REPEAL INTERIOR DESIGN SUBCOMMITTEE                                              H.B. 4378 (S-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4378 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:  Representative Andrea LaFontaine

House Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Senate Committee:  Regulatory Reform

CONTENT

The bill would repeal Section 601a of the Occupational Code, which provides for an advisory subcommittee on interior design.

Section 601a created the advisory subcommittee to verify the qualifications of interior designers who have not passed an examination but who seek qualification for the performance of interior design services on the basis of education and experience, and to recommend the qualifications of those interior designers to perform interior design services. The section allows the Director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to promulgate rules to administer it, including rules for reasonable fees charged to people seeking qualification for performing interior design services, and procedures for adding and removing individuals from the list of qualified interior designers.

MCL 339.601a                                                         Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would save the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs approximately $32,000 annually, and have no fiscal impact on local units of government.  The bill would eliminate the listing of interior designers as currently performed by LARA.  The Department has indicated that the $20 one-time listing fee paid by interior designers is not sufficient to cover the costs of maintaining the list, and that the cost of maintaining the list exceeds revenue by approximately $32,000 annually. 

Date Completed:  5-8-14                                                       Fiscal Analyst:  Josh Sefton

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.