(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure the safety of pupils, staff, and the public on or near California’s public schools, by providing school security officers with training that will enable them to deal with the increasingly diverse and dangerous situations they encounter.

(b) (1) Every school security officer employed by a school district shall complete the latest course of training developed by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services of the Department of Consumer Affairs in consultation with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training pursuant to Section 7583.45 of the Business and Professions Code. If a school security officer subject to the requirements of this subdivision is required to carry a firearm while performing their duties, that school security officer shall additionally satisfy the training requirements of Section 832 of the Penal Code.

(2) A school district shall provide the training required pursuant to this subdivision to all school security officers who are employees of the school district. A school district shall provide the training during the employee’s regular work hours, unless otherwise negotiated and mutually agreed upon with the employee’s exclusive representative.

(3) This subdivision does not require a school district to provide training to security guards who are not employees of the school district, including security guards who work on the property of the school district pursuant to a contract with a private licensed security agency. A school district that contracts for security services shall comply with the requirements of Section 45103.1.

(4) This subdivision shall not apply to a school security officer employed by a school district who works 20 or fewer hours per week as a school security officer until July 1, 2021.

(5) For purposes of this subdivision, “school district” includes a school district, county office of education, and charter school.

(c) For purposes of this chapter, “school security officer” means any person primarily employed or assigned pursuant to subdivision (b) to provide security services as a watchperson, security guard, or patrolperson on or about premises owned or operated by a school district to protect persons or property or to prevent the theft or unlawful taking of school district property of any kind or to report any unlawful activity to the school district and local law enforcement agencies.

(d) (1) A school security officer shall not be employed and shall not continue to be employed by a school district until both of the following conditions have been met:

(A) (i) The applicant or employee has submitted to the school district two copies of their fingerprints on forms or electronically, as prescribed by the Department of Justice. The school district shall submit the fingerprints to the Department of Justice, which shall submit one copy of the fingerprints to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(ii) An applicant or contracted employee who holds a permanent registration with the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services of the Department of Consumer Affairs as a security guard need only submit one copy of their fingerprints, which copy shall be submitted to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(iii) An applicant or contracted employee who is registered by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services of the Department of Consumer Affairs, and who holds a firearms qualification card as specified in Section 7583.22 of the Business and Professions Code, is exempt from the requirements of this subdivision.

(B) The applicant or employee has been determined not to be a person prohibited from employment by a school district pursuant to Sections 44237 and 45122.1, or by the Department of Justice from possessing a firearm if the applicant is required to carry a firearm.

(2) The Department of Justice may participate in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) in lieu of submitting fingerprints to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation in order to meet the requirements of this subdivision relating to firearms.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 475, Sec. 2. (SB 390) Effective January 1, 2020.)