A bill to clean up California’s security industry was unanimously approved by the Assembly Business and Professions Committee Tuesday, moving it one step closer to becoming law.
Assemblymember Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove) introduced the bill, AB 1042, after seeing an NBC 7 Investigates story exposing the local underground industry of untrained, unlicensed security officers.
The story came after two local deaths involving bouncers – one where the bouncer was arrested and charged for involuntary manslaughter and the other where the death was ruled a homicide. The San Diego Police
Department forwarded that investigation to the San Diego County District Attorney’s office for review.
Click here to see the complete investigation.
If adopted, the bill would further professionalize the security guard industry and protect public safety.
“If a guard or bouncer wears a uniform or performs a security role, they should have to meet minimum professional standards and pass background checks,” Cooper said in a press release about the bill. “AB 1042 will ensure individuals providing security services are properly licensed, trained and certified,” he added.
NBC 7 Investigates original story, exposed two issues in the security industry:
If a security officer/guard isn’t wearing a uniform, he or she does not have to be licensed in the state of California.
Many of security guards are getting state-issued security guard registration cards (also known as guard cards) and getting jobs but may be completing only a fraction of the curriculum.
AB 1042 updates the definition of a Proprietary Private Security Officer and adds examples of security officer duties to ensure individuals employed by a business such as a bar or restaurant and who provide security services are not unlicensed.
The bill is supported by the California Association of Licensed Security Agencies, Guards and Associates and will next be heard on the Assembly floor.
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