How the Proposed Arizona Interior Design Registration Act Died Before Arriving.

The Interior Design Coalition of Arizona (http://www.idca.info/index.html) has been very active and, although not successful, continues to promote legislation to regulate the title of “registered” interior designer. Their recent draft bill can be read here;

http://www.idca.info/uploads/2/9/0/7/2907520/draft_bill_02-26-2012.pdf 

PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER finds it amusing that an Allied ASID member gave this very public self promotion spiel on a local Tuscon T.V. station;

http://www.kvoa.com/videoplayer/?video_id=10047&categories=17 

Now Ms. Wachs has every right to promote her services. In fact PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER is impressed with her marketing acumen. Well played Ms. Wachs- well played.

However one (well OK-me…just me Okay…I am the sensitive one here……) has to wonder how a professional organization can covertly endeavor to promote licensure of the profession while allowing its members to publicly depict the profession as decorators- not that there is anything wrong with that.  So this is the public image of “interior design” at least in Tuscon.  

“LEOPARD IS GREAT RIGHT NOW”

Maybe we should be pursuing endangered species regulation instead.

P.S. Note to IDCA- please eliminate the term “interior design” and “interior designer” except where describing exceptions. Your bill is about “registered”interior designers performing “registered” interior design services.

Your bill starts out –

“The chapter heading of title 32, chapter 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is changed from “ARCHITECTS, ASSAYERS, ENGINEERS, GEOLOGISTS, HOME INSPECTORS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND SURVEYORS” to “ARCHITECTS, ASSAYERS, ENGINEERS, GEOLOGISTS, HOME INSPECTORS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, SURVEYORS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS”.

I would change to read-

The chapter heading of title 32, chapter 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is changed from “ARCHITECTS, ASSAYERS, ENGINEERS, GEOLOGISTS, HOME INSPECTORS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND SURVEYORS” to “ARCHITECTS, ASSAYERS, ENGINEERS, GEOLOGISTS, HOME INSPECTORS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, SURVEYORS AND REGISTERED INTERIOR DESIGNERS”.

We cannot own the term “interior design” or “interior designer”. We can own “registered interior design” or “registered interior designer”. A subtle yet critical legal nuance. IMHO.

Good Luck