It sounds like we're about ready for going into the final Hard Freeze, so I'd like to propose we do so in 12 hours from now: 11pm PST 2/4.
During the Hard Freeze, no changes to CVS should be made without review and approval. Work should be limited to critical bug fixes, packaging, and release-related activity only.
I think it was effective to have a pair of reviewer/approvers to keep an eye on the codebase for the hard freeze period in the 0.40 release. Last time, mental and bulia performed this function. For this release, I'd like to ask bulia and kees to perform this function. I know mental has been extremely busy with work, so I suspect he'd like to conserve what Inkscape time he has for finishing up his own work. Kees has been extremely active in bug fixing this release, so I think he'd be an excellent person for this role. (Maybe we can make this a rotating position for future releases.)
Bryce