Bureau of Security and Investigative Services: private investigators: client service agreements.
Summary
Existing law establishes the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, under the direction of the Director of Consumer Affairs, within the Department of Consumer Affairs for the purpose of regulating, among other things, private investigators. Existing law, the Private Investigator Act, requires the director to administer and enforce its provisions relating to the licensure and regulation of private investigators, and imposes certain duties on the bureau in this regard. Existing law makes a violation of the act, as specified, a crime. Existing law requires an agreement to provide services pursuant to those provisions to, among other things, be in writing. Existing law requires the initial client service agreement and any amendment, addendum, or other modification to the agreement to be legible and clearly indicate any other document incorporated into it. This bill would require a licensee to provide a copy of the initial client service agreement and any amendment, addendum, or other modification to the agreement in the preferred language of the client if the client primarily speaks a language other than English. The bill would specify that a violation of that provision is not a crime under the act.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 20, 2026
Last action Apr 21, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
02/20/26 - Introduced
→
03/16/26 - Amended Assembly
·
3 edits
·
Mar 16, 2026
MINOR
The amendment primarily removes the specific operative date of July 1, 2025 from the new private investigator client service agreement requirements, meaning the provisions would instead take effect on the default January 1 date following enactment. The digest was also updated to explicitly reference 'private investigators,' clarifying the bill's target audience. The author name was corrected from Macedo to Macedo Ahrens.
Scope change
No substantive change to scope or applicability; the digest clarification confirms the bill targets private investigators specifically, which was already implied by the body of the text.
TIMELINE
The operative date of July 1, 2025 was removed from subdivision (f), meaning the new client service agreement requirements for private investigators will now take effect on the default January 1 date following enactment rather than a mid-year date.
SCOPE
The legislative digest was updated to explicitly identify 'private investigators' as the regulated class, making the bill's target more specific in its summary description.
TECHNICAL
The Assembly Member's name was corrected from Macedo to Macedo Ahrens, likely reflecting a name change.
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
4
Amendments
1
Apr 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (April 21). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Committee
Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Introduced
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Referred to Com. on B. & P.
lower
Feb 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Patrick Ahrens
DDemocratic
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