(a) The Legislature finds and declares that current practices and statutes authorize the purchase, registration, and ownership of firearms by an individual, but not by a business entity.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to allow business ownership and registration of firearms in the case of licensed Private Patrol Operators (PPOs) who are actively providing armed private contract security services. It is further the intent of the Legislature to establish procedures whereby a PPO may assign firearms it owns to its employees who are licensed to carry firearms and that assignment of a firearm by a PPO to that employee would not constitute a loan, sale, or transfer of a firearm.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature to require notification of the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services any time a security guard is listed on the Prohibited Armed Persons File so that the bureau may proceed with appropriate action regarding the licensing of the employee.

(d) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Bureau” means the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services within the Department of Consumer Affairs.

(2) “Department” means the Department of Justice.

(3) “Director” means the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

(4) “Private patrol operator” or “PPO” means a private patrol operator licensed pursuant to Chapter 11.5 (commencing with Section 7580) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code whose license is not suspended, revoked, expired, inactive, delinquent, or canceled.

(5) “Security guard” means a security guard registered pursuant to Chapter 11.5 (commencing with Section 7580) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code whose registration is not suspended, revoked, expired, inactive, delinquent, or canceled.

(Added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 423, Sec. 6. (AB 2220) Effective January 1, 2015. Section operative July 1, 2016, pursuant to Section 28024.)