The following persons are peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state while engaged in the performance of the duties of their respective employment and for the purpose of carrying out the primary function of their employment or as required under Sections 8597, 8598, and 8617 of the Government Code. Except as specified in this section, these peace officers may carry firearms only if authorized and under those terms and conditions specified by their employing agency:

(a) A parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, probation officer, or deputy probation officer. Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, the authority of these parole or probation officers shall extend only as follows:

(1) To conditions of parole, probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision by any person in this state on parole, probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision.

(2) To the escape of any inmate or ward from a state or local institution.

(3) To the transportation of persons on parole, probation, mandatory supervision, or postrelease community supervision.

(4) To violations of any penal provisions of law which are discovered while performing the usual or authorized duties of the officer’s employment.

(5) (A) To the rendering of mutual aid to any other law enforcement agency.

(B) For the purposes of this subdivision, “parole agent” shall have the same meaning as parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(C) Any parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is authorized to carry firearms, but only as determined by the director on a case-by-case or unit-by-unit basis and only under those terms and conditions specified by the director or chairperson.

(b) A correctional officer employed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or any employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation designated by the secretary or any correctional counselor series employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation or any medical technical assistant series employee designated by the secretary or designated by the secretary and employed by the State Department of State Hospitals or any employee of the Board of Parole Hearings designated by the secretary or any superintendent, supervisor, or employee having custodial responsibilities in an institution operated by a probation department, or any transportation officer of a probation department.

(c) The following persons may carry a firearm while not on duty: a parole officer of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, a correctional officer or correctional counselor employed by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, any employee of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation designated by the secretary or any medical technical assistant series employee designated by the secretary or designated by the secretary and employed by the State Department of State Hospitals. This section does not require licensure pursuant to Section 25400. The secretary or chairperson may deny, suspend, or revoke for good cause a person’s right to carry a firearm under this subdivision. That person shall, upon request, receive a hearing, as provided for in the negotiated grievance procedure between the exclusive employee representative and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to review the secretary’s or the chairperson’s decision.

(d) Persons permitted to carry firearms pursuant to this section, either on or off duty, shall meet the training requirements of Section 832 and shall qualify with the firearm at least quarterly. It is the responsibility of the individual officer or designee to maintain their eligibility to carry concealable firearms off duty. Failure to maintain quarterly qualifications by an officer or designee with any concealable firearms carried off duty shall constitute good cause to suspend or revoke that person’s right to carry firearms off duty.

(e) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall allow reasonable access to its ranges for officers and designees of either department to qualify to carry concealable firearms off duty. The time spent on the range for purposes of meeting the qualification requirements shall be the person’s own time during the person’s off-duty hours.

(f) The secretary shall promulgate regulations consistent with this section.

(g) This section shall become operative July 1, 2020.

(Repealed (in Sec. 30) and added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 25, Sec. 31. (SB 94) Effective June 27, 2019. Section operative July 1, 2020, by its own provisions.)