FINAL BILL REPORT

SHB 1944

C 255 L 17

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Exempting certain law enforcement officers from the hunter education training program.

Sponsors: House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Condotta and Hayes).

House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks

Background:

Hunter Education.

All individuals born after January 1, 1972, must show proof of completion of a hunter education course before purchasing a hunting license for the first time. The course must include at least 10 hours of instruction covering firearms and outdoor safety, hunter responsibility, and wildlife management. To receive proof of completion, a person must pass an exam, either in a classroom setting or online, and demonstrate safe firearms handling skills in the field. Members of the United States military who complete the online hunter education course are exempt from the field firearms skills portion.

Law Enforcement Officers.

Law enforcement officers in Washington are either general authority Washington peace officers (general authority officers), limited authority Washington peace officers (limited authority officers), or specially commissioned Washington peace officers (specially commissioned officers).

General authority officers are full-time and fully compensated and are an elected, appointed, or an employed officer of a general authority Washington law enforcement agency who may enforce any traffic or criminal law of the state throughout the state. General authority law enforcement agencies include the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Limited authority officers are full-time and fully compensated officers of a law enforcement agency that has, as one of its functions, the enforcement of traffic or specific criminal laws relating to limited subject areas or within specific geographic boundaries. Limited authority law enforcement agencies include the departments of Natural Resources, Social and Health Services, and Corrections, and the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Specially commissioned officers are commissioned by a general authority law enforcement agency, but do not qualify as either a general or limited authority law enforcement officer. Specially commissioned law enforcement officers include full-time, fully compensated peace officers duly commissioned by the states of Oregon or Idaho or a unit of local government of Oregon or Idaho.

A "peace officer" means any law enforcement personnel subject to basic law enforcement training under the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC). Commissioned officers of the WSP and Department of Fish and Wildlife officers are considered peace officers.

Law Enforcement Officer Training Requirements.

The CJTC provides basic law enforcement training, corrections training, and educational programs for criminal justice personnel, including commissioned law enforcement officers. Basic law enforcement officer training is generally required of all law enforcement officers, with the exception of volunteers, and reserve officers employed in Washington. The training consists of a 720-hour program covering a wide variety of subjects including: constitutional and criminal law and procedures, criminal investigation, firearms training, and communication and writing skills. All law enforcement personnel hired, transferred, or promoted, are required to complete the core training requirements within six months, unless the employee receives a waiver from the CJTC.

Tribal governments may voluntarily request certification for their police officers. Tribal governments requesting certification for their police officers must enter into a written agreement with the CJTC. The agreement must require the tribal law enforcement agency and its officers to comply with all of the requirements for granting, denying, and revoking certification as those requirements are applied to other certified peace officers.

Summary:

The following current or retired law enforcement officers are exempt from the field firearms skills portion of any hunter education course completed online:

• general authority officers;

• limited authority and specially commissioned officers authorized to carry a concealed pistol by his or her employer or commissioning agency; and

• Washington peace officers and tribal peace officers who have achieved peace officer certification or tribal police officer certification. Peace officer certification must be in good standing or must not have been revoked.

Retired officers must have been authorized to carry a concealed pistol by their employer or commissioning agency during their time of service.

Votes on Final Passage: