Interior Designers play a critical role in the development of a building.  Their profession requires in depth knowledge of building codes, systems, and construction standards that protect the public’s  health, safety and welfare.  Walk into any furniture store and you will find a salesperson calling themselves an Interior Designer with no education or experience.  They do not know that commercial buildings require finishes with fire and smoke classifications.  They have no knowledge of clearances required by the American Disability Act.  An unqualified person designing buildings for public use is a disaster waiting to happen.  There must be formal education, training, and testing!  Would you want someone calling themselves “Doctor” to operate on you?  Would you take legal advice from someone who never took the Bar Exam or even went to law school?  Virginia should stop unqualified people from calling themselves Interior Designers.  Furthermore, the NCIDQ exam qualifies Interior Designers to work on Federal construction projects.  Taking away the NCIDQ certification in Virginia is taking away job opportunities for its citizens who invested time and money to become a professional interior designer.