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Bill would let DPSST finish misconduct reviews and deny certification even if applicant is unemployed
Summary
House Bill 2,926 would permit DPSST to complete investigations and deny training or certification for public-safety applicants regardless of their employment status, aiming to resolve deferred cases that now stall when applicants resign or are not yet hired.
House Bill 2,926 would allow the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) to investigate and take action to deny training or certification when an individual has engaged in misconduct that affects certification eligibility, regardless of whether the person is currently employed by a public-safety agency.
Jennifer Howard, legislative coordinator for DPSST, told the House Judiciary Committee that under current law DPSST must defer action when a person who is under investigation is not yet certified and is no longer employed; the agency cannot complete the review until the individual is later hired by a covered agency and the matter is then within DPSST's jurisdiction. "This lack of certification and the lack of employment means that the individual no longer falls within our scope of authority," Howard said. She described the outcome as a backlog of deferred cases that creates uncertainty for applicants and hiring agencies.
Sheriff Sam Elliott of the Yamhill County Sheriff's Office testified in support, saying the current pause in cases can cost agencies and applicants time and money. Elliott described a case in which an officer’s certification review paused after resignation and resumed only upon rehiring; the sheriff said he later rehired the individual to allow a definitive determination. "House Bill 2,926 ensures that DPSST can issue a final determination on professional standards cases regardless of an individual's employment status," Elliott said, adding the change would provide clearer information to agencies during hiring.
Howard told the committee DPSST currently has a backlog that includes about 326 open cases and approximately 158 deferred cases dating back to 2018. She said the bill is written as permissive authority (allowing DPSST to proceed, not requiring it) and that DPSST could adopt rules and a process for reviewing deferred cases; the agency has discussed adding a case coordinator to handle additional workload and sometimes convenes committees between scheduled quarterly meetings to address urgent matters.
Committee members asked about resources, meeting frequency, and whether the bill could require additional staff or more frequent committee meetings. Howard said the agency is exploring options and that permitting the authority is a first step before assessing workload and potential staffing needs. No formal vote occurred during the hearing; committee members thanked witnesses and closed the public hearing.
Ending: Supporters said the bill would reduce uncertainty for applicants and hiring agencies by allowing DPSST to resolve pending professional-standards cases even if the subject is not employed at the time of review; the agency described the change as permissive and discussed potential resource implications for clearing the backlog.
