NY Gen Bus L § 71 (2021)
2021 New York Laws GBS - General Business Article 7 - Private Investigators, Bail Enforcement Agents and Watch, Guard and Patrol Agencies 71 - Definitions.

§  71.  Definitions.  1. "Private investigator" shall mean and include   the business of private investigator and shall also  mean  and  include,   separately  or  collectively,  the  making  for  hire, reward or for any   consideration whatsoever, of any investigation,  or  investigations  for   the  purpose  of  obtaining  information  with  reference  to any of the   following matters, notwithstanding the fact  that  other  functions  and   services  may also be performed for fee, hire or reward; crime or wrongs   done or threatened against  the  government  of  the  United  States  of   America  or  any state or territory of the United States of America; the   identity,  habits,  conduct,   movements,   whereabouts,   affiliations,   associations, transactions, reputation or character of any person, group   of persons, association, organization, society, other groups of persons,   firm  or corporation; the credibility of witnesses or other persons; the   whereabouts of missing persons; the location  or  recovery  of  lost  or   stolen  property; the causes and origin of, or responsibility for fires,   or libels, or losses, or accidents, or damage or  injuries  to  real  or   personal  property;  or  the  affiliation, connection or relation of any   person, firm or corporation with any  union,  organization,  society  or   association,  or with any official, member or representative thereof; or   with reference to any person or persons seeking employment in the  place   of  any person or persons who have quit work by reason of any strike; or   with  reference  to  the  conduct,  honesty,  efficiency,   loyalty   or   activities  of  employees,  agents, contractors, and sub-contractors; or   the securing of evidence to be used before any authorized  investigating   committee,  board  of  award,  board  of arbitration, or in the trial of   civil or criminal cases. The foregoing shall not be  deemed  to  include   the  business  of  persons licensed by the industrial commissioner under   the provisions  of  section  twenty-four-a  or  subdivision  three-b  of   section   fifty  of  the  workmen's  compensation  law  or  representing   employers  or  groups  of  employers   insured   under   the   workmen's   compensation law in the state insurance fund, nor persons engaged in the   business  of  adjusters  for  insurance  companies  nor public adjusters   licensed by the superintendent of financial services under the insurance   law of this state.1-a. "Bail enforcement agent" shall mean and include only the business   of bail enforcement and shall  also  mean  and  include,  separately  or   collectively,  the  engaging  in the business of enforcing the terms and   conditions of a person's release from custody  on  bail  in  a  criminal   proceeding,  including  locating,  apprehending  and  returning any such   person released from custody on bail who has failed  to  appear  at  any   stage  of a criminal proceeding to answer the charge before the court in   which he may be prosecuted. The foregoing shall not be deemed to include   the business  of  persons  licensed  under  the  provisions  of  section   twenty-four-a  or  subdivision  three-b of section fifty of the workers'   compensation law  or  representing  employers  or  groups  of  employers   insured under the workers' compensation law in the state insurance fund,   nor persons engaged in the business of adjusters for insurance companies   nor  public  adjusters  licensed  by  the  superintendent  of  financial   services under the insurance law  of  this  state  or  the  business  of   private  investigator,  watch,  guard or patrol agency or security guard   company.2. "Watch, guard or patrol agency" shall mean and include the business   of watch, guard or patrol  agency  and  shall  also  mean  and  include,   separately  or  collectively,  the  furnishing,  for  hire or reward, of   watchmen or guards or private patrolmen  or  other  persons  to  protect   persons  or  property  or to prevent the theft or the unlawful taking of   goods, wares and merchandise, or  to  prevent  the  misappropriation  or   concealment of goods, wares or merchandise, money, bonds, stocks, choses    in  action,  notes  or other valuable documents, papers, and articles of   value, or to procure the return thereof or the performing of the service   of such guard or other person for any of said  purposes.  The  foregoing   shall  not  be deemed to include the business of persons licensed by the   industrial commissioner under the provisions of section twenty-four-a or   subdivision three-b of section fifty of the workmen's  compensation  law   or  representing  employers  or  groups  of  employers insured under the   workmen's compensation law in the  state  insurance  fund,  nor  persons   engaged  in the business of adjusters for insurance companies nor public   adjusters licensed by the superintendent of financial services under the   insurance law of this state.3. The term the "business  of  private  investigator,"  and  the  term   "private  investigator" shall mean and include any person, firm, limited   liability company, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of   private investigator as defined in subdivision one of this section  with   or  without  the  assistance  of  any  employee  or  employees. The term   "business of watch, guard or patrol agency" and the term  "watch,  guard   or  patrol  agency"  shall  mean  and  include any person, firm, limited   liability company, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of   watch, guard or patrol agency as defined  in  subdivision  two  of  this   section  or  the  business  of  a  security  guard company as defined in   subdivision five of  section  eighty-nine-f  of  this  chapter  with  or   without the assistance of any employee or employees. For the purposes of   this article, a public entity as defined in subdivision seven of section   eighty-nine-f of this chapter or a security guard company which utilizes   security guards solely for its own proprietary use shall not be deemed a   security guard company.4.  The  term  "business of bail enforcement agent" and the term "bail   enforcement agent" shall mean and include  any  person,  firm,  company,   partnership  or  corporation engaged in the business of bail enforcement   as defined in subdivision one-a of this  section  with  or  without  the   assistance of any employee or employees.