S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1141
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the  requirements  for
   certification for certified interior designers
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 8305 of the education law, as added by chapter  905
 of  the laws of 1990, paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 as amended by chap-
 ter 653 of the laws of 1993, is amended to read as follows:
   § 8305. Requirements for certification.   1. To  qualify  for  certif-
 ication  to  use  the  title "certified interior designer", an applicant
 shall fulfill all the following requirements:
   (a) Application: file an application with the department;
   (b) Education: have [received at least  seven  years  of  professional
 training  consisting  of  academic study and work experience relating to
 interior design and in accordance with the  commissioner's  regulations.
 These  seven  years  shall  contain  at least two but not more than five
 years of post secondary education, including an associate degree or  the
 equivalent,  in  an  approved program of interior design] MET THE EDUCA-
 TIONAL REQUIREMENTS REQUIRED TO SIT FOR  AN  EXAMINATION  OFFERED  BY  A
 NATIONAL  CERTIFYING  ORGANIZATION  FOR  INTERIOR  DESIGN PROFESSIONALS,
 PROVIDED THAT SUCH CERTIFYING ORGANIZATION IS APPROVED  BY  THE  COMMIS-
 SIONER;
   (c)  Experience: have MET experience [satisfactory to the board and in
 accordance with  the  commissioner's  regulations]  REQUIREMENTS  DEEMED
 NECESSARY  TO  SIT  FOR  AN EXAMINATION OFFERED BY A NATIONAL CERTIFYING
 ORGANIZATION FOR INTERIOR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS PROVIDED THAT SUCH CERTI-
 FYING ORGANIZATION IS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER;
   (d) Examination: (1) pass an examination satisfactory to the board  in
 accordance with the commissioner's regulations, and (2) [pass a separate
 examination  satisfactory  to the board relative to the fire, safety and

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03484-01-5
              

 S. 1141                             2

 building codes of the state] PROVIDE  A  VERIFICATION  FROM  A  NATIONAL
 CERTIFYING ORGANIZATION FOR INTERIOR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS THAT AN APPLI-
 CANT  HAS  PASSED AN EXAMINATION OFFERED BY SUCH CERTIFYING ORGANIZATION
 FOR  INTERIOR  DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, AND THAT THE APPLICANT IS A CERTIF-
 ICATE HOLDER IN GOOD STANDING  FROM  SUCH  CERTIFYING  ORGANIZATION  FOR
 INTERIOR  DESIGN  PROFESSIONALS, PROVIDED THAT SUCH CERTIFYING ORGANIZA-
 TION IS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER;
   (e) Age: be at least twenty-one years of age;
   (f) Citizenship: meet no requirements as to United States citizenship;
   (g) Character: be of good moral character as determined by the depart-
 ment; and
   (h) Fees: pay a fee of three hundred dollars  to  the  department  for
 admission  to  the  two  department  conducted  examinations  and for an
 initial license, a fee of one hundred fifty dollars for each  reexamina-
 tion,  a  fee  of one hundred thirty-five dollars for an initial license
 for persons not requiring admission to a department  conducted  examina-
 tion,  and a fee of two hundred ten dollars for each triennial registra-
 tion period.
   2. On recommendation of the board, the department may exempt:
   (a) from the requirement of  subparagraph  one  of  paragraph  (d)  of
 subdivision  one  of  this  section, an applicant who holds a license of
 certification to practice as an interior designer issued to [him or her]
 THE APPLICANT upon examination by a legally constituted board of examin-
 ers in any other state or political subdivision of  the  United  States,
 provided  that at the time the license or certificate was issued by such
 state or political subdivision the applicant  met  the  requirements  of
 paragraph  (b)  of  subdivision one of this section for certification to
 use the title "certified interior designer" established by this article;
 [or]
   (b) from the requirements specified in paragraph  (b)  of  subdivision
 one  of  this  section  provided the applicant submits, prior to January
 first, nineteen  hundred  ninety-six,  satisfactory  evidence  that  the
 applicant  has  [held himself or herself out as] PRESENTED THE APPLICANT
 TO BE an interior designer and has prepared interior design documents in
 accordance with the  requirements  set  forth  in  section  eighty-three
 hundred three of this article for a minimum of seven years, has received
 a  secondary  school  diploma or equivalent, and has passed the examina-
 tions  required  under  paragraph  (d)  of  subdivision  one   of   this
 section[.]; OR
   (C)  FROM  THE  REQUIREMENTS  OF  SUBPARAGRAPH ONE OF PARAGRAPH (B) OF
 SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, AN ARCHITECT LICENSED UNDER ARTICLE ONE
 HUNDRED FORTY-SEVEN OF THIS CHAPTER.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing  the  date  upon which it  shall have become a law.  Effective imme-
 diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
 necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective  date  are
 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.