BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 722|
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Bill No: SB 722
Author: Figueroa (D)
Amended: 9/4/01
Vote: 27
SENATE BUSINESS & PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE : 5-0, 4/30/01
AYES: Figueroa, Johannessen, Machado, Murray, Polanco
SENATE FLOOR : 39-0, 5/7/01 (Consent)
AYES: Ackerman, Alarcon, Alpert, Battin, Bowen, Brulte,
Burton, Chesbro, Costa, Dunn, Escutia, Figueroa, Haynes,
Johannessen, Johnson, Karnette, Knight, Kuehl, Margett,
McClintock, McPherson, Monteith, Morrow, Murray,
O'Connell, Oller, Ortiz, Peace, Perata, Polanco,
Poochigian, Romero, Scott, Sher, Soto, Speier, Torlakson,
Vasconcellos, Vincent
SENATE FLOOR : 25-13, 9/6/01
AYES: Alarcon, Alpert, Bowen, Burton, Chesbro, Costa,
Dunn, Escutia, Figueroa, Johannessen, Karnette, Kuehl,
Machado, O'Connell, Ortiz, Peace, Perata, Romero, Scott,
Sher, Soto, Speier, Torlakson, Vasconcellos, Vincent
NOES: Ackerman, Battin, Brulte, Haynes, Johnson, Knight,
Margett, McClintock, McPherson, Monteith, Morrow, Oller,
Poochigian
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 70-8, 9/5/01 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Security businesses
SOURCE : Author
CONTINUED
SB 722
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DIGEST : This bill revises fee and fine amounts in
connection with private patrol operators (PPOs) and other
specified entities, and modifies the education course known
as the Security Guard Power to Arrest (SGPA) course
required by the Private Security Services Act (PSSA).
Assembly Amendments revise fee and fine amounts in
connection with private patrol officers and other entities.
ANALYSIS : This bill:
1. Revises the fee schedule for private investigators (PIs)
and PPOs, including increasing the application and
examination fee for an original PPO license from $200 to
$500.
2. Revises the fine schedule for PPOs, including increasing
the fine for failure to ascertain that an employee is
proficient in the use of specified weapons to $500 for
the first violation (instead of $250) and $1,500 per
violation thereafter.
3. Establishes fines for specified PPO violations including
a fine of $250 for failure to post a PPO license in a
conspicuous place in the principal place of business.
4. Revises the fine schedule for security guards and
training instructors, including increasing the fine for
failure to carry a valid firearm permit from $25 for the
first violation, and $50 per violation thereafter.
5. Provides that if the Department of Consumer Affairs
(DCA) determines a PPO licensee is in violation of
specified requirements, DCA may issue a citation to the
licensee. The amount of the fine shall in no event
exceed $2,500, or as otherwise provided by current law,
whichever is less.
6. Increases the SGPA course by one hour, and authorizes
DCA to include additional topics that are deemed
necessary for proper training. Also requires that the
majority of the course be taught by verbal instruction
and allows a video presentation to be part of the verbal
SB 722
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instruction. Further requires PPOs to provide a copy of
the course guidebook to each person they currently
employ, and to every individual they intend to hire,
within a reasonable time prior to the start of the
course.
Comments :
The fee increases proposed in this bill, and promoted by
the California Association of Licensed Security Agencies,
Guards & Associates (CALSAGA), are designed to allow DCA's
Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) to
continue to perform its duties. Without fee increases, it
is projected that BSIS will have a fund balance deficit of
approximately $148,000 by the end of 2002-03. BSIS's
primary responsibility is to protect consumers. One of
BSIS's most important specific duties is to ensure criminal
background checks for private security guards. There are
approximately 45,000 annual applications for security
guards, and it is estimated that approximately 2,500, or
5%, have a felony conviction that would prohibit them from
qualifying to be a security guard. Supporters of this bill
argue that if BSIS's funds are allowed to be depleted, the
result will be a de facto deregulation of the industry.
BSIS is responsible for the licensure and regulation of
PPOs and security guards. Currently, there are 2,127
licensed PPOs and 162,643 licensed security guards. On
average, BSIS receives approximately 50,000 new security
guard applications each year and an equal number of
security guards leave the profession each year.
CALSAGA states that this bill strengthens the initial
training and testing requirements for security guard
applicants. Additionally, CALSAGA states that this bill
will enhance the information available to prospective
applicants as well as strengthen classroom instruction in
preparation for taking the pre-employment guard test.
Finally, CALSAGA states that this bill will improve
consumer protection and public safety by providing
increased pre-employment training and information for
security guards entering the private security guard
service.
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FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
DCA estimates additional revenue to the Private Security
Services Fund of $800,000 in 2001-02 and $1.4 million
annually thereafter. Any costs to BSIS would be
negligible.
SUPPORT : (Verified 9/5/01)
California Association of Licensed Security Agencies,
Guards & Associates
Edison Security
Peace Officers Research Association of California
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Alquist, Aroner, Ashburn, Bates, Briggs, Calderon,
Bill Campbell, John Campbell, Canciamilla, Cardenas,
Cardoza, Cedillo, Chan, Chavez, Chu, Cogdill, Cohn,
Corbett, Correa, Cox, Daucher, Diaz, Dickerson, Dutra,
Firebaugh, Florez, Frommer, Goldberg, Harman, Havice,
Horton, Jackson, Keeley, Kehoe, Kelley, Koretz, Leach,
Leonard, Leslie, Liu, Longville, Lowenthal, Maddox,
Matthews, Migden, Nation, Negrete McLeod, Oropeza, Robert
Pacheco, Papan, Pavley, Reyes, Richman, Runner, Salinas,
Shelley, Simitian, Steinberg, Strickland, Strom-Martin,
Thomson, Vargas, Washington, Wayne, Wesson, Wiggins,
Wright, Wyland, Zettel, Hertzberg
NOES: Aanestad, Bogh, Hollingsworth, La Suer, Mountjoy,
Rod Pacheco, Pescetti, Wyman
CP:jk 9/7/01 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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