Hello,

I've been a certified Interior Designer in Virginia for over 25 years. My current residence is in Chesterfield, VA. It's extremely important to me & others in my profession that Virginia will continue to have the regulations in place to certify Interior Designers. 

It's important:

1. Health, Safety & Welfare of the people in Virginia is a primary concern to Ceritfied Interior Designers. Even more so now with COVID. 

2. As a Certified Interior Designer I have met a minimum set of requirements, including education, experience, and testing. As a CID, I 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.

3. 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.

4. The Federal Government and the State of Virginia typically require an Interior Designer to be a Certified Interior Designer, to do any government work. Eliminating the regulation would exclude Virginia interior designers from these opportunities in their own state.

5. 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. I want to be able to practice as a CID in my own state.

6. This is a 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. It in no way restrictics other businesses. 

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.

Sincerely,

Susan M Lee

Ceritified Interior Designer #000385