ASID - PROTECTING YOUR RIGHT TO PRACTICE
Of all the opportunities now facing interior design professionals, the movement to secure interior designers' right to practice is among the most significant. ASID is the interior design profession's leader for the advocacy of interior design right-to-practice issues, building codes, public health, safety and welfare concerns, and other governmental issues relevant to the interior design profession. ASID has a full-time government and public affairs staff that includes three lobbyists registered with the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. ASID staff works with a board-appointed volunteer council - the ASID Legislative and Codes Advisory Council - to forward the Society's legislative and codes objectives.
If you have questions about legislation, building codes or ethics issues, contact the ASID Government and Public Affairs department at gpa@asid.org or call (202) 546-3480.
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Florida State Legislation
On February 4, 2010 Judge Robert Hinkle, US District Court for the Northern District of Florida released a court decision affecting interior design in the case Locke v. Shore. In summary, the Florida interior design statute was upheld and found constitutional, while the current restriction on the title ‘interior designer’ was found unconstitutional. This will now allow for anyone in the state of Florida to call themselves an interior designer.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
10/28/2009 - The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently released a formal recommendation for interior design legislation. While most of the recommendation aligns with the ASID position on legislation, some areas do not. ASID and NAHB agree that legislation should not limit, prohibit or restrict the practice of interior design, and that is important. However, the the NAHB recommendation does not recognize design's impact on the safety of the public and says laws will increase the cost of housing and remodeling. ASID believes that interior design does impact the safety of the public and legislation creates more choices for consumers that in turn decrease the cost of services. Further, existing and proposed interior design laws do not impact residential design practices or services, and ASID will continue to support legislation that ensures homebuilders and other businesses in residential settings will not be adversely affected.
Click here to read the letter ASID sent to NAHB comparing the legislative positions. ASID and NAHB share a long history of working together and ASID hopes to strengthen that relationship in the future.
INTERIOR DESIGN LEGISLATION: ADVOCATING FOR MORE
More opportunities. More choice. More consumer awareness.
Why is there a need for interior design legislation?
The interior design industry has grown considerably and so have the services interiordesigners provide. Most existing laws affecting the built environment are decades oldand do not reflect today's interior design profession. As with any growing profession,there has been a movement toward legal, state recognition to ensure that the public hasaccess to and is aware of the design services available to them.
Click here to read the full document on Interior Design Legislation.