Interior designers urge Board to oppose bill that would remove them from state licensing board

Registered interior designers and allied groups urged the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners on Feb. 5 to oppose Senate Bill 2224, part of the governor's package, which would remove interior-design registration and put land surveyors on the board.

At a packed meeting and during two public-comment periods, speakers argued that the change would be far more than an administrative streamlining. "Removing regulation does not simplify the design process. It removes qualified oversight and increases the risk of costly mistakes and safety failures," said Allie Bierman, IIDA chapter president and a registered interior designer, describing responsibilities such as egress planning, accessibility compliance and occupancy determinations.

Board member Melanie Doss read a prepared statement explaining that licensure and registrant oversight exist to "protect the public health, safety, and welfare" and to ensure practitioners meet education, examination and continuing-education standards. Doss asked the board to note that registered interior designers are tested (NCIDQ) and bound by continuing professional-development requirements.

Speakers including Anita Ryan (ASID Tennessee president), Kristen Vaughn (registered interior designer working in health care), Rebecca Moore (Belmont University professor) and others described practical effects if regulation were removed: reduced oversight on life-safety elements inside buildings, lost scholarship and program funding for interior-design students, an uncertain future for university programs and fewer opportunities for small Tennessee businesses to compete for federally or commercially procured work. "If we deregulate the profession, there would be really no reason for me to have gone to a school in Tennessee," said Hannah Finch of ASID, noting scholarships and student pipelines tied to registration.

Industry representatives also asked for time to review the bill's fiscal note and to conduct economic due diligence. Casey Anderson, who represents ACEC and the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers, told the board the bill is expected to move through committee channels tied to commerce. "This is part of the administration package," Anderson said, and urged stakeholders to monitor the clerk's calendars and committee notices.

Board staff and members repeatedly reminded attendees that the board itself is prohibited from lobbying or sending advocacy letters on pending legislation. Chair Frank Wagster said, "We can't, we can't engage in sort of, like, policy decisions" and advised that individual members and the public may contact legislators. Several speakers said they would continue outreach to state representatives and host advocacy meetings for design professionals.

What happens next: the bill has been filed and will proceed through normal legislative committee referral (likely commerce-related committees on each chamber), where stakeholders expect hearings and possible amendments. Interior-design groups asked for at least several weeks to analyze fiscal impacts and to coordinate with national organizations before any legislative vote.

The board did not take a formal position on the bill during the meeting; staff committed to share calendar and fiscal updates as they become available. The board also added an extra public-comment opportunity during the meeting to allow more designers to speak.

Ending: The board recessed briefly after a long public-comment period and returned to its agenda, including legal and administrative business. The larger legislative and advocacy effort will continue in Nashville, and stakeholders urged designers and allied professionals to contact their state representatives.