My name is Laura Hild and I live and work in Virginia. I write this comment in STRONG support of the continued regulation of the interior design profession  in Virginia.

I live in Richmond, Virginia and work at HKS, Inc. in downtown Richmond.  I have spent my career designing the interior architecture for many markets that include, healthcare, commercial, aviation, and sports related projects.  I wrote a two page letter back in 2011 to the Governor, Senator, and Delegate of Virginia pleading for continued regulation of interior design.  It's unfortunate that we as designers have to continue to defend this regulation.  When I wrote my letter almost ten years ago it included many of the points given to you below and this continues to still be the argument.  I would also argue that the current pandemic that we are dealing with has currently changed the way we are designing interior spaces and will continue to do so for some time to come.  My knowledge specifically with designing for healthcare interiors and infection has brought tremendous value to navigating this new era we find ourselves in.  Part of that knowledge is based on knowing the AIA Healthcare Guidelines when designing the interior of a healthcare environment.  I would also add that we are in a world in which climate change and the environment is reaching a tipping point.  We spend 90% of our time indoors (I would argue even more so now given the pandemic) in which we are at increased risk of the chemicals in which we breath from everyday building materials.  The knowledge for specifying healthy interior materials not only helps with contributing to the health of the individual but can also help to play a role in reducing the impact that it may have on the environment (life cycle of the product). These points continue to underline that regulating certified interior designers assures the Public, that the designers have the education, passed examination, and the experience to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.

It is clear, eliminating regulation of Interior Design would gravely harm Virginia Certified Interior Designers, Interior Design small businesses, and others in the Commonwealth. For example:

– In order to hold a position on a corporate board for a “Professional Corporation,” the employee must be licensed or certified in their profession by the Commonwealth. Eliminating the interior design regulation would prevent interior designers from serving on the board of architectural-interior design and interior design-only firms.

– RFPs (Request for Proposals) and RFQs (Request for Qualifications) in the Commonwealth of Virginia and for Federal Government Projects that include Interior Design Services require that the Interior Designer providing these services be a Certified Interior Designer. Eliminating the regulation would bar Virginia interior designers from submitting for these proposals.

– Job postings for Interior Designers in the Commonwealth and for Federal departments typically require an Interior Designer to be a Certified Interior Designer. Eliminating the regulation would exclude Virginia interior designers from these opportunities.

In Virginia, of the 1,272 interior design establishments in the Commonwealth, 96% are small businesses of four or fewer employees. 83% of these small businesses are women or minority owned. Eliminating interior design regulation would crush these entrepreneurs and small businesses because of the reasons listed in this comment.

Eliminating the Interior Design statute would also harm the Commonwealth. Being a Certified Interior Designer in the Commonwealth provides the public with knowledge that a minimum set of requirements, including education, experience, and testing, has been met. Certified Interior Designers do complex design drafting work in large public and code-regulated spaces like hotels, hospitals, corporate offices, and multifamily housing where public life-safety is implicated. CIDs have a knowledge of building codes, standards, and other laws and regulations that are essential to the safe construction of public and other code-regulated buildings.

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.

Eliminating the voluntary regulation of interior design in Virginia is bad public policy. Continued regulation is vital to the practice, profession, industry, consumers, and the public’s health, safety, and welfare. I ask you to not eliminate the regulation of this profession.

Thank you.