READ FIRST TIME 2/28/07.   

     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)) 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)) individual instruction.
     (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" means any person who has been approved by the department by receiving a passing score on a department-administered examination, to administer department-provided examinations and attest that training or testing 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) "Individual instruction" means training that takes place either on-the-job or through formal education techniques, such as video, closed circuit, internet, or other forms of electronic means, and as distinguished from classroom instruction.
     (14) "Licensee" means a person granted a license required by this chapter.
     (((13))) (15) "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) "Postassignment or on-the-job training" means training that occurs in either an assisted field environment or in a classroom instruction setting, or both.
     (15) "Preassignment training" means the classroom training completed prior to being assigned to work independently.))
     (16) "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) "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) "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) "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) "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, comprised of at least four hours of classroom instruction and an additional four hours of classroom instruction or individual instruction, or both. The preassignment training may be waived for any individual who was most recently employed full time as a sworn peace officer not more than five years prior to applying to become licensed as a private security guard and who passes the examination typically administered to applicants at the conclusion of the preassignment training.
     (3)(a) All security guards licensed on or after July 1, 2005, must complete at least eight hours of initial postassignment training that shall be administered to each security guard. The initial postassignment training must be in the topic areas established by the director and may be classroom instruction or individual instruction, or both. A company may waive the 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 initial postassignment training provided by his or her previous company.
     (b) Security guards who received their temporary security guard registration card on or before the effective date of this act must receive their initial postassignment training before June 30, 2008. Security guards who received their temporary security guard registration card after the effective date of this act must receive their initial postassignment training as specified in (c) and (d) of this subsection.
     (c) Security guards licensed between January 1st and June 30th of any calendar year may receive eight hours of initial postassignment training any time between the day following the issuance of a temporary security guard registration card with their company and June 30th of the year following initial issuance of their license by the department.
     (d) Security guards initially licensed between July 1st and December 31st of any calendar year may receive eight hours of initial postassignment training at any time between the day following the issuance of a temporary security guard registration card with their company and December 31st of the year following initial issuance of their license by the department.
     (4) Following completion of the preassignment and postassignment training, at least four total hours of annual refresher training shall be administered to security guards each subsequent year. The subsequent year begins, for refresher training purposes, the day following the last date the security guard is required to receive the eight hours of initial postassignment training. No more than one hour per year of annual refresher training may focus directly on customer service related skills or topics and the remaining three hours per year of annual 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) Companies must 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 by a department-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.