The Department of Consumer Affairs’ (DCA) Bureau of Security & Investigative Services (BSIS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Jan. 24 seeking information on market conditions, and goods and services that can meet its needs. SB 385, the Private Investigator Act (PIA), which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Sept. 20, will require BSIS to issue “an enhanced photo identification card to each licensee as evidence that the licensee is licensed” under PIA.
“As evidenced by the Bureau of Cannabis Control’s requirement of having QR codes to verify the status of a license, public policy appears to be moving in the direction of giving consumers and other licensees a more user friendly way to interact with licensed professionals while minimizing the potential for fraud,” DCA told Techwire via email. Among the takeaways:
• DCA is the umbrella department for 39 business, professional and occupational licensing programs, which collectively have issued more than 3 million licenses, registrations and permits in about 250 categories, it said in the RFI. BSIS licenses and regulates registrants including security guards, private security officers and their employers, private investigators, alarm companies and locksmiths. The agency issued an average of just more than 200,000 licenses during each of the last three state fiscal years, of July 1-June 30, but of those, only around an average of 5,000 were for private investigators.
BCIS implemented Versa:Registration and Versa:Online Services online licensing and enforcement platforms in January 2016. The former, the RFI said, offers “real-time processing and batch processing of applications” — but doesn’t capture or store photos. Personal identification information is sent securely through “electronic data files” to a third party that collects fees, takes and maintains photos, and prints and mails licenses.
• SB 385 requires licensees receive “an enhanced photo identification card,” renewed biennially with each license after Jan. 1, 2021, and raises the prohibition on non-BCIS-licensed private investigators from an infraction to misdemeanor — resulting “in a state-mandated local program.”
• BSIS would be required to issue licensees an enhanced photo ID card, of a design set by the director, according to the RFI. A “potential vendor,” it said, would print and mail the card. Until SB 385 is finalized — likely, closer to year’s end — BSIS is seeking design and development solutions to meet the bill’s requirements and “conceivably” scale to its entire licensing population.
“BSIS anticipates that other licensees’ groups will pursue similar legislation and ‘enhanced photo identification card’ licenses,” the RFI said.
• To meet the bill’s requirements, BCIS has “identified the need for third party solutions to obtain and store digital photographs and to provide secure centralized production, printing and mailing services for enhanced photo identification cards” to licensees. The solution should also need technology to capture, store and print licensees’ photos and personal information.
“The solution should be scalable, secure, and allow for incremental additional volumes of licenses to provide maximum value, minimize cyber and physical security risks and minimize disruption of licensing activities,” the RFI said.
• Responses are due by 5 p.m. Feb. 14, but it’s unclear whether the RFI will lead to an RFP “as the Bureau is considering all potential options,” DCA said. Should next steps include an RFP, all new systems would have to be tested and launch-ready by Dec. 1.
