It is, she says, “the biggest issue in interior design today.”

“It” is whether to impose licensing, and “she” is Lynne Ford Breyer, the former IFDA president, writing to ask why I’ve never addressed the issue in my writing.

If any of you have any thoughts on licensing, please share them.

In the meantime, I’ve included Lynne’s comments below:

 I was the first to actively oppose licensing when it raised it’s ugly head in my state of Arizona. 

No other state had ever developed any opposition to licensing, primarily because in all 26 states where there is some type of licensing, it was done quietly under the radar outside the view of the design community.  I made this an issue in 2003 and believe me, I was a voice crying in the wilderness!

But I did considerable research, speaking with licensing law administrators in about half the states as well as speaking with designers in states that had licensing and came to the conclusion that licensing, due to it’s extremely proprietary nature and form, was a predatory attempt by ASID to control the design industry.

Now, six years later, there is a huge opposition movement growing in this country with many opposition groups forming.  Where these groups have formed or where there has been a strong opposition to licensing, lawmakers have refused to enact such laws.  In fact, since 2005, no such laws have been put on the books although the state of New York does have a law sitting on Gov. Paterson’s desk awaiting signature.

 If you are committed to doing a piece on this issue, I would like to be the person you interview on the opposition side.  And I urge you to select a knowledgeable person on the pro-licensing side. 

Designers will come to their own decision about licensing when presented with the facts. 

To get you started, you can review the ASID website on the pro side and go to www.ij.org and search Designing Cartels for their study on licensing and also you can go to www.reason.org and search Adam B. Summers for his study on occupational licensing in general but it refers specifically to interior design licensing. 

Also, you might want to read The New Unions published by Forbes earlier this year and the George Will column, Wallpapering with Red Tape for their views.  I would refer you to pro-licensing articles but there have been none except those put out by ASID, which you can find from them.

Those against licensing: NARI, AIA, IDS, NKBA, the Institute for Justice, National Homebuilders Assoc, the governors of Indiana and Colorado, multiple grassroots organizations including ours in Arizona, www.azidalert.org with links to others. 

And you might want to read the opinion of the Alabama Supreme court from November 2007 which strikes down their Practice Act as being unconstitutional.  Another law in New Mexico took all the teeth out of their Title Law and there is currently a suit pending in Texas against their Title Law with others to come.

Again, I appreciate your response and your interest.  Licensing is the major element that will affect the practice of interior designers and the ancillary businesses that depend on those designers for their business.

Memento Vivere (Remember to live),

Lynne