ASSEMBLY CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND REGULATED PROFESSIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2768

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 1, 2001

      The Assembly Consumer Affairs and Regulated Professions Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2768.

      As amended, this bill provides for the certification of interior designers by the New Jersey State Board of Architects through the Interior Design Examiners and Evaluation Committee created by this bill. Certified interior designers provide interior design services for commercial and residential spaces.

      The Interior Design Examination and Evaluation Committee consists of five certified interior designers, one of whom is a member of the New Jersey State Board of Architects.

      Applicants for such certification are required to meet education and experience requirements set forth in the bill, and pass an examination offered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). Only qualified applicants may use the title "certified interior designer." The bill does not prohibit any person who is not certified pursuant to this bill from rendering interior design services or calling themselves interior designers, but that person cannot identify himself or herself by the title "certified interior designer" unless certified in accordance with the provisions of this bill.

      Each certified interior designer is required to complete continuing education units every two years for certification renewal.

      In addition, the bill amends the definition of "closely allied professional" in section 1 of P.L.1989, c.275 (C.45:3-1.1), to mean and be limited to architects, professional engineers, land surveyors, professional planners and certified interior designers.

      The bill also increases the membership of the New Jersey State Board of Architects to 11 members, with the addition of one certified interior designer who is not a licensed architect and one architect.

      The committee amended the bill to provide that the continuing education to be approved by the Interior Design Examination and Evaluation Committee shall be in accordance with the guidelines established by the Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC). In addition, the amendments remove the provision in the bill permitting code officials to accept drawings, schedules and specifications filed by a certified interior designer for work that the certified interior designer is permitted to perform under this bill, and delete the language in the bill relating to having design related documents prepared by a certified interior designer filed for public record. The amendments also add one additional architect to the New Jersey State Board of Architects, thus increasing the membership of the board to 11 members.