According to D. August Boto, executive vice president and general counsel of the Executive Committee, the amended bylaws document:

-- brings the Executive Committee up to date regarding the Southern Baptist Convention's sole membership status.

-- explicitly stakes out the Executive Committee's First Amendment right to self-governance.

-- causes all six Executive Committee officers to be nominated and elected.

-- effectively makes the Executive Committee officers the "executive committee of the Executive Committee" for a limited, defined set of purposes.

-- more explicitly sets out the authority of the Executive Committee officers to review and adjust the president's salary and requires a report to the full board about any percentage change in salary, if any, or in benefits.

-- improves the awkward and potentially problematic process of vice presidential hiring and termination by delegating approval of both actions to the officers of the board.

-- changes the term "subcommittee" to "committee" (or "standing committee") to harmonize references in Robert's Rules of Order and Tennessee statutes.

-- eliminates redundant provisions regarding notice, waiver, quorum and voting that were included for each subcommittee and workgroup.

-- allows action without a meeting with unanimous consent.

-- explicitly states the mode of employment to be "at will."

-- includes modern communication modes such as email. Continued...