Private investigators: experience for licensure.

Existing law, the Private Investigator Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of private investigators by the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services within the Department of Consumer Affairs and requires the Director of Consumer Affairs to administer and enforce the act. Existing law requires an applicant for licensure under that act to take an examination. Existing law requires an applicant for examination to have experience in certain activities performed in connection with investigations, as specified, and only if the activities are performed by persons who are employed or managed in certain capacities, including, among others, persons trained as investigators and employed by a public defender to conduct investigations. This bill would include, under the above-mentioned experience required to take the licensure examination, persons employed by a media source who are trained as investigative reporters and whose experience is comprised of primary investigations, as defined.