How to Write a Resolution
Resolutions drive policy at the WSMA.
As a WSMA member, you can help guide the direction of the association and raise awareness of issues of importance to the practice of medicine in Washington by authoring a resolution—a proposal asking the WSMA to take a position or act on an issue. Resolutions, which are key policy drivers for the association, are considered for adoption at the Annual Meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates each fall.
Each resolution must be sponsored by two WSMA delegates and only delegates or a member of the WSMA board of trustees may submit resolutions. WSMA staff can help any WSMA member connect to a delegate or board member to advance their resolution idea.
First steps
Check for existing policy
Consult the WSMA Policy Compendium to make sure the subject isn’t already addressed in current WSMA policy. Alternately, you may seek to modify existing WSMA policy. If you’d like to advance a change in the governance and regulation of the WSMA, download and review the WSMA Bylaws for reference.
Check for health equity impact
Before submitting your policy proposal, use this equity evaluation tool to consistently assess the DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) impacts of potential new WSMA policy. The WSMA DEIB Committee evaluates resolutions before the House and will add a health equity note as appropriate.
Discuss with other WSMA members
Join WSMA’s virtual reference committee to hone your proposal and increase its chances for adoption. The virtual reference committee is password-protected and available year-round.
Finding sponsors and submitting your resolution
Once you’ve decided on a proposal, you must:
- Identify two sponsors for your resolution. Resolutions must be sponsored by at least two WSMA delegates, and must be submitted in writing by a delegate, alternate delegate, or member of the board of trustees. The WSMA will work with you to develop your resolution idea and find a sponsor. Contact us at hod@wsma.org or 206.441.9762 for assistance.
- Submit your resolution to the WSMA for review using the WSMA Resolution Submittal Form. The deadline for submitting resolutions for consideration by the 2026 House of Delegates is Aug. 27. Find more information on the online submission requirement here.
Submission complete—what’s next?
Upon receipt, WSMA staff will review the resolution for any legal or legislative concerns and will work with you to establish a fiscal note (the cost, if any, to implement the resolution if adopted). Your resolution may be submitted at any time during the year; however, if you’d like your resolution to be considered at the yearly meeting of the WSMA House of Delegates, be sure to meet the deadlines for resolution submission. For deadlines, check the meeting webpage or contact us at hod@wsma.org or 206.441.9762.
Once your resolution has been reviewed by WSMA staff, it will be posted online in our virtual reference committee.
Starting in 2026, the reference committees will use testimony submitted through the virtual reference committee to draft preliminary reports prior to the meeting. All WSMA members are encouraged to visit the virtual reference committee to review resolutions and provide testimony in the months prior to the meeting.
These preliminary reports will be presented during the live, in-person reference committee sessions on Sept. 26 at the meeting.
Delegates will still be able to pull items from the consent calendar for discussion, debate, and amendment during the in-person reference committee sessions.
Revised reference committee reports will then be considered by the full House on Sunday, Sept. 27 with the same opportunities for discussion and deliberation.
Reference committee members will consider all testimony, online and in person, as they prepare their reports containing recommendations for the House of Delegates on how to act on resolutions. These reports are distributed during the final House of Delegates session at the WSMA Annual Meeting prior to voting.
Video tutorials on resolutions, policymaking at the WSMA
The WSMA has created two videos to help delegates and members better understand how the WSMA House of Delegates works.
How the 2026 WSMA House of Delegates Is Improving the Delegate Experience – In our first 5-minute video, WSMA staff review new processes introduced this year that are designed to improve efficiency, accessibility, and delegate engagement. Updates include an online resolution submission tool, expanded use of the virtual reference committee, and revised deadlines that provide more time to review policy proposals before the annual meeting.
How Physician Ideas Become WSMA Policy – In our second, in-depth video, Speaker of the WSMA House of Delegates, Matthew Grierson, MD, walks through the policymaking process at the House of Delegates, from identifying an issue and developing a resolution to the virtual reference committee, testimony, amendments, reference committee recommendations, and final House consideration. Audio-only version: MP3 | Apple Podcasts | Spotify