§3276.1. Suitability

A. No person may be eligible to apply or be granted a license under the provisions of this Chapter if either of the following applies:

(1) He has been convicted in any jurisdiction of any crime of violence as defined by R.S. 14:2(B).

(2) He has been convicted in any jurisdiction of any other felony offense within ten years prior to the date of the application or less than ten years has elapsed between the date of application and the successful completion or service of any sentence, deferred adjudication, or period of probation or parole for which a full pardon or similar relief has not been granted under the laws of the United States, the state of Louisiana, or any other state or country.

B.(1) No person shall be granted a license under the provisions of this Chapter unless the applicant has demonstrated to the board that he is suitable for licensing. For purposes of this Chapter, suitability means the applicant or licensee is:

(a) A person of good moral character, honesty, and integrity.

(b) A person whose prior activities, arrest, or criminal record if any, reputation, habits, and associations do not pose a threat to the public interest of this state or to the effective regulation of private security companies, and do not create or enhance the dangers of unsuitable, unfair, or illegal practices, methods, and operations in the activities authorized by this Chapter and financial arrangements incidental thereto.

(c) Likely to conduct business as authorized by this Chapter in complete compliance with the provisions of this Chapter.

(d) Not prohibited from making application or disqualified from licensure under the provisions of Subsection A of this Section.

(e) A person who does not owe the state or local governing authority of the parish or municipality in which the company is located any delinquent taxes, penalties, or interest, excluding items under formal appeal or protest as provided by law.

(2) An applicant who is not disqualified from making application or licensure as a result of Subsection A of this Section shall still be required to demonstrate to the board that he otherwise meets the remaining requirements for suitability, particularly those contained in Subparagraphs (1)(a), (b), and (c) of this Subsection. Evidence of or relating to an arrest, summons, charge, or indictment of an applicant, or the dismissal thereof, shall be considered by the board even if the arrest, summons, charge, or indictment results in acquittal, deferred adjudication, probation, parole, or pardon.

C. All licensees and persons required to be qualified under this Chapter shall have a continuing duty to inform the board of any action which they believe would constitute a violation of this Chapter. No person who so informs the board shall be discriminated against by an applicant or licensee because of supplying such information.

D. Every person who has or controls directly or indirectly more than a five percent ownership, income, or profit interest in an entity which has or applies for a license in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, or who receives more than five percent revenue interest in the form of a commission, finder's fee, loan repayment, or any other business expense related to the private security business, or every person who is an officer or a director of the company, or who has the ability, in the opinion of the board, to exercise a significant influence over the activities of a licensee authorized or to be authorized by this Chapter, shall meet all suitability requirements and qualifications for licensees.

Acts 2006, No. 94, §1; Acts 2008, No. 213, §1.