WASHINGTON: Big changes are coming to the state Liquor Control Board, including a name change.

The same law that will change the Liquor Control Board’s name July 24 to the “Liquor and Cannabis Board” also directed the agency to decide which unlicensed medical-marijuana shops and grow operations to legitimize by July 1, 2016.

The process will involve a merit system, the Olympian reported.

The agency assumes 825 unlicensed medical shops will apply for a license and half will receive one.

First dibs would go to people who have been in the medical-marijuana industry since before 2013, have paid their taxes and applied for one of the recreational licenses. Next up are applicants who didn’t apply for a recreational license but meet the other requirements. Everyone else falls into a third tier.