BILL REQ. #:  H-1307.1 

     AN ACT Relating to providing training for park rangers employed by the state parks and recreation commission; and amending RCW 79A.05.160.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 79A.05.160 and 1965 c 8 s 43.51.170 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The members of the state parks and recreation commission and such of its employees as the commission may designate shall be vested with police powers to enforce the laws of this state.
     (2) An applicant for a park ranger position must be a citizen of the United States of America who can read and write the English language. All park rangers hired after the effective date of this section must successfully complete the basic law enforcement academy course, known as the basic course, sponsored by the criminal justice training commission, or the basic law enforcement equivalency certification, known as the equivalency course, provided by the criminal justice training commission. The criminal justice training commission may charge the state parks and recreation commission for the costs of providing this training.
     (3) Park rangers are peace officers. However, nothing in this section or RCW 10.93.020 confers membership to such officers in the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system under chapter 41.26 RCW.