AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 1, 2026
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
98
Introduced by Senator Niello
February 18, 2026
An act to amend Section Sections 7574.18 and 7583.6 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to professions and vocations.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law, the Private Security Services Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of, among others, security guards by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. Existing law requires a security guard registrant to complete not less than 32 hours of training in security officer skills within 6 months from the date an initial registration is issued and requires a security guard registrant to complete 16 of the 32 hours within 30 days from the date the registration is issued, except as specified.
Existing law requires a security guard registrant to complete a course in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force as a condition for registration issuance.
This bill would also authorize a security guard registrant to complete those required hours of training before the date the registration is issued.
would, notwithstanding those provisions, allow a registrant who has completed a course in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force to complete the training in security officer skills before registration is issued.
Existing law, the Proprietary Security Services Act, provides for the registration and regulation of proprietary private security officers by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law requires a proprietary private security officer registrant to complete a training in security officer skills within 6 months from the date of registration issuance, or within 6 months of employment by a proprietary private security employer. Existing law requires the department to develop and establish a standard course and curriculum, including the minimum hours of instruction, for the security officer skills training.
This bill would, notwithstanding those provisions, allow a registrant who has completed a course in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force to complete the training in security officer skills before registration is issued.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 7574.18 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7574.18.
(a) (1) Except for a person who has completed the course of training required by Section 7583.45, a person registered and hired as a proprietary private security officer shall complete training in security officer skills within six months from the date upon which registration is issued, or within six months of their employment with a proprietary private security employer.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a person who has completed a course in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force may complete training in security officer skills before registration is issued.
(b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a course provider shall issue a certificate to a proprietary private security officer upon satisfactory completion of a required course, conducted in accordance with the department’s requirements.
(2) If a proprietary private security employer administers a course of training pursuant to this section, that proprietary private security employer shall issue a certificate to a proprietary private security officer for the completion of training in security officer skills that each proprietary private security officer is required to complete, as determined by the department, including, but not limited to, training in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force. However, the employer shall not be required to provide a certificate for training courses provided pursuant to a curriculum adopted by the department that are specific to that employer’s business and where the subject of training is not specifically required by the department.
(c) An employer of a proprietary private security officer may provide training programs and courses in addition to the training required in this section.
(d) The department shall develop and establish by regulation a standard course and curriculum, which shall include a minimum number of hours of instruction, for the skills training required by subdivision (a) to promote and protect the safety of persons and the security of property. For this purpose, the regulations adopted by the department pursuant to Section 7574.5, as added by Chapter 721 of the Statutes of 2007, are continued in existence, and shall be amended by the department as necessary.
(e) The course of training required by subdivision (a) may be administered, tested, and certified by any proprietary private security employer, organization, or school approved by the department. The department may approve any proprietary private security employer, organization, or school to teach the course.
(f) (1) A proprietary private security employer shall annually provide each employee registered pursuant to this chapter with specifically dedicated review or practice of security officer skills prescribed in the training required in this section. The bureau shall adopt and approve by regulation the minimum number of hours required for annual review.
(2) A proprietary private security employer shall maintain at the principal place of business or branch office a record verifying completion of the review or practice training for a period of not less than two years. The records shall be available for inspection by the department upon request.
(g) This section does not apply to a peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, who has successfully completed a course of study in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force approved by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. This section does not apply to armored vehicle guards.
(h) A person registered and hired as a proprietary private security officer may submit Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) records that document that the person has completed equivalent military training in lieu of completing a course of training in security officer skills pursuant to subdivision (a). The department shall determine the type of equivalent military training that qualifies to serve as a substitute.
(i) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2023.
SECTION 1.SEC. 2.
Section 7583.6 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
7583.6.
(a) Each applicant for a security guard registration shall complete a course in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force as a condition for the issuance of the registration. A course provider authorized to provide the training pursuant to Section 7583.7 shall issue a certificate of completion to the person upon satisfactory completion of the training. The course provider shall conduct the training in accordance with Section 7583.7 and any applicable regulations adopted by the bureau. The training shall be administered and certified by a single course provider, pursuant to subdivision (f), and shall be completed within six months preceding the date the application is submitted to the bureau.
(b) (1) Except for a registrant who has completed the course of training required by Section 7583.45, a security guard registrant shall complete not less than 32 hours of training in security officer skills before, or within six months from, from the date an initial registration is issued. A security guard registrant shall complete 16 of the 32 hours before, or
within 30 days from, from the date the registration is issued.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a person who has completed a course in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force may complete training in security officer skills before registration is issued.
(c) A course provider, which is authorized to provide the training required by subdivision (b) pursuant to subdivision (f), shall issue a certificate of completion to a registrant after the registrant completes each training course. The course provider shall conduct the trainings in accordance with any applicable regulations adopted by the bureau subject to this chapter.
(d) (1) A registrant who is unable to provide their employing licensee the certificate of satisfactory completion of the training required by subdivision (a) shall complete the training within six months of the registrant’s employment date.
(2) A registrant who is unable to provide their employing licensee the certificate of satisfactory completion of the training required by subdivision (b) shall complete 16 hours of the training within 30 days of the registrant’s employment date and shall complete the 16 remaining hours within six months of the registrant’s employment date.
(e) A registrant shall annually complete eight hours of specifically dedicated review or practice of security officer skills prescribed in this section, Section 7583.7, or by the bureau by regulation.
(f) The trainings specified in this section may be administered, tested, and certified by one of the following:
(1) Any licensee, provided that the licensee shall provide the training only to their applicants for employment and direct employees.
(2) Any training facility certified pursuant to this chapter.
(3) Any organization or school approved by the bureau. The bureau shall approve any instructor of an organization or school who will administer the trainings specified in this section to ensure that the organization or school complies with the requirements of this chapter, as well as any applicable regulations.
(g) (1) A registrant shall maintain the certificate of completion the registrant received for each training course prescribed in this section until the registration expires or has been canceled. The registrant shall provide the records to the bureau upon request.
(2) A licensee shall maintain at the principal place of business or branch office a record for each of its registrant employees verifying completion of the trainings required by this section for the duration of the registrant’s employment. The records shall be available for inspection by the bureau upon request.
(h) This section does not apply to a peace officer as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code who has successfully completed a course of study in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force approved by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training or a federal qualified law enforcement officer, as defined in Section 926B of Title 18 of the United States Code, who has successfully completed a course of study in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force.
(i) This section does not apply to armored vehicle guards.
(j) (1) The bureau shall develop and approve by regulation a standard course and curriculum for the skills trainings required by this section to promote and protect the safety of persons and the security of property.
(2) The bureau shall develop an outline for the course and curriculum described in paragraph (1) in consultation with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.