The Washington CannaBusiness Association is a democratically run cannabis industry association led by its members and overseen by a board. Members elect board members to two-year terms – per bylaws, the board is comprised of three retail license-holders, three producer/processors, a licensed lab, associate member representative and founder Emeritus. The board and association are currently staffed by an executive director/contract lobbyist, associate lobbyist, public affairs and media relations professionals, as well as an executive administrator.

Individual board members are responsible for leading four working committees comprised of WACA members: Finance, Nominations/Membership, Bylaws and Events/Community Relations. In addition to overseeing the general business of the association, board members serve at the policy direction of WACA members.

Click here to learn more about our board members. Interested in our past advocacy? Here is our archive of legislative and regulatory agendas.

In pursuing a collaborative approach with lawmakers and regulators, WACA forms legislative and regulatory priorities via a democratic process with its members. This annual process is supported by WACA staff and overseen by the board. Here is how that process works:

Step 1: WACA members are formed into Councils to discuss potential regulatory and legislative areas of focus. Each license-type is represented by a Council: Retail, Lab, Producers and Processors. All members are automatically enrolled in a Council in accordance with their license-type.

Step 2: Each Council elevates priorities to be considered by the full WACA membership at the annual policy meeting.

Step 3: A representative of each Council presents its recommended priorities to the membership. Following discussion, the full membership votes on which priorities should be adopted into WACA’s legislative and regulatory agendas.

The cannabis industry often is confronted with emerging policy questions and policy crises that occur outside of the normal priority-setting process detailed above. When this happens, WACA staff work with the board to distribute surveys to the full WACA membership to gather information in real-time before taking a position. WACA bylaws require participation of 50 percent or more of its members in such surveys before taking an official position.

You may find WACA's bylaws here.

Want to learn more about WACA and how we advocate on behalf of the regulated cannabis industry in Washington State? Please reach out to us directly at [email protected].