Relates to the purchase of security services

1 Co-sponsor

• Liz Krueger

BILL NUMBER:S1246

Title of bill

An act to amend the state finance law and the general business law, in relation to the purchase of security services

Purpose

To ensure that all employees engaged in contracted security services by the state have training in responding to the most current threats. To ensure additionally that there is a more stringent penalty for those employers who forego this necessary training.

Summary of provisions

The first section of the bill mandates that contractors or sub-contractors, who receive over S500,000 in contracts from NY State, are mandated to enroll their security personnel in 40 hour training programs. Each firm will be required to use a qualified security training program certified by the Office of Homeland Security. Additionally, on the job training will be increased from 16 to 32 hours for all security officers.

The second section of the bill increases the penalty for employers failing to ensure that their officers have undergone proper registration and training. The penalty will range from $1,000 to $10,000.

Justification

New York State security personnel are the first line of defense for tenants and, visitors at our homes and work places. The current training standards for these employees have been shown over and over again to be insufficient in giving security personnel the tools they need to keep New Yorkers safe and secure. An increased 40-hour training regiment for state-contracted security personnel will not only ensure that the workforce is sufficiently able to respond to various threats, but it will also cover new training previously neglected. The 40-hour training will include fire safety, crime prevention, first aid, and coordination with police, fire, and emergency personnel during an emergency. Furthermore, the training program will have had to he certified by the Office of Homeland Security. This new training will allow security guards to adapt to the most current threats, and provide protection to New York's citizens as their first line of defense.

Currently, the penalty for employers failing to ensure that their security personnel are certified is too low. According to a report issued by the City of New York Public Advocate's Office, 17% of security personnel have less than eight hours of mandatory pre-assignment training, and 12% have no training at all. Additionally, according to a study in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle in 2008 there has not been a review of the 880 schools which provide this mandatory training program since 2005. The current maximum fine of $1,000 to an employer has proved to he an insufficient deterrent. New meaningful and enforceable

penalties will ensure that New Yorkers receive the best protection possible in this new dangerous security climate.

Legislative history

2011-12: S.1778 - Referred to Finance 2009-10: S.7913 - Referred to Finance

Fiscal implications

None to the State.

Effective date

Immediately.