Relating to the practice of interior design, providing penalties, and including effective date provisions

This bill relates to the practice of interior design in Iowa. The bill is organized in divisions. DIVISION I —— INTERIOR DESIGN PRACTICE. This division of the bill relates to the practice of interior design. The bill changes the defined term “interior design” to “interior design practice”. The bill defines “interior design practice” as including the preparation of interior technical submissions, defined in the bill as a design that establishes the scope of an interior design project, and removes an exclusion from the term for services that constitute the practice of architecture. The bill also lists certain practices that constitute interior design practice that do not constitute interior design practice. The bill includes definitions for certain terms relating to the scope of interior design practice. The bill requires each registered interior designer to have a reproducible seal or facsimile. The registered interior designer may use a seal to sign and seal interior technical submissions, or a portion thereof, but only to the extent that such submissions cover interior design practice that the registered interior designer is competent to perform. Such signed and sealed interior technical submissions shall be accepted by state or local government entities to satisfy requirements for the issuance of a permit for an interior alteration or construction project. A registered interior designer shall not sign and seal an interior technical submission that was not prepared by or under the supervision and control of the registered interior designer, unless that interior technical submission was prepared by or under the supervision and control of another registered interior designer. A person who intentionally affixes the signature or seal of a registered interior designer to an interior technical submission without the permission of the registered interior designer, uses or attempts to use the interior design registration or seal of another, impersonates a registered interior designer, obtains or attempts to obtain registration from the interior design practice registration board by fraud, or makes any willfully false oath or affirmation to the board is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than days or a fine of at least $65 but not more than $625 or by both. The bill requires a registered interior designer to avoid conflicts of interest. When a conflict of interest cannot be avoided, the bill creates a mandatory series of procedures for the registered interior designer to perform. The bill repeals a Code section relating to transition provisions for the registration of certain interior designers that is no longer in effect by its own terms. The bill gives the interior design practice examining board emergency rulemaking authority to implement the provisions of the bill. DIVISION II —— CONFORMING CHANGES. This division of the bill makes conforming changes by changing references to “interior design” to “interior design practice”. DIVISION III —— EFFECTIVE DATE. The bill takes effect upon enactment.