Since its inception in late 2009, Advanced Private Investigations, a Colorado based agency, stood firmly against HB10-1012. API took on the roles of educators and opposed this proposed law, which would have seriously impinged upon both the effective management of worker’s compensation claims and the safety of Colorado surveillance investigators. API’s investigators were at the Capitol in Denver during this legislative processes, seeking to not only urge the representatives to vote ‘no’ on this bill, but to put a face to those people this bill would adversely affect.
It was an uphill battle. Educating the legislators as to what investigators do, how surveillance investigations are conducted, and why this measure was unnecessary was not an easy task. Furthermore, misinformed legislators were led astray by sensationalistic and likely exaggerated tales of private investigator misconduct, erroneous statistics and a misunderstanding of surveillance itself. The emotive result proved effective- the amendment bill made its way through the House and into the Senate before it was indefinitely suspended.
API lobbied and testified alongside allies such as the Colorado Self Insurers’ Association, the Workers’ Compensation Coalition, Pinnacol, the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado and other investigators, insurance groups, and business groups.
API realized the severe impact this bill would have had on the Insurance Claims industry. HB10-1012 was being closely watched by other states and could have been used as a template to limit surveillance and investigations in the use of insurance claims in other states. In the end, our voices united to put a stop to this bill, proving that taking action is the best way to effectively direct the outcome of legislation.