LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

ASSEMBLY, No. 4235

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: JUNE 8, 2026

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

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

Type of Impact:

Annual State expenditure increase.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Law and Public Safety.

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

 

 

Annual State Expenditure Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety will experience indeterminate annual cost increases to provide the required notification to private detectives and to establish and maintain the registry required by the bill.

 

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill requires licensed private detectives to notify the Division of State Police when they are employed by a foreign government or foreign national. Current federal law requires any individual acting at the direction of a foreign government to notify the United States Attorney General.

      This bill also requires the Division of State Police to notify prospective or current licensed private detectives of this requirement and requires the division to maintain a registry of these private detectives. The bill requires the registry to include: (1) the name of the licensed private detective; (2) the business name associated with the private detective; (3) the address at which the business is registered; (4) the name and business name of the client; and (5) the address of the client.

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS finds that the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety will experience indeterminate annual cost increases to provide the required notification to private detectives and to establish and maintain the registry required by the bill.

      The Division of State Police will experience an indeterminate one-time expense for the establishment of a secure registry that is only available to the Office of the Attorney General and members of the Division of State Police. Ongoing costs related to maintaining the registry are also projected.

      Further, the New Jersey State Police Private Detective Unit is the regulating authority for the private security industry in this State. The State Police may deny, revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew a license for certain failures on the part of a licensed private detective or business. The OLS cannot estimate the number of private detective licenses that may be revoked or suspended for failing to comply with the requirements of this bill.

 

Private Detective Background - Currently, the New Jersey State Police Private Detective Unit licenses and regulates the private detective profession in New Jersey. According to the FY 2027 Governor’s Budget, in FY 2025 there were an estimated 601 private detective licenses issued and 580 private detective employees registered.

 

 

Section:

Law and Public Safety

Analyst:

Kristin Brunner Santos

Lead Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).