Letters From the Executive Director

To All Private Security Industry Stakeholders, We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to inform company owners on specific requirements for security officers in their employment. Specifically, a company cannot hire a security officer as a 1099 worker. The security officer must be a W-2 employee. Louisiana R.S. 37:3272(A) (18) defines a security officer as “an individual who is employed by a contract security company whether armed or unarmed, to protect a person or persons or property or both…” The U.S. Department of Labor addresses the difference between 1099 and W-2 workers. According to the final rule on Employee and Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, RIN 1235-AA43, independent contractors are workers “who, as a matter of economic reality, are not economically dependent on an employer for work and are in business for themselves”. This is in contrast to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)’s definition of employers, employees, and employ. RIN 1235-AA43 defines “Employer” as “any person acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee,” “employee” as “any individual employed by an employer,” and “employ” as “to include to suffer or permit to work.”  The IRS considers 1099 individuals as independent contractors who are self-employed. More specifically, under IRS definition, a person is not an independent contractor if they perform services that can be controlled by an employer (e.g., what will be done and how it will be done). This applies even if the person is given freedom of action. What matters is that the employer has the legal right to control the details of how the services are performed. If an employer-employee relationship exists (regardless of what the relationship is called), then the individual is not an independent contractor but rather an employee whose earnings, benefits, and other deductions must be reported on a W-2 form. Furthermore, the only subcontractor relationship allowed by the Louisiana Private Contract Security Licensing and Regulatory Law is when one licensed company acts as a subcontractor to another. This is because individuals classified as independent contractors would not be covered under a company’s general liability insurance coverage and thus be liable should they be involved in an incident. Therefore, all security officers in the state of Louisiana must be employees of private contract security companies pursuant to state and federal laws and rules. Companies who currently have 1099 independent contractors performing private security services must immediately transition their personnel to W-2 employees or provide us in writing a detailed timeline for accomplishing this transition. Failure to inform the board of this timeline or comply with the provisions of this letter may cause a company to be in violation of Louisiana R.S. 37:3282 and Title 46, Chapter 9, §903 of the Louisiana Administrative Code, which may result in fines being issued for a company or LSBPSE taking action to suspend or revoke a company license. Our primary goal in outlining this policy is to ensure accountability among private contract security companies and the public and, most importantly, protect individuals, companies, and the public should an incident occur. We are committed to working closely with you to ensure these standards are met and maintained. Thank you for your continued cooperation and dedication to upholding the standards of our industry. Please feel to reach out to us should you have any questions. Sincerely, Carl Saizan (Ret. LSP Major) Executive Director Louisiana State Board of Private Security Examiners

Dear Industry Partner, We respectfully urge your immediate support for HB 71, filed by Rep. Josh Carlson (District 43, Lafayette Parish), at the request of the LSBPSE, which extends existing civil liability protections for concealed carry permit holders to armed private contract security officers registered with the LSBPSE. The bill passed by the Civil Law & Procedures Committee on Monday, April 13, and is headed to the House floor for a vote within days. Private security officers face real and increasing risks, while insurance costs continue to rise and coverage becomes more difficult to obtain. At the same time, LSBPSE is strengthening the industry through enhanced training standards, continuing education requirements, compliance audits, and increased enforcement partnerships with state agencies, ensuring all personnel are properly trained, vetted, and held accountable. HB 71 supports current efforts by offering reasonable civil liability protection for security guards who act lawfully and within the scope of their duties to protect human life. It does not protect against misconduct; rather, it aligns the protections for trained security professionals with those already provided to private citizens, bringing much-needed legal clarity. Additionally, insurance providers may consider reducing your general liability insurance premiums once this bill becomes law. Your voice is critical right now. Please contact your State Representative and Senator as soon as possible and urge them to support HB 71! Your immediate outreach can make a difference in protecting your business, supporting the industry, and strengthening public safety across Louisiana. Thank you for your commitment to our common goals and continued partnership. Major Carl Saizan (Ret. LSP)  Executive Director

Dear Members of the Private Security Industry, Again, we would like to remind you that the guard registration renewal period opened on October 1, 2025, and will close on March 1, 2026. To assist you in meeting this deadline, there is a 14-day grace period extending through March 15, 2026. Please note that beginning March 16, 2026, fines of $50.00 per day will be assessed for up to 10 days for any unresolved renewals. We strongly encourage all companies and professionals to complete their renewals well before the absolute deadline of March 15, 2026 to avoid fines and ensure compliance. Our primary goal is to eliminate fines altogether, and we need your cooperation to achieve this. This is the final reminder concerning guard renewals. You only have the 14-day grace period starting on March 2, 2026 and ending on March 15, 2026. If you require assistance or have any questions regarding the renewal process, please do not hesitate to contact the Board at 225.272.2310 or via email at privatesecurityboard@la.gov. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your commitment to maintaining high standards within our industry. Sincerely, Major Carl Saizan (Ret. LSP) Executive Director

To: All Licensed Private Security Companies and Professionals Empty heading Empty heading Empty heading

To: All Licensed Private Security Investigators (to download this letter as a .PDF, click here .) Dear Private Security Instructors, We hope this letter finds you well. In support of our shared goal of elevating and maintaining strong training standards, the LSBPSE Compliance unit will begin annual classroom observations for all currently licensed private security instructors. The primary goal of our initial observations for all currently licensed private security instructors. The primary goal of our initial observations is to support instructors as they transition to the new Security Officer Standards and Training (S.O.S.T.) curriculum while evaluating its application in real-world training environments. Starting this month, our compliance investigators will contact each instructor to coordinate attendance at one upcoming class, aiming to complete all observations within the next few months. You will be provided with a detailed observation checklist prior to your observation to ensure understanding of the areas of focus, to include using the new curriculum, the lesson plan, PowerPoint, and activities, and confirm, the students are actively engaged. These observations are intended to help instructors feel confident and well-supported in delivering the new S.O.S.T. curriculum while ensuring the curriculum is being used as intended. The 2026 classroom observations are supportive in nature and do not impact an instructor's eligibility to renew their license, nor will they result in fines. We value our partnership with instructors and will continue to work alongside you throughout this process to provide guidance, resources, constructive feedback, and support. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to working with you to raise the standard of instruction in our industry. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Sincerly, Carl Saizon Executive Secretary

Letter from the Executive Director: 2025 Year End Letter

To All Private Security Industry Stakeholders,

Dear Private Security Industry Professionals,

To All Licensed Private Security Companies and Industry Stakeholders: