NY Gen Bus L § 73 (2021)
2021 New York Laws GBS - General Business Article 7 - Private Investigators, Bail Enforcement Agents and Watch, Guard and Patrol Agencies 73 - Enforcement of Article; Investigations.

§  73.  Enforcement  of  article;  investigations. 1. The secretary of   state shall have the power to enforce the provisions of this article and   article seven-A of this chapter and upon complaint of any person, or  on   his   own  initiative,  to  investigate  any  violation  thereof  or  to   investigate the business, business practices and business methods of any   person, firm, limited  liability  company,  partnership  or  corporation   applying  for  or  holding  a  license  as  a private investigator, bail   enforcement agent or watch, guard or patrol agency, if in the opinion of   the secretary of  state  such  investigation  is  warranted.  Each  such   applicant  or  licensee shall be obliged, on request of the secretary of   state, to supply such information, books, papers or records  as  may  be   required  concerning  his,  their or its business, business practices or   business methods, or proposed business practices or methods. Failure  to   comply  with a lawful request of secretary shall be a ground for denying   an application for a license, or for revoking, suspending, or failing to   renew a license issued under this article.2. For the purpose of enforcing the provisions  of  this  article  and   article  seven-A  of this chapter, and in making investigations relating   to any violation thereof, and  for  the  purpose  of  investigating  the   character,  competency  and  integrity  of  the  applicants or licensees   hereunder, and for the purpose of investigating the  business,  business   practices  and  business methods of any applicant or licensee, or of the   officers or agents thereof, the department  of  state,  acting  by  such   officer  or  person  in  the  department  as  the secretary of state may   designate, shall have the power to subpoena and bring before the officer   or person so designated  any  person  in  this  state  and  require  the   production  of  any  books, records or papers which he deems relevant to   the inquiry and administer an oath to and take testimony of  any  person   or  cause  his  deposition  to  be  taken,  except that any applicant or   licensee or officer or agent thereof  shall  not  be  entitled  to  fees   and/or  mileage. A subpoena issued under this section shall be regulated   by the civil practice law and rules. Any person,  duly  subpoenaed,  who   fails  to  obey  such  subpoena without reasonable cause or without such   cause refuses to be  examined  or  to  answer  any  legal  or  pertinent   question  as  to  the  character  or  qualification of such applicant or   licensee or such applicant's or licensee's business, business  practices   and  methods  or  such violations, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The   testimony of witnesses in any investigative proceeding  shall  be  under   oath,  which  the  secretary  of  state  or  one  of  his deputies, or a   subordinate of the department of state designated by  the  secretary  of   state,  may administer, and wilful false swearing in any such proceeding   shall be perjury.3. Licensees hereunder must maintain such records as the secretary  of   state by rule determines and in addition, the secretary may prescribe by   rule that further records be kept by certain classes of licensees.