BILL REQ. #:  H-0442.5 

Read first time 02/02/2007.   Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

     AN ACT Relating to security guard training; amending RCW 18.170.010; adding a new section to chapter 18.170 RCW; and repealing RCW 18.170.100.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 18.170.010 and 2004 c 50 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     (1) "Armed private security guard" means a private security guard who has a current firearms certificate issued by the commission and is licensed as an armed private security guard under this chapter.
     (2) "Armored vehicle guard" means a person who transports in an armored vehicle under armed guard, from one place to another place, valuables, jewelry, currency, documents, or any other item that requires secure delivery.
     (3) "Burglar alarm response runner" means a person employed by a private security company to respond to burglar alarm system signals.
     (4) "Burglar alarm system" means a device or an assembly of equipment and devices used to detect or signal unauthorized intrusion, movement, or exit at a protected premises, other than in a vehicle, to which police or private security guards are expected to respond.
     (5) "Chief law enforcement officer" means the elected or appointed police administrator of a municipal, county, or state police or sheriff's department that has full law enforcement powers in its jurisdiction.
     (6) "Classroom instruction" means instruction or training that takes place in a setting where individuals receiving training are assembled together and learn through lectures, study papers, class discussion, textbook study, or other means of organized formal education techniques, such as video, closed circuit, or other forms of electronic means, and as distinguished from on-the-job education or training.
     (7) "Commission" means the criminal justice training commission established in chapter 43.101 RCW.
     (8) "Department" means the department of licensing.
     (9) "Department-certified trainer" includes any person who has been approved by the department by receiving a passing score on a department-administered examination, to administer, test, or certify training requirements have been met.
     (10) "Director" means the director of the department of licensing.
     (((10))) (11) "Employer" includes any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association, company, society, manager, contractor, subcontractor, bureau, agency, service, office, or an agent of any of the foregoing that employs or seeks to enter into an arrangement to employ any person as a private security guard.
     (((11))) (12) "Firearms certificate" means the certificate issued by the commission.
     (((12))) (13) "Initial postassignment training" means eight hours of training that occurs consistent with section 2 of this act in either an assisted field environment or in a classroom instruction setting, or both.
     (14) "Instruction" means the preassignment or postassignment training that takes place in either an on-the-job or classroom setting, or other means of formal education techniques, such as video, closed circuit, internet, or other forms of electronic means.
     (15) "Licensee" means a person granted a license required by this chapter.
     (((13))) (16) "Person" includes any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association, company, society, manager, contractor, subcontractor, bureau, agency, service, office, or an agent or employee of any of the foregoing.
     (((14))) (17) "Postassignment or on-the-job training" means training that occurs in either an assisted field environment or in a classroom instruction setting, or both. Postassignment or on-the-job training must be in the topic areas established by the director and may occur in a classroom instruction setting, in the field, or a combination of the two. A department-certified trainer need not report postassignment or on-the-job training. However, a department-certified trainer must attest in writing that the training occurred.
     (((15))) (18) "Postassignment refresher training" means four hours of annual refresher training that occurs each year following the last required date the postassignment training requirement occurred under section 2 of this act.
     (19) "Preassignment training" means ((the classroom training completed prior to being assigned to work independently)) a total of eight hours of preassignment training, comprised of four hours of classroom instruction, and an additional four hours of either classroom instruction or on-the-job training.
     (((16))) (20) "Principal corporate officer" means the president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, comptroller, or any other person who performs the same functions for the corporation as performed by these officers.
     (((17))) (21) "Private security company" means a person or entity licensed under this chapter and engaged in the business of providing the services of private security guards on a contractual basis.
     (((18))) (22) "Private security guard" means an individual who is licensed under this chapter and principally employed as or typically referred to as one of the following:
     (a) Security officer or guard;
     (b) Patrol or merchant patrol service officer or guard;
     (c) Armed escort or bodyguard;
     (d) Armored vehicle guard;
     (e) Burglar alarm response runner; or
     (f) Crowd control officer or guard.
     (((19))) (23) "Qualifying agent" means an officer or manager of a corporation who meets the requirements set forth in this chapter for obtaining a license to own or operate a private security company.
     (((20))) (24) "Sworn peace officer" means a person who is an employee of the federal government, the state, a political subdivision, agency, or department branch of a municipality, or other unit of local government, and has law enforcement powers.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 18.170 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) To promote the safety of persons and the security of property, the director shall meet with interested parties to develop lists of suggested preassignment, postassignment, and postassignment refresher training by rule.
     (2) All security guards licensed on or after July 1, 2005, must complete at least eight hours of preassignment training.
     (3)(a) All security guards must complete at least eight hours of initial postassignment training that shall be administered to each security guard by their company and attested to by a department-certified trainer.
     (b) Security guards licensed between January 1st and June 30th of any calendar year may receive eight hours of postassignment training any time between the day following the issuance of a temporary security guard registration card by the department with their company and June 30th of the year following initial issuance of their license.
     (c) Security guards initially licensed between July 1st and December 31st of any calendar year may receive eight hours of postassignment training at any time between the day following the issuance of a temporary security guard registration card by the department with their company and December 31st of the year following initial issuance of their security guard license.
     (4) Following completion of the preassignment and postassignment training, at least four total hours of annual postassignment refresher training shall be administered to security guards each subsequent year. The subsequent year begins, for postassignment refresher training purposes, the day following the last date the security guard is required to receive the initial eight hours of postassignment training, and meets the following requirements:
     (a) No more than one hour per year of postassignment refresher training may focus directly on customer service related skills or topics.
     (b) Consistent with subsection (1) of this section, the remaining three hours per year of postassignment refresher training must focus on emergency response concepts, skills, or topics including but not limited to knowledge of site post orders or life safety.
     (5) A company may waive the eight hours of initial postassignment training for security guards already licensed who transfer from another company, if the security guard presents appropriate training records signed by a department-certified trainer from the previous company, or a signed affidavit that the individual has already completed the required postassignment training provided by his or her previous company or if the individual has been a sworn law enforcement officer within the past five years and successfully passes the examination typically administered by the department to applicants at the conclusion of preassignment training.
     (6) The director shall require companies to maintain records regarding the training hours completed by each employee. All such records are subject to inspection by the department. The training requirements and test results must be recorded and attested to as appropriate by a certified trainer. Training records must contain a description of the topics covered, the name and signature of the trainer, and the name and signature of the security guard.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   RCW 18.170.100 (Training and testing requirements) and 2004 c 50 s 2, 1995 c 277 s 7, & 1991 c 334 s 10 are each repealed.