Crystal Leatherman, Washington Retail Association’s (WR) Director of Policy and Government Affairs, traveled to Chicago this summer for the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit, representing Washington retailers at the country’s largest bipartisan gathering of state policymakers.
NCSL brings together legislators and legislative staff from all 50 states and U.S. territories for several days of policy sessions, idea-swapping, and cross-state collaboration. The Summit reaches well beyond elected officials, too, drawing organizations and companies from a wide range of industries. With more than 100 breakout sessions and a full expo hall, there’s no shortage of ideas to explore or people to meet.
Washington was well represented, with lawmakers from both chambers and both parties making the trip. For WR, it was valuable time to connect with legislators and retail members alike, and to take the pulse of the issues likely to shape the following year for our state and our industry.
