[arin-ppml] Proposed Petition Process for New PDP -- Comments Due 9 May

[Owen DeLong]

>
> OVERVIEW
>
> The proposed PDP is intended to bring forth clear, technically sound  
> and
> useful policy; reduce overlapping policy proposals; require both staff
> and legal assessments before discussion; give adequate opportunity for
> discussion prior to each public policy meeting; and provide a means of
> review prior to possible adoption.  The proposed PDP empowers the ARIN
> Advisory Council by shifting its scope from a policy advisory body  
> to a
> policy development body while providing checks and balances and
> maintains an open and transparent process. The checks and balances are
> provided through the means to petition at various points in the PDP.
>
While I realize this overview isn't policy, I do think that we should  
find a
way to clarify the meaning of "staff/legal assessments before  
discussion".
The way this paragraph reads, one could be under the impression that
the intent is to prevent any discussion on PPML prior to these  
assessments.
I know that the real intent is to have these assessments prior to formal
discussion and I also realize that is what is in the actual policy.   
However,
this paragraph could create confusion and stifle early discussion on  
PPML
as a result.

> THE PETITION PROCESS
>
> At each point in the process where a decision is made there is a means
> for this decision to be overruled.
>
> 1. Submittal Petition. [10 days, maximum]
>
> If the staff and originator cannot reach an agreement on clear and
> understandable text, the originator may make a Submittal Petition and
> send the proposal to PPML and request community support to have the
> proposal forwarded to the AC for review. The originator is responsible
> for initiating the petition on the PPML (within 5 business days of a
> good faith effort to reach agreement or after the end of the process
> time limit for this step); the message must include the proposal and a
> petition statement. The petition duration is 5 business days. The ARIN
> President determines if the petition succeeds. Success is support from
> at least 5 different people from 5 different organizations.
>
I am having trouble understanding the timeframes in this paragraph.
How does one define the end of a good faith effort to reach agreement
or the end of the process time limit for this step?

Also, there seems a disconnect between the 5 business days
spelled out throughout the paragraph and the 10 days mentioned
in the title.  This concern exists with each of the subsequent
petition levels as well.

The requirement for support of 5 people from 5 organizations seems
a higher threshold than current process in that the first level of the
current process requires 4 people from different organizations.
The current process first petition point is essentially analogous
to the next step.

I would like to see the petition threshold at this level kept fairly  
low.
I would propose something along the lines of:

Upon failure of the staff and the originator to reach agreement
on clear and understandable text, the originator may initiate
a submittal petition.  A submittal petition must be posted on PPML
and must include the proposal and a petition statement. The
petition duration is 5 business days. The ARIN president determines
if a petition succeeds. Success shall require support from at
least 3 different people from 3 different organizations.

> 2. Discussion Petition. [10 days, maximum]
>
> If any member of the community, including a proposal originator, is
> dissatisfied with the AC action on a policy proposal they can  
> initiate a
> Discussion Petition to move this particular proposal to the PPML for
> discussion as a draft policy. Anyone may initiate the petition on the
> PPML (within 5 business days of publication of the AC's decision or
> after the end of the process time limit for this step); the petition
> must include the proposal and a petition statement. The petition
> duration is 5 business days. The ARIN President determines if the
> petition succeeds. Success is support from at least 10 different  
> people
> from 10 different organizations.
>
I would like to see the threshold here lower as well.  I think at this
step 5 different people from 5 different organizations, which is a
slightly higher bar than the current (4) process would be reasonable,
but, I would also accept 4 to create parity with the current process.

> 3. Last Call Petition. [10 days, maximum]
>
> If any member of the community, including a proposal originator, is
> dissatisfied with the AC action on a draft policy they can initiate a
> Last Call Petition to move this particular draft policy to the PPML  
> for
> last call. Anyone may initiate the petition on the PPML (within 5
> business days of the publication of the AC's decision or after the end
> of the process time limit for this step); the petition must include  
> the
> draft policy and a petition statement. The petition duration is 5
> business days. The ARIN President determines if the petition succeeds.
> Success is support from at least 10 different people from 10 different
> organizations.
>
This seems reasonable to me.

> 4. Board of Trustees Consideration Petition. [10 days, maximum]
>
> If any member of the community is dissatisfied with the AC action on a
> draft policy they can initiate a Board of Trustees Consideration
> Petition to move this particular draft policy for consideration by the
> Board of Trustees. Anyone may initiate the petition on the PPML  
> (within
> 5 business days of the publication of the AC's decision or after the  
> end
> of the process time limit for this step); the petition must include  
> the
> draft policy and a petition statement. The petition duration is 5
> business days. The ARIN President determines if the petition succeeds.
> Success is support from at least 10 different people from 10 different
> organizations.

At this level, I can accept 10, but, I think that it might be worth
considering a longer timeframe and a somewhat higher threshold.
Perhaps a 15 business day consideration period with a requirement
for 15 or 20 people from not less than 10 different organizations.

Owen