SB358 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Cam Ward

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

Alabama Private Investigation Regulatory Act, private investigator, fees clarified, qualifications, licensing, procedure and fee to reinstate inactive licenses, increase number of hours for continuing education, Secs. 34-25B-4, 34-25B-7, 34-25B-11, 34-25B-12, 34-25B-13, 34-25B-17, 34-25B-18, 34-25B-21, 34-25B-22, 34-25B-26 am'd.

Summary

SB 358 updates Alabama's Private Investigation laws to clarify fees, strengthen licensure standards, add background checks and reporting requirements, allow inactive licenses with reinstatement rules, and impose penalties and continuing education requirements on licensees.

What This Bill Does

It clarifies which fees must go into the Alabama Private Investigation Fund and how they are used. It expands licensure qualifications and requires criminal history background checks for applicants, including fingerprinting. It authorizes the board to grant inactive status and establishes a process and fees for reinstating an inactive license. It creates penalties for practicing without a license, requires licensees to report arrests within 72 hours, and sets a 16-hour continuing education requirement over the two-year license period.

Who It Affects

• Licensed private investigators and license applicants who must meet tougher qualifications, submit background checks, pay new or revised fees, report arrests within 72 hours, and complete continuing education; it also allows for inactive status and reinstatement rules.
• Businesses or individuals offering private investigation services without a license face penalties, civil fines, and potential injunctions for practicing unlawfully under the act.

Key Provisions

• Creates and specifies that fees (application, renewal, reinstatement, late renewal, change of information, replacement license, inactive license, and other administrative fees) are deposited into the Alabama Private Investigation Fund and used only for board operations.
• Strengthens licensure qualifications: applicants must be at least 21; cannot have felonies or certain moral turpitude issues; must pass board-approved examinations; and existing license holders may be grandfathered under certain conditions.
• Imposes/background checks: initial and ongoing background checks with fingerprints or approved alternatives, including FBI/State checks as needed.
• Allows inactive status for licensees with board-set rules and a reinstatement process and fee.
• Authorizes sanctions for unlicensed practice: suspension, revocation, or denial of licenses, civil penalties up to $2,000 per violation, and daily fines up to $1,000 for providing PI services without a license.
• Requires licensees to report arrests within 72 hours to the board.
• Sets continuing education at 16 hours over the two-year license period (with board-promulgated rules and annual opportunities, including ethics).
• Mandates the board provide copies of the chapter and rules on its website and display licenses prominently; sets governance and funding provisions for the board.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Private Investigators