SENATE BILL REPORT

                  SHB 1757

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

                Commerce & Labor, April 3, 1997

Title:  An act relating to security guard licenses.

Brief Description:  Revising security guard licensing and requirements.

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

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Commerce & Labor:  4/3/97 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Schow, Chair; Horn, Vice Chair; Anderson, Franklin, Fraser, Heavey and Newhouse.

Staff:  Aurora Almeda (786-7488)

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:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  Exempting crowd management operators and private security guards from security licensing will put public safety at risk.  These individuals do not perform official duties of licensed security guards.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO: Rep. Delvin; Gil Zimmerman, Bill Cottringer, Paul Dockendorff, WA State Security Council; James J. Deloretto, Starplex Crowd Management Services.