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Proposal Phases

The proposal process consists of nine phases as follows:

See the Constitution of the Horizen DAO for more detail.

Phase 1: Proposal Idea and Research

The person or people with an idea for a proposal check discussions on official channels to determine whether the idea has been previously proposed. Any idea must either:

  • Have not been proposed before, or

  • Be substantially different than an idea that has been previously proposed but not approved, such that there is a high likelihood of success during a community vote.

As long as one of these criteria is met, an idea may then be posted to Discourse using the template outlined in the Constitution.

Phase 2: Idea Modification

Once an idea is posted to Discourse, the moderator will confirm that it adheres to DAO guidelines before being made public on Discourse. Any changes to the idea at that point may only be made via the comments to the published idea on Discourse and comments must be flagged as “official” changes, as submitters will not have the opportunity to modify a proposal idea once submitted to the moderator for publication.

Phase 3: Community Feedback

Once an idea has been approved for publication by the Discourse moderator, community members will have a seven-day window to provide feedback on the proposal via the comment section. This is an opportunity for the submitter to engage with the community and anticipate the ways in which the community may (or may not) welcome the proposal before it is put towards a vote.

Phase 4: Proposal Draft Creation

After the community review and feedback period, a proposed idea moves to the draft stage. The submitter(s) must follow the template laid out in the Constitution of the Horizen DAO.

Phase 5: Draft Review and Moderator Feedback

Once a draft is published, the moderator will ensure that the draft follows the template, and will also have the opportunity to request additional information. Failure to reply to the moderator’s feedback within 30 days will result in rejection of the draft.

Phase 6: Administrative Review

Given the importance of the improvement proposal process to decentralized governance, all proposals must undergo administrative review by the Special Council of the Horizen DAO. The Special Council may return a proposal for additional information or clarification for reasons detailed in the Constitution of the Horizen DAO. There is a maximum of three revisions permitted following tags and comments from the Special Council. If a draft proposal fails to satisfy the requirements after three turns of revisions and comments, it will be rejected and will need to be resubmitted from the ZenIP/EONIP Idea stage.

The Special Council meets at least once a month to review draft proposals that are being elevated to the voting stage. This process is in place to ensure the continued security of the Horizen DAO, Foundation, and community. For more information on the Special Council, refer to the Constitution of the Horizen DAO.

Phase 7: Voting

An improvement proposal that has been approved for voting will proceed to a vote on Snapshot. Refer to the Voting Process section for additional information on the voting process and guidelines.

Phase 8: Cooldown Period

If a proposal passes the vote stage successfully, it must undergo a final review to ensure that it does not violate the Foundation Governing Documents, any laws, or otherwise jeopardizes the safety and security of the Horizen DAO or Foundation. The director(s) of the Horizen Foundation will review a ZenIP/EONIP within 30 days from its passing. If the director(s) of the Foundation are satisfied that no issues exist with implementing the approved ZenIP/EONIP, it moves to implementation.

Phase 9: Implementation

All ZenIPs/EONIPs that satisfy their voting approval thresholds in addition to the other requirements specified in the Constitution of the Horizen DAO may be implemented in the following ways:

  • Technical ZenIP/EONIP

    • Upon approval of any Technical ZenIP/EONIP by the Horizen DAO, the Foundation will merge the approved ZenIP/EONIP into the Horizen Github repository for release as part of a new software version.

    • Ultimate implementation of a Technical ZenIP or EONIP which seeks to implement technical upgrades or changes will depend on the decision of a majority of network participants (miners and node operators) to run the new software version.

  • Non-Technical ZenIP/EONIP

    • The Foundation and the DAO administrator will assist in implementing approved Non-Technical ZenIPs/EONIPs including hiring or engaging service providers, coordinating documentation and contract negotiations, and all other actions incidental to implementing the approved Non-Technical ZenIPs/EONIPs.

The Horizen DAO administrator and/or project management team will assist with the implementations but are not responsible for this on their own.