HB28 Alabama 2019 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arnold MooneyRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2019

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

HB 28 would overhaul Alabama's Private Investigation Regulation Act by clarifying fees, tightening licensure requirements, adding background checks, and boosting oversight and penalties for private investigators.

What This Bill Does

First, it clarifies which fees the Private Investigation Board must deposit into the Board Fund and how those funds are used for the board's operations. Second, it strengthens licensure requirements by adding criminal history checks, a minimum age, no felony or moral turpitude convictions, and a board‑approved exam. Third, it lets the board grant inactive status to licensees and creates a process and fee to reinstate an inactive license. Fourth, it establishes penalties for practicing without a license and for unlicensed private investigation services, requires licensees to report arrests within 72 hours, and sets 16 hours of continuing education over the two-year license period.

Who It Affects

• Private investigators and licensees in Alabama, who would face stricter qualifications, background checks, arrest reporting requirements, and new continuing education rules (plus potential penalties for noncompliance).
• Individuals or businesses that provide private investigation services without a license or in violation of the new rules, who would face administrative fines, possible injunctions, and other penalties.

Key Provisions

• Clarifies that all specified fees collected by the board must be deposited into the Alabama Private Investigation Board Fund and lists fee types such as original license, renewal, reinstatement, late renewal, change of information, replacement license, and inactive license fees.
• Requires criminal history background checks for licensure applicants, including fingerprints and processing through approved background providers and FBI checks as applicable.
• Sets licensure qualifications: applicant must be at least 21 years old, not be deemed mentally incompetent, not have felony or certain moral turpitude convictions, and must pass a board‑approved examination (with a study guide provided).
• Allows the board to grant inactive status to licensees and establish a rule‑based procedure and fee to reinstate an inactive license, including permitted activities for inactive status.
• Imposes penalties for practicing private investigation without a license or for providing PI services without a license, including civil penalties up to $2,000 per violation and daily fines up to $1,000, plus possible administrative injunctions.
• Requires licensees to report arrests to the board within 72 hours.
• Increases continuing education to 16 hours over the two-year license period, including at least one ethics hour per year, with rules to implement the CE requirement.
• Licenses are valid for two years, with renewal notices sent at least 60 days before expiration; late renewals incur a fee up to $200, and renewals cannot be accepted more than 30 days after expiration.
• Operates under a dedicated fund and requires legislative appropriation for expenditures, with board operations paid from the fund and subject to general budgeting rules.
• Prescribes the process for license issuance, renewal, and revocation, including confidentiality of certain application information and the handling of licensure decisions.

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