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Bill

A 4235

Requires private detectives to register their foreign employers with State Police.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Cody Miller and 1 co-sponsor

Requires private detectives to notify the State Police when hired by foreign entities and creates a state registry of such employment.

Reported out of Assembly Committee, 2nd Reading
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Bill Summary · A 4235

Purpose and intent

  • Aims to increase oversight of private detectives by requiring disclosure when they are employed by foreign governments or foreign nationals.
  • Creates a formal mechanism for tracking these employment relationships through a state-level registry.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amends existing law governing licensed private detectives (P.L.1939, c.369; C.45:19-12):
    • Private detectives must notify the State Police when employed by a foreign government or foreign national. This notification is in addition to any federal requirements.
    • Upon license issuance or renewal, the State Police superintendent must inform the licensee of the requirement to notify the State Police when employed by a foreign government or foreign national.
    • License terms, fees, bonds, and prerequisites remain, including:
    • Location-based license fees (individuals: $250 per location; firms/organizations: $300 per location) at issuance.
    • Surety bond requirements: individuals $3,000; firms $5,000, with bond protecting against willful, malicious, or wrongful acts.
    • Licenses valid for two years; renewal fees (individuals $200 per location; firms $250 per location).
    • Conditions for revocation after due process; no refund of license fees upon revocation or surrender.
    • Experience requirement: at least five years of investigative or law enforcement experience for key personnel.
    • Confidentiality protections for information gathered in investigations, with disclosure limited to court orders.
  • New Section 2 establishes a State Police registry:
    • The Superintendent of State Police must maintain a registry of licensed private detectives who are employed by foreign nationals or foreign governments.
    • Registry access is restricted to the Attorney General and State Police personnel.
    • Registry contents must include:
    • Private investigator’s name
    • Business name associated with the investigator
    • Business address
    • Employer name and employer’s business name
    • Employer’s address
  • Effective date: The act takes effect on the first day of the sixth month after enactment, with authority for anticipatory administrative action to implement it.

Who would be affected

  • Licensed private detectives in New Jersey.
  • Private detective firms, associations, or corporations operating in the state.
  • Detectives who may be employed by foreign governments or foreign nationals.
  • State Police and the Attorney General, who would administer the notification requirements and maintain the new registry.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction: February 19, 2026.
  • Sponsor/Committee flow: Referred to Public Safety and Preparedness; later referred to Assembly Appropriations (action history shows May 28, 2026 as reporting to Appropriations).
  • Effective date: Six months after enactment, with potential for early action by the Superintendent to implement ahead of the formal effective date.

Practical impact and considerations

  • Increased transparency around foreign-affiliated private detective work within New Jersey.
  • Enhanced information sharing between private investigators and state law enforcement, potentially aiding national or international security concerns.
  • Administrative burden on licensees to track and report foreign employment, and on the State Police to maintain the registry.
  • Privacy and confidentiality protections remain, with access to the registry limited to high-level law enforcement officials (AG and State Police).

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-language FAQ for licensees or a quick compare-and-contrast with federal requirements (18 U.S.C. 951) to illustrate how this bill interacts with existing law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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