HB323 Summary

• Creates the Alabama Private Investigation Board to regulate and license private investigators, with nine members appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, Attorney General, and Alabama Private Investigators Association, each serving staggered terms of two to four years.

• Establishes licensure requirements for private investigators including minimum age of 19, U.S. citizenship, good moral character, no felony convictions of moral turpitude, criminal background check, and passing a board-administered examination administered twice annually.

• Prohibits unlicensed private investigation as a Class A misdemeanor and requires licenses to be renewed every two years with continuing professional education of eight hours annually, including at least one hour on ethics.

• Authorizes the board to suspend, revoke, or refuse licenses for violations including fraud, misrepresentation, criminal convictions, and unsubstantiated charges to clients, with civil penalties up to $2,000 and assessment of maximum application fees.

• Exempts certain activities from regulation including employees of non-investigation businesses, internal business investigations, attorneys providing legal services, and consumer reporting agencies as defined by federal law.