Back by popular demand! Jumpstart your WSPC experience by engaging with state associations and member lobbyists on the issues facing our industry across the country. Join roundtable discussions covering strategies for success and message-tested responses for hot-topic issues you may encounter during next year’s legislative session.
2024 Winter State Policy Conference
2024 Winter State Policy Conference
WSWA’s Winter State Policy Conference Returns December 4-6 at The Driskill in Austin, Texas
Join us for this can’t miss event as our industry’s premier thought leaders gather to discuss the political, legislative, and legal issues facing America’s family-owned wholesalers.
Please note: All times listed on the agenda below are in Central.
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Registration is Open!
Who should attend? WSWA wholesaler members, state association leadership, government affairs consultants, and regulatory staff are encouraged to attend.
Attendees
Member Registration Rate: $725
Spouse Registration Rate: $375
Hotel Room Rate (per night): $239 + taxes per night
Please note you will be prompted to reserve your hotel accommodations in our room block when you register for this meeting. The hotel room deadline is November 12.
Conference Speakers
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Mary Clarke
Assistant General Counsel, Vice President, Legal & Regulatory, WSWA
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Francis Creighton
President & CEO, WSWA
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Jake Hegeman
General Counsel, Senior Vice President, Legal & Regulatory, WSWA
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Dawson Hobbs
Executive Vice President, Government Affairs, WSWA
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Lester Jones
Vice President, Analytics and Chief Economist, NBWA
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Colin Phillips
Manager, State Affairs, WSWA
Agenda
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
State Association Roundtables
Reception & Dinner
Lamberts | 401 West 2nd Street
Thursday, December 5, 2024
Breakfast
Welcome & Introductions
The Hemp Landscape: An Update on Lawsuits, Litigation and Legislation
You can’t put the genie back in the bottle, and without comprehensive federal regulation each state is taking a different approach to regulate and control hemp derived products within their borders. Hear from and a panel of your peers as they discuss recent changes to the hemp industry, positions and approaches different states are taking to regulate, and anticipated legislation and industry changes in 2025.
Speakers:
Mary Clarke, Assistant General Counsel, Vice President of Legal and Regulatory, WSWA
Audrey Ramsden, Manager, State Affairs, WSWA
Charles George, Executive Director, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Kentucky
Jeff Warsh, Executive Director, New Jersey Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Association
Advocacy in Action: Successful Strategies to Combat Tax Hikes
As state budgets look to fill shortfalls, “sin products” are a seemingly easy target. Explore the strategies that Nebraska and Oregon found successful this past year in defeating efforts to raise taxes and how WSWA’s grassroots advocacy platform – Project 21- helped elevate the narrative. Hear from WSWA’s Colin Phillips who will lay the foundation for a panel discussion with the boots-on-the-ground in these states. Open forum to follow.
Speakers:
- Colin Phillips, Manager, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America
- Chris Curtin, Director of Regulatory Affairs, RNDC
- John Thompson, New Mexico Beverage Wholesalers
- Danelle Romain, Executive Director, Lobbyist, Oregon Beer & Wine Distributors Association
Lunch
Know the Law: Updates and Challenges Facing Our Industry
The latin phrase "ignorantia juris non excusat" means "ignorance of the law excuses not", so you might as well learn it. During this session, Legal and Regulatory team will bring you up to speed on the status of the lawsuits facing our industry, relating to interstate retail shipping, self-distribution, and hemp litigation. They will discuss policies and guidelines relating to Enhanced Producer Responsibility legislation, and advance a new theory focused on B2C e-commerce. They will also provide an update on select federal rules and regulations that affect the industry.
Speakers:
Jake Hegeman, General Counsel, Senior Vice President of Legal and Regulatory, WSWA
Mary Clarke, Assistant General Counsel, Vice President of Legal and Regulatory, WSWA
Navigating Regulatory Insights at the Federal Level
A new administration and a new Congress brings inevitable changes to Washington, DC. WSWA’s EVP, Government Affairs Dawson Hobbs will walk attendees through what these changes mean for our industry and how WSWA is working to advance wholesaler interests on Capitol Hill. Learn how WSWA is tackling major issues like Dietary Guidelines and anti-alcohol sentiment, comprehensive federal cannabis and hemp regulation, tariffs, the Section 199A Qualified Business Income Tax Deduction, and more.
Speaker:
Dawson Hobbs, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, WSWA
Reception & Dinner
Pelons Tex Mex | 802 Red River Street
Friday, December 6, 2024
Breakfast
Industry and Economic Update with Lester Jones
National Beer Wholesalers Association Chief Economist Lester Jones will examine where the alcohol beverage industry has been and where it is headed following a wild roller coaster ride from the pandemic to present. He will present on a wide variety of data and insights that explain how consumers, retailers, suppliers, and policy makers view the industry. He will present insights from a unique economic perspective on the market and demographic factors shaping the alcohol industry in 2024 and beyond.
Communications Workshop
Join us for an essential session to kickstart your advocacy efforts for 2025! This workshop offers a first look at powerful new resources and insights into the evolving communications landscape, including the opposition's likely strategies. In just one hour, we’ll cover:
- Unveiling new educational tools to bolster support for the three-tier system.
- Shaping the look, feel, and topics of a fresh advocacy video library.
- The impact of New York’s DTC shipping decision on our messaging and potential repercussions for other states.
- Opposition messaging and likely plays.
Don’t miss this crucial opportunity to refine your legislative messaging toolkit!