diff --git a/__tests__/proposals-authz.test.ts b/__tests__/proposals-authz.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37e9898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/proposals-authz.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest'
+
+/**
+ * Authorization tests for governance proposal actions.
+ *
+ * `require_approval` spaces keep a freshly-joined member at status
+ * 'unverified' until an admin approves them. requireMember admits
+ * 'unverified' (it's an ACTIVE_STATUS), so the proposal actions must add the
+ * privilege-eligible gate themselves — otherwise a pending member could
+ * create and vote on proposals. These tests drive the real actions through a
+ * recording mock Supabase client and assert the gate blocks 'unverified'
+ * while a 'current' member is allowed.
+ */
+
+// ─── Recording mock Supabase client (mirrors __tests__/actions.test.ts) ──────
+type QueueItem = { data?: unknown; error?: unknown }
+
+function makeClient(opts: { user?: { id: string; email?: string } | null; queue?: QueueItem[] }) {
+  const calls: Array<{ method: string; args: unknown[] }> = []
+  const queue = [...(opts.queue ?? [])]
+  const next = (): QueueItem => (queue.length ? queue.shift()! : { data: null, error: null })
+
+  const builder: Record<string, unknown> = new Proxy(
+    {},
+    {
+      get(_t, prop: string) {
+        if (prop === 'then') {
+          return (resolve: (v: QueueItem) => void) => resolve(next())
+        }
+        if (prop === 'single' || prop === 'maybeSingle') {
+          return (...args: unknown[]) => {
+            calls.push({ method: prop, args })
+            return Promise.resolve(next())
+          }
+        }
+        return (...args: unknown[]) => {
+          calls.push({ method: prop, args })
+          return builder
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  )
+
+  const client = {
+    auth: {
+      getUser: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve({ data: { user: opts.user ?? null } })),
+    },
+    from: (...args: unknown[]) => {
+      calls.push({ method: 'from', args })
+      return builder
+    },
+    _calls: calls,
+  }
+  return client
+}
+
+let currentClient: ReturnType<typeof makeClient>
+
+vi.mock('@/lib/supabase/server', () => ({
+  createClient: () => Promise.resolve(currentClient),
+}))
+vi.mock('@/lib/supabase/admin', () => ({
+  createAdminClient: () => makeClient({ user: null, queue: [] }),
+}))
+vi.mock('next/cache', () => ({ revalidatePath: vi.fn() }))
+
+import { createProposal, castVote } from '@/lib/actions/proposals'
+
+const UUID = '11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555'
+const user = { id: 'user-A', email: 'a@example.com' }
+const memberRow = (status: string, space_id = 'space-A') => ({
+  id: 'member-A',
+  space_id,
+  user_id: user.id,
+  role: 'member',
+  status,
+  display_name: 'Pat Member',
+  handle: 'pat',
+})
+
+/** True if any recorded insert/upsert wrote to the given table. */
+const wroteTo = (c: ReturnType<typeof makeClient>, table: string) =>
+  c._calls.some(x => x.method === 'from' && x.args[0] === table)
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  vi.clearAllMocks()
+})
+
+describe('proposal actions block unverified (pending-approval) members', () => {
+  it('rejects an unverified member from createProposal and performs no insert', async () => {
+    currentClient = makeClient({ user, queue: [{ data: memberRow('unverified') }] })
+    const res = await createProposal({ title: 'Buy a new laser' })
+    expect(res).toHaveProperty('error')
+    expect((res as { error: string }).error).toMatch(/pending approval/i)
+    // No proposals row was inserted.
+    expect(currentClient._calls.some(x => x.method === 'insert')).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('rejects an unverified member from castVote and casts no vote', async () => {
+    currentClient = makeClient({ user, queue: [{ data: memberRow('unverified') }] })
+    const res = await castVote({ proposalId: UUID, position: 'yes' })
+    expect(res).toHaveProperty('error')
+    expect((res as { error: string }).error).toMatch(/pending approval/i)
+    // The gate fires before the proposal lookup / upsert, so nothing is written.
+    expect(wroteTo(currentClient, 'proposal_votes')).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('allows a current member to createProposal', async () => {
+    currentClient = makeClient({
+      user,
+      queue: [
+        { data: memberRow('current') }, // requireMember
+        { data: { id: 'prop-1', title: 'Buy a new laser' } }, // insert().select().single()
+        { error: null }, // activity_log insert
+      ],
+    })
+    const res = await createProposal({ title: 'Buy a new laser' })
+    expect(res).not.toHaveProperty('error')
+    expect(wroteTo(currentClient, 'proposals')).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('allows a current member to castVote', async () => {
+    currentClient = makeClient({
+      user,
+      queue: [
+        { data: memberRow('current') }, // requireMember
+        { data: { id: UUID, status: 'open' } }, // proposal lookup maybeSingle
+        { error: null }, // proposal_votes upsert
+        { error: null }, // activity_log insert
+      ],
+    })
+    const res = await castVote({ proposalId: UUID, position: 'yes' })
+    expect(res).not.toHaveProperty('error')
+    expect(wroteTo(currentClient, 'proposal_votes')).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/lib/actions/proposals.ts b/lib/actions/proposals.ts
index 3956736..e8d14f4 100644
--- a/lib/actions/proposals.ts
+++ b/lib/actions/proposals.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import {
   logActivity,
   parseInput,
 } from '@/lib/auth-helpers'
-import { ADMIN_ROLES } from '@/lib/permissions'
+import { ADMIN_ROLES, isPrivilegeEligible } from '@/lib/permissions'
 import {
   createProposalSchema,
   openProposalSchema,
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ export async function createProposal(formData: {
   const auth = await requireMember(supabase)
   if (!auth.ok) return { error: auth.error }
   const { member } = auth
+  // require_approval gate: an 'unverified' member (pending admin approval)
+  // must not create or participate in governance. Mirrors requireMemberWithRole.
+  if (!isPrivilegeEligible(member.status)) {
+    return { error: 'Your membership is pending approval.' }
+  }
 
   const status = v.data.open_immediately ? 'open' : 'draft'
 
@@ -83,6 +88,11 @@ export async function openProposal(proposalId: string, voting_closes_at?: string
   const auth = await requireMember(supabase)
   if (!auth.ok) return { error: auth.error }
   const { member } = auth
+  // require_approval gate: an 'unverified' member (pending admin approval)
+  // must not create or participate in governance. Mirrors requireMemberWithRole.
+  if (!isPrivilegeEligible(member.status)) {
+    return { error: 'Your membership is pending approval.' }
+  }
 
   const updates: Record<string, unknown> = { status: 'open' }
   if (v.data.voting_closes_at) updates.voting_closes_at = v.data.voting_closes_at
@@ -115,6 +125,11 @@ export async function withdrawProposal(proposalId: string) {
   const auth = await requireMember(supabase)
   if (!auth.ok) return { error: auth.error }
   const { member } = auth
+  // require_approval gate: an 'unverified' member (pending admin approval)
+  // must not create or participate in governance. Mirrors requireMemberWithRole.
+  if (!isPrivilegeEligible(member.status)) {
+    return { error: 'Your membership is pending approval.' }
+  }
 
   const { error } = await supabase
     .from('proposals')
@@ -150,6 +165,11 @@ export async function castVote(formData: {
   const auth = await requireMember(supabase)
   if (!auth.ok) return { error: auth.error }
   const { member } = auth
+  // require_approval gate: an 'unverified' member (pending admin approval)
+  // must not create or participate in governance. Mirrors requireMemberWithRole.
+  if (!isPrivilegeEligible(member.status)) {
+    return { error: 'Your membership is pending approval.' }
+  }
 
   // Defense in depth: the votes RLS policies already enforce same-space,
   // open status and the voting window, but this is a sensitive mutation, so