The Washington State Legislative Task Force on Social Equity in Cannabis (WA SECTF) was established during the 2020 legislative session as part of HB 2870 and expanded in 2021 through HB 1443. The purpose of the task force is to make recommendations to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) including but not limited to establishing a social equity program for the issuance and reissuance of existing retail marijuana licenses, and to advise the Governor and the Legislature on policies that would facilitate development of a marijuana social equity program. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House were responsible for appointing 20 members to the task force.
The WA SECTF creates work groups to assist with developing recommendations. The Disproportionately Impacted Communities Work Group (WA SECTF - Work Group - Disproportionately Impacted Communities) was established to develop recommendations to the WSLCB and the Washington State Department of Commerce to help those agencies refine eligibility and prioritization criteria for issuing future social equity retail cannabis licenses and grants.
