Relating to registered interior design and providing penalties

Sponsored by the Senate State Government Committee

Topics:State government Professional licensing

Same legislation: SF 27

Write your legislators about itWhat changed before it passed

Official bill page Lobbyist declarations One-pager to print

Where it is now

Done: IntroducedJanuary 10, 2023
Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 12, 2023
Done: Senate committeeJanuary 25, 2023
Done: Passes the SenateFebruary 8, 202349–0
Done: House committeeMarch 21, 2023
Done: Passes the HouseApril 3, 202395–0
Done: To the GovernorApril 26, 2023
Done: Signed into lawApril 27, 2023

Signed into law What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

AI summary Iowa is updating the rules for what counts as registered interior design and how professionals must work. Registered interior designers will now use a special seal on their technical plans and must avoid conflicts of interest when working for clients. People who pretend to be designers or use someone else's seal without permission could face criminal charges.¹

Read the official explanation

This bill relates to the practice of interior design in Iowa. The bill changes the defined term “interior design” to “registered interior design” and includes specific practices that do and do not constitute the practice of registered interior design. The bill makes conforming Code changes. The bill exempts from regulation under Code chapter 544C (registered interior designers) persons engaged in an activity traditionally performed by an interior designer in a noncommercial setting and persons acting under the instruction, control, or supervision of a registered interior designer, provided that person is not in charge of interior technical submissions, defined in the bill. The bill requires a registered interior designer to have a seal with which to identify all interior technical submissions issued by the registered interior designer for use in this state. A registered interior designer shall only sign and seal an interior technical submission within the scope of registered interior design and which was prepared by the registered interior designer or under the direct supervision and responsible charge of the interior designer, defined in the bill. The bill gives registered interior designers the authority to submit interior technical submissions to governmental entities for the purposes of obtaining a permit for an interior alteration or construction project, defined in the bill. The bill prohibits a registered interior designer from signing and sealing any interior technical submission that the registered interior designer is not competent to perform. The bill also prohibits a person from intentionally affixing the signature or seal of a registered interior designer without the permission of the registered interior designer, using or attempting to use the interior design registration or seal of another except as otherwise allowed, impersonating a registered interior designer, obtaining or attempting to obtain a registration by fraud, making a willfully false oath or affirmation to the interior design examining board, or, as a registered interior designer, accepting compensation that would reasonably appear to compromise the registered interior designer’s professional judgment. A person who violates this provision of the bill is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855. The bill requires a registered interior designer to avoid conflicts of interest. If an unavoidable conflict of interest arises, the bill requires a registered interior designer to immediately inform the client or employer, and to withdraw if it is not possible to faithfully discharge the responsibilities and duties owed to the client or employer. The bill prohibits a registered interior designer from taking certain actions when an unavoidable conflict of interest arises. The bill allows a registered interior designer to sign and seal an interior technical submission that is required for an interior alteration or construction project and that shall be kept as a public record. The bill requires a political subdivision of the state to accept an interior technical submission impressed with the seal or stamp of a registered interior designer. The bill repeals transition provisions in the Code that are no longer in effect.

Full bill text · What changed before it passed²

House subcommittee

Named March 8, 2023. On March 14, 2023 it recommended passage. Vote Total: 3-0.

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

Fiscal note

Can’t be estimated Compare with other bills

AI summary Senate File 135 changes the regulations for interior designers and creates a new criminal offense for using a designer's seal without permission or impersonating a registered designer. The fiscal impact of this change cannot be estimated due to a lack of existing conviction data.³

Read the fiscal note

Description

Senate File 135 relates to the practice of interior design in the State and makes the following changes: defines terms, makes conforming Iowa Code changes, provides exemptions for interior design regulations, requires registered interior designers to stamp and seal interior technical submissions they issue, provides penalties for misuse of the seal, and creates requirements for registered interior design. The Bill restricts registered interior designers from engaging in duties or actions that would result in a conflict of interest. A simple misdemeanor penalty is created under Iowa Code chapter 544C for using a registered interior designer’s seal without permission or fraudulently, or for impersonating a registered interior designer or attempting to obtain a registration by fraud.

Background

Currently, the Interior Design Examining Board and provisions regulating interior designers are established in Iowa Code chapter 544C.

A simple misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for up to 30 days and a fine of at least $105 but not more than $855.

Assumptions

The following will not change over the projection period: charge, conviction, and sentencing patterns and trends; prisoner length of stay (LOS); revocation rates; plea bargaining; and other criminal justice system policies and practices.
A lag effect of six months is assumed from the effective date of this Bill to the date of first entry of affected offenders into the correctional system.
Marginal costs for county jails cannot be estimated due to a lack of data. For purposes of this analysis, the marginal cost for county jails is assumed to be $50 per day.

Correctional Impact

Senate File 135 creates a new criminal offense. As a result, the correctional impact cannot be estimated for the Bill due to a lack of existing conviction data. A conviction for a simple misdemeanor does not result in a prison sentence, but does carry the possibility of confinement for up to 30 days. Marginal county jail costs are estimated to be $50 per day. Refer to the Legislative Services Agency (LSA) memo addressed to the General Assembly, Cost Estimates Used for Correctional Impact Statements, dated January 20, 2023, for information related to the correctional system.

Minority Impact

Senate File 135 establishes a new offense. As a result, the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning (CJJP) of the Department of Human Rights cannot use existing data to estimate the minority impact of the Bill. Refer to the LSA memo addressed to the General Assembly, Minority Impact Statement, dated January 20, 2023, for information related to minorities in the criminal justice system.

Fiscal Impact

Senate File 135 establishes a new criminal offense. The fiscal impact of this change cannot be estimated due to a lack of existing conviction data. The average State cost per offense for a simple misdemeanor ranges from $35 to $375.