SB150 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2020

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

The bill updates Alabama's Private Investigation laws to clarifie fees, strengthen licensure requirements with background checks, allow inactive licenses with reinstatement rules, add penalties for unlicensed practice, require arrest reporting, and set a 16-hour continuing education requirement over a two-year license period.

What This Bill Does

It clarifies which fees go into the Private Investigation Fund, tightens qualifications for private investigators including background checks, allows licensees to have an inactive status with a process and fee to reinstate, adds administrative penalties for practicing without a license, requires licensees to report arrests within 72 hours, and establishes 16 hours of continuing education to maintain licensure over the two-year period.

Who It Affects

• Private investigators and licensees, who would face stricter qualification standards, mandatory background checks, and new reporting and continuing education requirements.
• Businesses employing private investigators, who would need to ensure compliance with licensing, reporting, and potential penalties for unlicensed work.

Key Provisions

• Clarifies which application, renewal, and other fees collected by the Alabama Private Investigation Board must be deposited into the Alabama Private Investigation Board Fund to support board operations.
• Additionally strengthens licensure qualifications, including age, lack of felony conviction or moral turpitude, and mandatory criminal history background checks and examinations for licensure.
• Authorizes the board to grant inactive status to licensees and to establish by rule a procedure and fee for reinstating an inactive license.
• Imposes administrative penalties for providing private investigation services without a license and requires licensees to report arrests to the board within 72 hours.
• Sets continuing education at 16 hours over the two-year license period (with board rules for compliance and distribution of seminars across districts, including ethics training).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Private Investigators