The state of Illinois has become the 15th state to confer independent practice rights on NCIDQ Certified interior designers. On June 10, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed HB 4715 into law, which provides a stamp that Illinois Registered Interior Designers may use to seal interior, nonstructural construction plans for permitting. Achieving this goal was a collaborative effort between state members of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).

The legislation was sponsored by Representative Margaret Croke (D) and Senator Laura Fine (D). The bill garnered wide support in both parties, exemplified by several co-sponsorships and passing with unanimous passage in both the House and the Senate. Illinois joins several states including Wisconsin and North Carolina that have committed to reasonable regulation of interior design.

“Interior designers are highly-skilled professionals who must have significant qualifications to pursue a career in the industry,” said bill sponsor State Representative Margaret Croke. “This bill will allow them to stamp their own design plans for non-structural construction, removing an unnecessary barrier for those in the industry. Interior design is a traditionally female-dominated industry, and I’m proud to lead efforts to ease the challenges they face.”

These efforts show the continued importance of reasonable regulation of interior design to protect the public in the built environment. CIDQ thanks Representative Croke and Senator Fine for their support of public protection and applauds the design professionals of Illinois who worked tirelessly on this historic achievement.