HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 1757

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to security guard licenses.

Brief Description:  Revising security guard licensing and requirements.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by  Representatives Delvin, Sterk, Zellinsky and Hickel).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Commerce & Labor:  3/3/97, 3/5/97 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  3/13/97, 96‑0.

Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 9 members:  Representatives McMorris, Chairman; Honeyford, Vice Chairman; Conway, Ranking Minority Member; Wood, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Boldt; Clements; Cole; Hatfield and Lisk.

Staff:  Selwyn Walters (786-7117).

Background:  The Department of Licensing regulates private security guards and private security guard businesses. A private security guard is an individual licensed under the security guard licensing law and employed as a security officer or guard, merchant patrol officer or guard, armed escort or bodyguard, armored vehicle guard, burglar alarm response runner, or crowd control officer.

The security guard licensing law exempts persons who perform security guard duties for a private employer who is not in the private security guard business and peace officers performing their official duties or engaged in off-duty employment as security guards.

Summary of Bill:  Guest services or crowd management employees who do not perform security officer duties are exempt from the security guard licensing requirements.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  (Substitute) All provisions of the original bill was struck because they would not be in compliance with federal law on the use of electronic background checks for employment and licensing purposes.  Ushers, pages, ticket takers, and escorts do not perform security guard functions and it should be made clear the security guard licensing law does not apply to them.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Jerome Delvin, prime sponsor.