HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 6605

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

As Reported by House Committee On:

Consumer Protection & Business

Appropriations

Title: An act relating to annual licensure of security guards.

Brief Description: Licensing security guards.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce (originally sponsored by Senators Holy and Pedersen).

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Consumer Protection & Business: 2/25/20, 2/26/20 [DPA];

Appropriations: 2/29/20 [DPA(CPB)].

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

(As Amended by Committee)

  • Requires the Department of Licensing to conduct an investigation on license renewals for private security guards, armed private security guards, and private security companies.

  • Requires the license fee for an armed private security guard to be itemized on the application and renewal form.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION & BUSINESS

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 13 members: Representatives Kirby, Chair; Vick, Ranking Minority Member; Hoff, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Barkis, Blake, Duerr, Dufault, Johnson, J., Ryu, Santos, Volz, Walen and Ybarra.

Staff: Serena Dolly (786-7150).

Background:

The Department of Licensing (DOL) licenses and regulates security guards, including private security guards, armed private security guards, and private security companies.

To obtain a private security guard license, an applicant must meet the following minimum requirements:

To obtain an armed private security guard license, an applicant must meet the following minimum requirements:

In addition to meeting the minimum requirements to obtain a license as a private security guard, an applicant or qualifying agent must meet the following requirements to obtain a license to own or operate a private security company:

After receiving a license application for a private security guard, armed private security guard, or private security company, the Director must conduct an investigation that includes a national criminal history records check for the applicant and a request for comments from the chief law enforcement officer of the city or county where the employer is located.

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Summary of Amended Bill:

The Director must conduct an investigation of each applicant, including a national criminal history records check, at each license renewal. The license fee for an armed private security guard license must be clearly itemized on each application and renewal form.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:

The amended bill changes the effective date to January 1, 2021.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect January 1, 2021.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The state has nearly 10,000 security guards. Some private security guards carry firearms. Criminal background checks for security guards are conducted at initial licensing but not at renewal. This does not account for any bad actions after a security guard is licensed. Until recently, private security companies believed that guards were undergoing background checks with the annual license renewals. One company conducted background checks of its 260 employees and found some serious issues, including one guard with a conviction for child rape. Another company did not learn of a security guard's criminal history until he missed work due to his arraignment. This bill requires security guards to pay for an annual background check. Background checks only cost $10. There is some interest in cleaning up the private security guard statutes and limiting the types of uniforms private security guards can wear. Security guards are not interested in law enforcement, only deterrence, and it is helpful if the uniforms look like police officers from a distance. This bill should be passed without amendment so it does not have to go through the concurrence process.

(Opposed) None.

(Other) The DOL would like the effective date of the bill to be changed so it does not interfere with current licensing system upgrades. The Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) currently issues firearms certificates to armed security guards. Applicants must apply first to the DOL and then to the CJTC, where a separate fee is charged. The CJTC is a training agency, not a licensing agency, and the DOL should be responsible for the certificates.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Senator Holy, prime sponsor; and Jeff Kirby, Bill Cottringer, and Michael Moran, Washington State Security Council.

(Other) Beau Perschbacher, Department of Licensing; and Derek Zable, Criminal Justice Training Commission.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: Do pass as amended by Committee on Consumer Protection & Business. Signed by 31 members: Representatives Ormsby, Chair; Robinson, 1st Vice Chair; Bergquist, 2nd Vice Chair; Stokesbary, Ranking Minority Member; Rude, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Caldier, Chandler, Chopp, Cody, Corry, Dolan, Dye, Fitzgibbon, Hansen, Hoff, Hudgins, Kilduff, Kraft, Macri, Mosbrucker, Pettigrew, Ryu, Schmick, Senn, Springer, Steele, Sullivan, Sutherland, Tarleton, Tharinger and Ybarra.

Staff: Michael Hirsch (786-7157).

Summary of Recommendation of Committee On Appropriations Compared to Recommendation of Committee On Consumer Protection & Business:

No new changes were recommended.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date of Amended Bill: The bill takes effect on January 1, 2021.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) The bill is a great bill.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Michael Moran, Washington State Security Council.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.