I'm not going to hold my breath on that one just yet...

HB 363 

A bill to be entitled 
An act relating to private investigative, private 
security, and repossession services; amending s. 493.6106, 
F.S.; increasing the minimum age required for certain 
licensees; amending s. 493.6113, F.S.; conforming a 
provision requiring certification of insurance coverage; 
requiring certain licensees to complete specified 
continuing education; requiring the Department of 
Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish by rule 
criteria for the approval of continuing education courses 
and providers and the form for certificates of completion; 
amending s. 493.6202, F.S.; requiring the department to 
establish by rule certain fees relating to private 
investigative services; amending s. 493.6203, F.S.; 
requiring passage of an examination for licensure as a 
private investigator; providing exemption for certain 
licensees; requiring reexamination for relicensure under 
certain circumstances; requiring successful completion of 
certain coursework and passage of an examination for 
licensure as a private investigator intern; requiring the 
department to establish by rule the general content and 
the form for certificates of completion of such training 
and criteria for the examination; requiring reexamination 
for relicensure under certain circumstances; providing an 
effective date. 


Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 


Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 
493.6106, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 
493.6106 License requirements; posting.-- 
1) Each individual licensed by the department must: 
(a) Be at least 18 years of age, except that Class "C," 
Class "MA," and Class "M" licensees must be at least 21 years of 
age. 
Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 493.6113, Florida 
Statutes, is amended to read: 
493.6113 Renewal application for licensure.-- 
3) Each licensee shall be responsible for renewing his or 
her license on or before its expiration by filing with the 
department an application for renewal accompanied by payment of 
the prescribed license fee. 
(a) Each Class "A," Class "B," or Class "R" licensee shall 
additionally submit on a form prescribed by the department a 
certification of insurance which evidences that the licensee 
maintains adequate commercial general liability coverage as 
required under s. 493.6110. 
(b) Each Class "G" licensee shall additionally submit 
proof that he or she has received during each year of the 
license period a minimum of 4 hours of firearms recertification 
training taught by a Class "K" licensee and has complied with 
such other health and training requirements which the department 
may adopt by rule. If proof of a minimum of 4 hours of annual 
firearms recertification training cannot be provided, the 
renewal applicant shall complete the minimum number of hours of 
range and classroom training required at the time of initial 
licensure. 
Each Class "DS" or Class "RS" licensee shall 
additionally submit the current curriculum, examination, and 
list of instructors. 
(d) Effective September 1, 2007, each Class "C," Class 
"CC," Class "M," Class "MA," Class "E," Class "EE," Class "MR," 
and Class "RI" licensee shall provide proof, in a form 
established by rule of the department, that the licensee has 
completed not less than 6 hours of continuing education in 
Florida law and rules regulating the professions, including 
criminal law, court decisions, and legal opinions that impact 
the professions, which may include 2 hours of terrorism 
awareness, presented by approved providers, during the biennium 
since the issuance or last renewal of the license. Licensees who 
hold more than one license issued pursuant to this chapter shall 
be required to complete the continuing education only once 
during any biennium. 
(e) The department shall by rule establish criteria for 
the continuing education and approval of providers, including 
requirements relating to the content of courses and provider 
expertise. In order to obtain approval as a provider, the person 
must be qualified by education or experience in the specific 
area of instruction to be presented. 
(f) Approved continuing education training shall be 
conducted only by approved providers at various locations within 
or outside the state at times convenient for licensees, 
including weekends. Before entering the room where the training 
occurs, each licensee shall present his or her personal license 
to the approved provider, who shall physically verify the 
personal identity and license number of the licensee. The 
approved provider shall issue a certificate of completion to 
each licensee who completes the approved courses. The 
certificate shall be on a form established by rule of the 
department and must be submitted with the application for 
renewal of licensure. 
Section 3. Paragraphs (f) and (g) are added to subsection 
(1) of section 493.6202, Florida Statutes, to read: 
493.6202 Fees.-- 
(1) The department shall establish by rule examination and 
biennial license fees, which shall not exceed the following: 
(f) Fee for the examination for private investigator: 
$100. 
(g) Biennial fee for provider approval: $200. 
Section 4. Section 493.6203, Florida Statutes, is amended 
to read: 
493.6203 License requirements.--In addition to the license 
requirements set forth elsewhere in this chapter, each 
individual or agency shall comply with the following additional 
requirements: 
(1) Each agency or branch office shall designate a minimum 
of one appropriately licensed individual to act as manager, 
directing the activities of the Class "C" or Class "CC" 
employees. 
(2) An applicant for a Class "MA" license shall have at 
least 2 years of lawfully gained, verifiable, full-time 
experience, or training in: 
(a) Private investigative work or related fields of work 
that provided equivalent experience or training; 
(b) Work as a Class "CC" licensed intern; 
(c) Any combination of paragraphs (a) and (b); 
(d) Experience described in paragraph (a) for at least 1 
year and experience described as follows in paragraph (e) for 1 
year; 
(e) no more than 1 year using: 
1. College coursework related to criminal justice, 
criminology, or law enforcement administration; or 
2. Successfully completed law enforcement-related training 
received from any federal, state, county, or municipal agency; 
or 
(e)(f) Experience described in paragraph (a) for at least 
1 year and work in a managerial or supervisory capacity for at 
least 1 year. 
(3) An applicant for a Class "M" license shall qualify for 
licensure as a Class "MA" manager as outlined under subsection 
(2) and as a Class "MB" manager as outlined under s. 
493.6303(2). 
(4) An applicant for a Class "C" license shall have 2 
years of lawfully gained, verifiable, full-time experience, or 
training in one, or a combination of more than one, of the 
following: 
(a) Private investigative work or related fields of work 
that provided equivalent experience or training. 
(b) College coursework related to criminal justice, 
criminology, or law enforcement administration, or successful 
completion of any law enforcement-related training received from 
any federal, state, county, or municipal agency, except that no 
more than 1 year may be used from this category. 
(c) Work as a Class "CC" licensed intern. 
(5)(a) Effective March 1, 2007, an applicant for a Class 
"C" license who meets the experience criteria in subsection (4) 
must pass an examination on the provisions of this chapter, 
which shall be administered by the department or an examination 
provider approved by the department. The applicant is not 
required to pass the examination prior to submission of the 
application but must do so prior to issuance of the license. The 
administrator of the examination must verify the identity of 
each applicant taking the examination. 
(b) The examination requirements of paragraph (a) do not 
apply to any individual who holds a valid Class "CC," Class "C," 
Class "MA," or Class "M" license issued on or before March 1, 
2007. 
(c) Notwithstanding the exemption in paragraph (b), any 
individual whose license has been invalid for any reason for 
more than 1 year must successfully pass the examination, even if 
previously taken. 
(6)(a) Effective September 1, 2007, an applicant for a 
Class "CC" license must have, within the preceding 12 months, 
satisfactorily completed a minimum 40-hour course from a school, 
college, or university regulated by the Department of Education, 
which course pertains to general investigative techniques and 
this chapter, and shall pass an examination. The training 
specified in this subsection may be provided by live 
presentation, on line, or by home study in accordance with 
Department of Education rules and procedures. The administrator 
of the examination shall verify the identity of all applicants 
taking the examination. 
(b) Upon successful completion of the approved course, the 
school, college, or university shall issue a certificate of 
completion to the applicant. The certificate shall be on a form 
established by rule of the department and must be submitted with 
the application for the Class "CC" license. 
(c) The department shall by rule establish the general 
content of the training and examination criteria. 
(d) Any individual whose Class "CC" license has been 
invalid for any reason for more than 1 year must complete the 
training, even if previously taken. 
(7)(5) A Class "CC" licensee shall serve an internship 
under the direction and control of a designated sponsor, who is 
a Class "C," Class "MA," or Class "M" licensee. 
(8)(6) In addition to any other requirement, an applicant 
for a Class "G" license shall satisfy the firearms training set 
forth in s. 493.6115. 
Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2006. 


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.