(a)  Every applicant, or in the case of a partnership each partner, or in the case of a corporation each officer and general, and each shareholder owning a ten percent (10%) or greater interest in the applicant, provided, the applicant is not a publicly traded corporation, shall meet the following qualifications before it may engage in any business licensed under this chapter:

(1)  Be eighteen (18) years of age;

(2)  Be a citizen of the United States or a resident alien;

(3)  Not have been convicted in any jurisdiction of a felony;

(4)  Not have had his or her license or registration revoked or application for the license or registration denied by the attorney general or by the appropriate authority of any other jurisdiction;

(5)  Not have been declared by any court of competent jurisdiction incompetent by reason of mental defect or disease and not having been restored;

(6)  Not suffer from habitual drunkenness or from narcotics addiction or dependence; and

(7)  Be of good moral character.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-5.1-8

  • Applicant: means any person who on his or her own behalf or on behalf of another has applied for permission to engage in any act or activity that is regulated under the provisions of this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-5.1-2
  • Attorney General: means the attorney general of the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-5.1-2
  • Business: means any corporation, company, association, operation, firm, partnership, institution, trust, or other form of business association, as well as a natural person. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-5.1-2
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • License: means any license required by this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-5.1-2
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Person: means any corporation, company, association, operation, firm, partnership, institution, trust, or other form of business association, as well as a natural person. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-5.1-2
  • Publicly traded corporation: means any corporation or other legal entity, except a natural person, that:

    (i)  Has one or more classes of security registered pursuant to § 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-5.1-2

  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8

(b)  A corporation seeking a license shall be incorporated under the laws of this state or shall be qualified to do business within this state with a valid certificate of authority issued by the secretary of state and an agent for service of process designated as required by law.

(c)  With verification of no criminal background as established in subsection (a) of this section, any person engaged in the private security guard industry, prior to January 1, 1988, and who continues to be engaged as of January 1, 1988, may apply for a security agent license. This initial application will be treated as a renewal of a license.

History of Section.
P.L. 1987, ch. 112, § 1.