Assigned to CANR                                                                                                     FOR CAUCUS & FLOOR ACTION

 


 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1317

 

private investigator; business consultant exemption

 

Purpose

 

            Exempts an efficiency consultant from obtaining a private investigators license when observing consumer purchases of products or services in the public environments of a business establishment.

 

Background

 

            Currently, any person other than an insurance investigator or a peace officer who, for any consideration, engages in business or accepts employment to furnish, or agrees to make, or makes, any investigation for the purpose of obtaining information with reference to the location, disposition, or recovery of lost or stolen property or to the identity, habits, conduct, business, occupation, honesty, integrity, or character of a person must be licensed as a private investigator.  Licensure of private investigators is administered by the Department of Public Safety and applicants must meet licensure requirements, including posting of a bond.

 

Many businesses, especially in the service area, utilize mystery shoppers to improve their customer service.  Mystery shoppers are efficiency consultants hired by a company to observe interactions between customers and employees.  The services provided by mystery shoppers and other similar services often require the efficiency consultants to be licensed as a private investigator.  This legislation exempts efficiency consultants from private investigator licensure requirements.

 

There is no discernable fiscal impact to the general fund associated with this legislation.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Exempts an efficiency consultant from the private investigator licensure requirement when observing consumer purchases of products or services in the public environments of a business establishment, as long as the person does not engage in any other activity requiring licensure as a private investigator.

 

2.      Defines “efficiency consultant.”

 

3.      Makes technical and conforming changes.

 

4.      Provides for a general effective date.


Amendments Adopted by Committee

 

1.      Changes business consultant to an efficiency consultant, which is redefined as a person, firm or corporation, or an employee of a person, firm or corporation other than a private investigator who, for any consideration, observes consumer purchases of products or services in the public environments of a business establishment, as long as that person, firm or corporation, or employee of a person, firm or corporation does not engage in any other activity that requires licensure.

 

Senate Action

 

CANR             2/3/00              DPA    6-0-3-0

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

February 7, 2000