AICC seeks nationwide license to help multi-state monitors

VIENNA, Va.—Citing the “administrative burdens” of multi-state licensing for monitoring companies, the Alarm Industry Communications Committee is planning to introduce a bill to streamline the process across the United States.

The Alarm Monitoring Model Licensing Act would establish a nationally recognized license to help monitoring companies and alarm dispatchers overcome obstacles they face when providing services to customers in more than one state, according to the AICC.

Companies face “logistical and time-consuming challenges such as repeatedly having to supply fingerprint cards and background checks,” the AICC said in a prepared statement. “There are also onerous training [and] testing requirements for monitoring personnel that often are not even relevant to the tasks they perform on a daily basis.”

Under the provisions of the bill, alarm monitoring companies would be required to be licensed in a “home state” in which monitoring requirements meet a proposed national standard. The companies would still have to submit forms and fees in every state where they're required, but the nationally recognized license would alleviate the burden involved with overlapping training, testing and employee registration.

AICC Chairman Lou Fiore said the group proposed similar legislation a few years ago, but it didn't gain enough traction in the industry or on Capitol Hill to move forward. He said the time may be right for it now.

“I think the third-party monitoring companies and the proprietary companies now have the same problem,” Fiore told Security Systems News. “Between them and some of the national alarm companies, I think we have the interest and that they want to do this.”

Fiore said the AICC is in an education mode, talking to lawmakers to let them know what the legislation entails. He said the measure probably won't be introduced until the next session of Congress because “there's nothing to attach it to. We don't see it as a stand-alone bill.”

With the time line potentially stretching into next year, the AICC is asking alarm professionals for financial help to offset the costs of lobbying. Fiore said the industry is stepping up.

“We have a PAC [political action committee] that we're going to have to fund to do this,” Fiore said. “The request hasn't been out for long, but the response has been good—very positive. I don't want to give you number, but we've already gotten commitments.”

Those who want to contribute can do so by sending a funding form and payment to the AICC at 8150 Leesburg Pike, Suite 700, Vienna, VA 22182. Click here for a copy of the form.