SB1148 - Security guards: training.

Amended IN Assembly August 28, 2026 Amended IN Assembly July 01, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 1148 Introduced by Senator Niello February 18, 2026 An act to amend Sections 7574.18 and 7583.6 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to professions and vocations. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1148, as amended, Niello. Security guards: training. 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, 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. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Sections 7574.18 and 7583.6 of the Business and Professions Code proposed by SB 1203 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1203 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill Text 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. SEC. 1.1. 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. (i) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed. SEC. 1.2. Section 7574.18 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 7574.18. (a) (1) Each applicant for a proprietary private security officer registration shall complete a course in the exercise of the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force as a condition of issuance of the registration. Training on the power to arrest and the appropriate use of force shall meet the requirements of Section 7583.7. Course providers authorized to provide training pursuant to Section 7583.7 shall issue a certificate of completion to the person upon satisfactory completion of each 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. (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 for a person who has completed the course training required by Section 7583.45, a person registered and employed as a proprietary private security officer shall complete 42 hours of 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. A proprietary private security officer registrant shall complete 18 of the 42 hours within 30 days from the date the registration is issued. The 42 hours of training shall be conducted through traditional classroom instruction, as defined by paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 7583.7. The eight hours of deescalation training required by this section shall be conducted by an instructor who is a human being and physically present, in person, and live with students in a classroom for 100 percent of the course and available at all times to answer students’ questions while providing the required training. No part of the security skills training shall be completed while a guard is on duty at their post. The time spent to attend the security skills training, including the deescalation training, shall be compensated by the proprietary private security employer if the guard is employed by, or has a pending offer of employment from, the employer. The cost of the security skills training shall be provided by the employer of the guard. (2) Two of the first 18 hours of the 42 hours of training, which are required to be completed within 30 days from the date the registration is issued, shall be dedicated to training employees on the rights contained in the notice described in subdivision (a) of Section 1553 of the Labor Code. (3) Eight hours of the 42 hours of security skills training shall be dedicated to practicing deescalation skills through in-person role-play and interactive training methods that involve evidence-based, trauma-informed techniques and strategies. The portions of the deescalation training shall be no less than eight hours in duration. These eight hours of deescalation training shall be compensated by the proprietary private security employer if the individual is employed by, or has a pending offer of employment with, the employer. The cost of the deescalation training shall be paid for by the employer of an individual who takes the course if they are employed by, or have a pending offer of employment with, the employer. (4) For the purpose of this chapter, evidence-based, trauma-informed techniques and strategies shall be based on principles and methods informed by peer-reviewed or clinical research on trauma and includes role-playing and interactive methods. The bureau shall determine t [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]