SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 2657

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Commerce & Trade, February 25, 2004

Title: An act relating to security guards.

Brief Description: Modifying training requirements for security guards.

Sponsors: House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by Representatives Morrell and McDonald).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Commerce & Trade: 2/25/04 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Honeyford, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Franklin, Keiser and Mulliken.

Staff: John Dziedzic (786-7784)

Background: A person must be licensed by the Department of Licensing (DOL) in order to provide security guard services or to be employed in this capacity by a private security company that supplies these services to others. The licensing requirement does not apply to police officers while they are performing official duties or other authorized functions.

To obtain a security guard license, an applicant must meet certain minimum age and other qualifications (including a background investigation), be employed by or have an offer of employment from a licensed private security company, and have successfully completed at least four hours of training. The content of such training is established by rule. DOL also has the authority to establish continuing education requirements for security guards.

Summary of Amended Bill: Effective July 1, 2005, the pre-assignment training requirement is increased from four to eight hours, at least four hours of which must be classroom instruction. This training must be reported to DOL by a DOL-certified trainer. Recently retired law enforcement officers are exempt from this requirement upon passage of a test.

Also effective July 1, 2005, a post-assignment training requirement is established, which may be met through either classroom instruction or on-the-job training. This requirement must be completed during the first year after the law goes into effect or the licensee is granted a license, and attested to by a DOL-certified trainer. The amount of required post-assignment training for new licensees is initially set at eight hours, and increases by one hour each year until the training requirement reaches 15 hours in 2012. A new licensee must complete the training requirement in excess of eight hours within the first 18 months after receiving a license.

DOL may negotiate reciprocity agreements with other states that license security guards.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: A provision is added exempting recently retired police officers from the pre-assignment training requirement.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

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

Testimony For: Increasing the training requirements for new licensees is good public policy, and helps to assure the public that security guards are well qualified.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Representative Dawn Morrell, prime sponsor; Michael Transue, Pierce County Security Services.