New Florida Law is Good News for Interior Design Profession

July 1, 2020 – Tallahassee, FL — The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and IIDA have successfully advocated on behalf of interior designers in the state of Florida as the Deregulation of Professions & Occupations Bill was signed into law on June 30, 2020 by Governor Ron DeSantis.

Together with the support of the state’s design community and colleague organizations, such as the Council for Interior Design Qualification (CIDQ), ASID and IIDA ensured the inclusion of compromise language that maintains the integrity of the interior design profession and the safety of the public through a newly formed state interior design voluntary registry. Further, the reform encourages entry and continuation in the profession, in keeping with Governor DeSantis’ wish to streamline occupational regulations in the state.

“We are thrilled to have worked with our counterparts at IIDA and others in the Florida design community to promote commercial interior design business rights,” says Gary Wheeler, FASID, Interim CEO of ASID. “The Act’s acknowledgment of interior designers not only affords them the rights and privileges worthy of their studies, experience, and businesses but also guarantees the safety of public building clients and occupants for whom they design. We’re grateful to the Governor, Senator Ben Albritton, Representative Blaise Ingoglia, and the entire Florida Legislature for recognizing the power design—and designers—have to impact lives.”

“The advocacy efforts of IIDA and our partners at ASID have always been about promoting reasonable regulations for interior designers without hindering opportunity for anyone working within the design profession,” says IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA. “We are excited that this reform in Florida allows interior design practice rights while eliminating unnecessary burdens, thus creating better public policy.”

Thanks to these successful lobbying efforts, the law maintains:

1. The title “Registered Interior Designer” for qualified designers
2. The interior design positions on the Board of Architecture & Interior Design
3. The interior design construction document stamp for plan review
4. “Registered Interior designers” within the statutory definition of “registered design professional”

Specific language of the law notes: “A person seeking to obtain a certificate of registration as a registered interior designer and a seal pursuant to s. 481.221 must provide the department with his or her name and address and written proof that he or she has successfully passed the qualification examination prescribed by the Council for Interior Design Qualification or its successor entity or has successfully passed an equivalent exam as determined by the department. Any person who is licensed as an interior designer by the department and who was in good standing, Engrossed 3 as of July 1, 2020, is eligible to obtain a certificate of registration as a registered interior designer.”

Under the new law, the reasonable and more narrowly tailored regulation of commercial interior designers will continue. The reform’s primary change is the establishment of a registration, which will replace a mandatory license, for commercial interior designers who wish to practice independently with use of their own construction document stamp. It further clarifies that state regulation is not required to perform all forms of interior design and interior decorator services. These changes will go into effect on July 1, 2020.

Cited as the “Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act, “ HB 1193 Deregulation of Professions & Occupations was signed into law on June 30 by Governor DeSantis. You can find the entire text here at BillTrack50.