Committee hears bill to register and regulate commercial interior designers; industry leaders stress public-safety role

Committee staff and industry witnesses described House Bill 2721 at a March 3 public hearing, saying the bill would create a registration system for commercial interior designers and expand the state board of architects to oversee the practice.

"As background, interior design is not regulated in Washington. Anyone may do interior design work, and anyone may use the title of interior designer," committee staff Megan Mulvihill told the panel while summarizing the bill. HB 2721 would require registration for commercial interior designers, define a scope of practice for nonstructural, nonseismic interior construction, and expand the state board of architects (renaming it the state board of architects and registered commercial interior designers) from seven to nine members, two of whom must be registered commercial interior designers with at least eight years of experience.

The bill would require applicants to submit evidence of education and experience, pass the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) examination, and pass a Washington state law review examination for registered commercial interior designers. Registered designers would obtain an approved seal for technical submissions and business entities offering registered commercial interior design services would register with the board. The proposal lists exemptions — for example, residential design or buildings under 4,000 square feet — and makes unauthorized practice a misdemeanor and civil penalty not to exceed $1,000 per offense. The board would also impose a $6.50 quarterly fee to the building code council for each registration and renewal.

Supporters from the International Interior Design Association and other groups testified the measure reflects multi-year collaboration with architects and model-law work.

"This legislation was put together over a year ago by a consortium of 3 groups," Michael Transtu of the IIDA told the committee, describing joint drafting with the American Society of Interior Designers and the NCIDQ. Megan Only, IIDA Northern Pacific Chapter president and an NCIDQ-certified designer, said the bill would remove barriers to ownership and leadership for interior designers because it would allow qualified designers to stamp and seal nonstructural technical work. "In our state, nearly 800 NCIDQ certified interior designers are dedicated to protecting the health, safety, and welfare in code regulated built environments," Only said.

Testimony also focused on public-safety implications in healthcare, educational and justice settings; Stacy Crumbaker, a bill co-author and NCIDQ-certified designer, said the proposal draws on national model-law efforts to define appropriate practice boundaries and preserve public protection.

Small-business implications were raised as well. Heather Hayes, a co-founder of a small design firm, said requiring another professional to stamp and seal drawings added costs that could stall projects; she described a client who paused a project because added fees amounted to "thousands of dollars." Committee members asked about how the proposal compares with other states, the diversity of the profession and the consequences of delaying enactment; witnesses said a handful of other states regulate commercial interior designers, that the bill aligns with national guidance, and offered to provide demographic data and follow-up materials.

The committee closed the public hearing on HB 2721 and adjourned without taking a vote.