Rep. Fred Cox (R)

HB 126 (Design Professionals - Amendments)

Libertas Institute opposes this bill.

Currently, interior designers in Utah, when seeking building permits to make modifications to certain architectural elements of an interior, must do so through a licensed architect. Some designers want the ability to work independently from them. This bill would create a new license specifically for this profession, along with a professional licensing board and new requirements for interior designers to obtain the license and legally work.

Libertas Institute opposes this bill. While we understand the burden of existing regulation on interior designers, we do not think that the solution is more regulation. A better approach would be to revisit the requirements for building permits and ensure that regulatory oversight and restrictions on design plans exist only for those items that truly impact public health and safety in a significant and verifiable way. Outside of that, design practitioners should not be placed under additional regulation.