Here is the draft comment to use:
I am a Certified Interior Designer, licensed architect, and Principal of a firm in Roanoke, Virginia. I have also held teaching positions at James Madison University and Virginia Tech. The certification of an interior designer is what distinguishers him or herself from interior decorators, hobbyists, and HGTV enthusiasts - who do not have knowledge about code implications of many decisions that go into an interior design. Interior Designers are interior architects.
In light of the pandemic and as Virginians get back to their stores, businesses, and corporate offices, it is Certified Interior Designers who are redesigning and space planning these environments to mitigate COVID risk. Our health is influenced by everything we touch in interior spaces. Disease-causing pathogens, like those that spread COVID-19, can be transferred from person to person, but also through everyday objects like office door handles, restroom grab bars, and schoolroom desks. It is critical to have interior environments that can protect our health by reducing pathogen transmission. Interior designers specify materials and finishes in 90% of residential and commercial construction and renovations and these professionals will be key in protecting the US against the virus. Regulating interior design is a sensible practice. Washington D.C., Maryland, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, all have statutes in place for the regulation of the title and/or practice of Interior Design. In total, 27 states and two federal jurisdictions regulate interior design. No jurisdiction has ever deregulated the practice of interior design. The interior design statute is not restrictive or protectionist. The title protection law—enacted during the 1990 Session of the General Assembly—does not restrict the scope of practice and serves as the framework for the voluntary certification program. While only certified interior designers may use the title “Certified,” any individual may contract with a client to render services as an interior designer, interior decorator, or similar practitioner if the client so chooses. |