SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6517

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Commerce & Trade, February 5, 2004

Title: An act relating to security guards.

Brief Description: Modifying training requirements for security guards.

Sponsors: Senators Horn and Kastama.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Commerce & Trade: 2/4/04, 2/5/04 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6517 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      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 Substitute Bill: 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.

A post-assignment training requirement is established. This requirement may be met through either classroom instruction or on-the-job training, and must be completed during the first year after the licensee is granted a license, and attested to by a DOL-certified trainer. The amount of required post-assignment training for a new licensee 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 these additional hours of training within the first 18 months after receiving a license.

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

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: The date on which the new pre-assignment training requirements become effective is changed to July 1, 2005. The schedule for phasing in additional post-assignment training is modified. An exemption from the pre-assignment training requirements for recently retired law enforcement officer is added.

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: Glen Weller, Pierce County Security; Jeff Kirby, WA State Security Council; Michael Transue, PCS, WSSC.