PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: To require aliens to provide proof of their alien firearms licenses when they submit original or renewal armed private investigator applications and to require that private investigator company principals maintain annual shooting requirements for armed private investigators in the private investigator company training files, or employee's files.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 18.165 RCW.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department needs to plug the gap in current law by passing a rule that will require aliens to produce their alien licenses when applying for their armed private investigator licenses. The department issues aliens armed private investigator licenses and by doing so it implies that the alien is legal to be armed which is not true because if the alien carries a firearm with an alien firearm license. An alien commits a felony by carrying or possessing a firearm without an alien firearm license. The department needs to enact measures to ensure that it is not granting a private investigator license to an applicant who is committing a felony. Maintaining the annual shooting requirements at the private investigator company level will streamline and reduce workloads for armed private investigator licensing renewals without compromising public safety.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Mary Haglund, Department of Licensing, P.O. Box 9649, Olympia, WA 98506-9649, phone (360) 664-6624, fax (360) 570-7888.
October 1, 2002
Mary Haglund
Program Manager