BILL REQ. #:  H-4105.2 

Read first time 01/17/2006.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.

     AN ACT Relating to a firearms training certificate program for retired law enforcement officers; and adding a new section to chapter 43.101 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 43.101 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The commission shall establish a program for issuing firearms certificates to residents of Washington who are qualified retired law enforcement officers for the purpose of satisfying the certification requirements contained in the federal law enforcement officers safety act of 2004 (118 Stat. 865; 18 U.S.C. Sec. 926B and 926C).
     (2) Firearms training for qualified retired law enforcement officers must meet the standards for training and qualification for active law enforcement officers to carry a firearm of the same type as the firearm to be carried by the qualified retired law enforcement officer.
     (3) Firearms training for qualified retired law enforcement officers must be provided by the commission, or by an organization, law enforcement agency, or trainer approved by the commission. The commission shall ensure that an applicant for a qualified retired law enforcement officer firearms training certificate is able to obtain the firearms training within a reasonable period of time after application either by establishing a firearms training program for qualified retired law enforcement officers or by approving a sufficient number of organizations, law enforcement agencies, or trainers to provide the firearms training.
     (4) An application for a qualified retired law enforcement officer firearms training certificate must be filed with the commission on a form provided by the commission. The commission may require any information and documentation that reasonably relates to the need to determine whether the applicant qualifies for the firearms training certificate. An applicant for a qualified retired law enforcement officer firearms training certificate must meet the requirements established in the federal law enforcement officers safety act of 2004 and must be eligible under state law to possess a firearm.
     (5) An applicant for a qualified retired law enforcement officer firearms training certificate is responsible for paying the costs of the firearms training. The commission shall adopt rules establishing the fees, training requirements, and procedures for obtaining and annually renewing the firearms training certificate, and other rules that are reasonable and necessary for the effective implementation and administration of this section. The fee charged by the commission shall cover the costs of administering the firearms training certificate program, but in no case shall the fee exceed thirty-five dollars.
     (6) For the purposes of this section, "qualified retired law enforcement officer" means a person who retired in good standing from service with a public agency as a law enforcement officer, for reasons other than mental or stress-related disabilities.