I encourage you to get honest facts from reliable sources. Unfortunately, the three organizations mentioned above have not provided honest information, because they have an agenda, to control the interior design profession in this country. For many years, I believed what they said, what they represented. In California, where I went to design school, and where my business was located for over 18 years, they have a totally different system of certification than any other state. It wasn’t until I started doing my own research — similar to what you’ll be doing — that I decided to join the fight against all legislation.

Questions for you to ponder: 1. What will happen to our free market system, if competition is obliterated by a select few? 2. Why do we need to certify or register interior designers, to protect the H, S, and W of the public, when there are building codes and building officials already doing it? 3. Has there been an outcry from the public IN FAVOR of state certification or regulation of interior designers? 4. Can anyone provide honest, reliable, factual evidence that consumers have been harmed by interior designers? To date, no one has cited any examples to provide supporting evidence in favor of legislation.

Education is very important to rise to the top of any profession, especially in today’s economy. Yes, I have lost jobs to designers who had little or no education, and much less experience. Does it make me upset? You bet! Do I want to put these designers out of business through legislation? Heck, no! Because I believe strongly in the American free market system. I believe that there are talented people who are not able to go to school, who deserve a chance to prove their worth to the interior design profession. If someone really cares about what they do, they’ll make every effort to learn, to improve as a professional.

One last question for you to ponder, about grandfathering. If the purpose of legislation is to weed out unqualified people, but they have enough proven experience and O-T-J training, they might qualify to be grandfathered. Isn’t this concept tantamount to consumer fraud? The three organizations lobbying for legislation through state coalitions rely on strict Education, Experience, and Examination requirements. Most, if not all, affiliate members of ASID and IIDA believe that they will be grandfathered, without passing the NCIDQ. Are they more qualified as a designer the day after they’re given a state certification number, than they were the day before they became certified? In the past, practicing designers could be grandfathered to obtain state certification. In most of the legislation I’ve read, grandfathering is allowed for a specific period of time, pending the applicant’s passage of the NCIDQ. No other path to certification is offered in any bill I’ve read.

Think about all of this, and do your research to make an informed decision about your future, and the future of interior design in the United States. You’ll probably come to the same conclusion that I did: Interior Design Legislation is NOT inevitable, and it is NOT NEEDED.

Diane Plesset, CMKBD, NCIDQ #13029, C.A.P.S.
IDPC-NW (Oregon Chapter)

I suppose it all goes back to educating oneself on what is actually being proposed in whatever state you work in. I don’t mean to be contrary, but I agree with the first “E,” education, and will remain skeptical about all positions, for and against legislation until I have learned the true facts myself.

If all that has been said in the recent posts have been true for my state then I might oppose legislation, but if the legislation is indeed meant to protect the health and safety of the end user, I will support legislation. We’ll see what the facts say I guess.

(I have noticed the inclusion of a “grandfather” clause in many of the proposed bills I’ve seen. Maybe that would help).

Keep up the go work. I am opposed to this attempt by Government to impose regulation on a profession that should not be. I will contact my representatives and express my opposition.

Best Regards,

Rich Coxon