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Meeting on Mandatory Certification of Designers in New York

Using the title "interior designer" would require meeting educational and other qualifications.

Dave Platter -- Interior Design, 1/12/2004 12:00:00 AM

A group known as Interior Designers for Legislation in New York, or IDLNY, is hosting a town hall meeting. On the table is legislation seeking an Interior Designer Title Act. The event will take place in New York City on Wednesday, January 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Steelcase Café, 4 Columbus Circle.

"Essentially what we are doing is protecting the title of 'interior designer,'" said Ruth Lynford, founder of IDLNY, and its legislative chair. "The purpose of this town hall is to educate all our constituents, so that they understand and support the concept. And, if they don't support it, they can tell us why," she added.

If the efforts of IDLNY are successful, anyone wishing to use the title "interior designer," New York State would be required to meet education, experience and examination requirements that are currently voluntary. Under the existing law, professionals that do meet these standards may call themselves "certified interior designers."

Mandatory certification will affect practicing professionals in different ways:

Those who are already certified will automatically be given similar status under the new law.
Those who are not currently certified, and who have been practicing interior design for at least 15 years, will be allowed to apply to the State Education Department for an exemption.
Architects and engineers will be completely exempt.
All others will need to qualify themselves according to the law if they wish to retain the words, "interior designer," on their business cards.

The law could bring sweeping changes to a profession filled with highly qualified practitioners with many years of education and experience, as well as others with very little formal preparation.

It took almost 10 years of effort by IDLNY to pass the 1990 law that created the current system of "certified interior designer." Lynford hopes things will move more quickly this time.

IDLNY's two prominent allies in the New York State Legislature should be able to help. The chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, Ronald J. Canestrari, plans to introduce the new bill in the House. The Chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, Kenneth P. LaValle, will do the same.

"We are hoping that this is done in this session," said Lynford. "I'm optimistic," and "I'm determined to get things done this year."