Governor Bill Ritter, Democrat, Vetoes Interior Design Bill
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On June 1, 2007, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. vetoed Senate Bill 07-84, “Concerning the Creation of a Database for Interior Designers and Making an Appropriation Therefore.” The Bill would have required the State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors to create a database of Registered Interior Designers who had graduated from an interior design school and obtained their NCIDQ certification.

Governor Ritter, in his veto message, stated:

The statutory purpose of professional licensure is to ensure a minimum level of competency and practice standards for a profession in order to protect the public. Proponents of this legislation contend the purpose of this bill is to simplify the process for interior designers to obtain a building permit. However, local building departments already have the ability to issue building permits to qualified persons and businesses. More importantly, this regulation does not have a public safety element.

Interior designers are not trained to create or modify plans that involve the structural soundness of a commercial, industrial, or multi-family building. The construction or modification of those building types requires the expertise of a licensed architect or engineer. Currently, building departments will review plans for other types of projects when submitted by non-licensed individuals. This bill does nothing to change those existing practices.

A designer’s education, experience, and private certification demonstrate a high level of expertise in his or her field. However, I believe that it is inappropriate to use powers of the state to provide the type of additional recognition provided for in Senate Bill 84.

The Governor, in vetoing this Bill, has acknowledged what the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Sunset Review determined that the unregulated practice of interior design has not resulted in significant harm to Colorado consumers and that the regulation of interior designers was unnecessary.

To read the full copy of Governor Ritter’s veto message, click here.

(From the NKBA website)