and sessions to establish rules for holding virtual meetings.  
• Item 3 would amend BCO 20-4, 24-3, and 24-4 to clarify that the election of a pastors, elder or deacon requires a majority of votes cast rather than a majority of members present.
• Item 5 would amend BCO 22-2 to allow an Assistant Pastor to be elected as Associate Pastor by the congregation he currently serves upon recommendation of the Session without the election of a pulpit committee. 
• Item 6 would amend BCO 24-1 to clarify that a session has discretion on the timing of some parts of the exam of officer nominees.
• Item 7 would replaces the current BCO 32-20, which requires a church court to commence process against a member in a case involving scandal within one year with a provision that would allow a person accused of an offense to object to its consideration and provide direction to the court about how to consider such an objection.
• Item 8 would amend BCO 38-1 to specify what may be considered when a judgment is rendered in a case without process (in which a person comes forward to make an offense known).

Two proposals have been denied approval by a sufficient number of presbyteries to prevent them from being considered for ratification:

Thirty presbyteries have now reported that they have denied approval of Item 2, which would have amended BCO 16 by adding a clause (16-4) that would prohibit ordination of men who profess an identity contradicting their new identity in Christ and lists as examples those who self-identify as “gay Christians,” “same sex attracted Christians,” “homosexual Christians,” “or like terms.” Forty-eight presbyteries have voted in favor of this proposal (one presbytery has submitted its report on all items except this one).

Item 4, which would have changed BCO 21-4 and 24-1 to clarify the moral requirements for church office by requiring more extensive investigation of a candidate’s character, giving particular attention to “notorious concerns,” has also failed to received approval to go forward (the current official count is 41 presbyteries in favor, 38 opposed).