87th Legislation Session: 2021

June 24, 2021

Summary of New Laws Impacting Private Security 

HB 1400  Effective September 1, 2021                                        

Caption: Relating to the creation of the criminal offense of impersonating a private investigator.                          

  • Creates the criminal offense of impersonating a private investigator: a person commits an offense if the person impersonates a private investigator with the intent to induce another to submit to the person's pretended authority or to rely on the person's pretended acts of a private investigator, or knowingly purports to exercise any function that requires licensure as a private investigator.

HB 1493  Effective September 1, 2021                    

Caption: Relating to the use of an entity name that falsely implies governmental affiliation.

  • Authorizes a governmental entity to enjoin another person's use of an entity name that falsely implies governmental affiliation.
  • In addition, the bill enables the Secretary of State, upon the written request of a governmental entity and after consultation with the attorney general, to determine within two years after the Secretary of State’s acceptance of a filing instrument that a filing entity's name falsely implies an affiliation with a governmental entity.