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House of Stake

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Screening Committee

The Screening Committee is a core governance body within House of Stake. It acts as the first layer of review and quality control for proposals, delegates, and broader governance processes — ensuring that only aligned, well-formed proposals reach the full voting body.

This group serves as a filter and guardian of integrity, maintaining a balance between efficiency and due diligence.

Current Status: Interim Screening Committee​

To expedite the launch of House of Stake, the NEAR Foundation appointed an Interim Screening Committee. This temporary body was responsible for launching the delegate process and selecting the first cohort of Endorsed Delegates.

Interim Committee Members​

  • Bianca Guimaraes-Chadwick (NEAR Foundation)
  • Lane Rettig (NEAR Foundation)
  • Bowen Wang (Near One)
  • Gauntlet (1 seat)

The interim Committee will remain in place only until a formal Charter is proposed and approved through governance voting.

What Happens Next​

The transition from a Foundation-appointed interim body to a community-elected Screening Committee is now the top priority.

Timeline and Process​

  1. Charter Proposal (target: mid-August) The NEAR Foundation will publish a detailed Screening Committee Charter proposal covering:

    • How members are elected, added, or removed
    • Term lengths and rotation
    • Committee responsibilities and accountability mechanisms
    • Committee size and composition
    • The election and replacement process

  2. Election Process After the Charter is approved, elections will be held to form a new, community-led Screening Committee.

  3. Sunsetting the Interim Committee The interim body will disband after the first election is complete. Ensuring this transition is the committee's highest and final responsibility.

Community Input & Nominations​

The process is open. If you:

Want to nominate someone (or yourself) to the future Screening Committee

Have ideas about how the committee should be structured or elected

👉 Please share your thoughts in the forum thread.

This is not yet a formal application process — just a head start to surface early ideas and candidates.

Responsibilities of the Screening Committee​

Proposal Review & Governance Flow​

  • Pre-screen proposals before community-wide voting
  • Filter mechanism: proposals rejected by the Committee (less than 4 out of 7 votes) must achieve a 75% supermajority to pass

Delegate Selection & Oversight​

  • Initiate Calls for Delegates
  • Select initial Endorsed Delegates
  • Monitor delegate behavior and voting patterns
  • Flag conflicts of interest or violations

Oversight & Improvement​

  • Adjust veNEAR reward incentives to remain competitive
  • Publish meeting notes and decisions for transparency
  • Continuously improve frameworks based on community feedback

Future Transition​

Eventually, as the system matures, the Screening Committee will transfer the authority to select Endorsed Delegates, enabling fully community-led governance.