Title: An act relating to persons who perform crowd management or guest services.

Brief Description: Regarding persons who perform crowd management or guest services.

Sponsors: Senators Delvin, Zarelli and McCaslin.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce, Research & Development: 2/27/07 [DP].

Passed Senate: 3/13/07, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Keiser, Vice Chair; Clements, Ranking Minority Member; Franklin, Hewitt, Holmquist, Murray and Prentice.

Staff: Sherry McNamara (786-7402)

Background: A private security guard is an individual who is licensed and principally employed as a security officer or guard, patrol guard, armed escort, armored vehicle guard, burglar response runner, or crowd control officer or guard.

The following persons are exempt from security guard licensing: a person who is employed exclusively or regularly by one employer and performs the duties of a private security guard; a sworn peace officer while engaged in the performance of the officer's official duties; and a sworn peace officer while employed to engage in off-duty employment as a private security guard.

Last session, the Legislature added guest services or crowd management employees who do not perform the duties of a private security guard to the list of those who are exempt from security guard licensing.

Summary of Bill: Primary responsibility is added to the definitions to mean an activity that is fundamental to, and required or expected in, the regular course of employment and is not merely incidental to employment.

Under the exemptions for security guard licensing, a person performing crowd management or guest services includes, but is not limited to, a person described as a ticket taker, usher, door attendant, parking attendant, crowd monitor, or event staff who:

• does not carry a firearm or other dangerous weapon;
• does not wear a uniform; and
• does not have as his or her primary responsibility, the detainment of persons or placement of persons under arrest.

The bill requires that this exemption only apply when a crowd has assembled for the purpose of attending or taking part in an organized event, including pre-event assembly, event operation hours, and post-event departure activities.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: PRO: This bill is modeled after Oregon's law. There is confusion regarding who and what crowd management services is and does. Crowd management personnel do not perform security guard functions. There are maybe twenty companies that provide crowd management services nationwide. The crowd management industry is vastly different than the security guard industry; crowd management is not security. Crowd management is a process that begins with studying the crowds' behavior and establishing procedures before the crowd arrives and doesn't end until after the last guest has left. Crowd management staff assist guests, provide information, announce rules and regulations, address safety procedures, and serve as a safeguard for the attendees of the event. When an event ends, we assist with exiting the venue and directing vehicles from the parking lots.

OTHER: No problems with this bill; however, there are some problems with the existing law.

Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Delvin, prime sponsor; Jimmie DeLoretto, Starplex Crowd Management Services.

OTHER: Mike Jaquish, Washington State Security Council, Washington State Security Training Association – Security Training Services International; Michael Batnick, Washington State Security Council and Security Masters; Pat Brown, Department of Licensing.