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

                                                                               SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL

                                                                                                         IN COMMITTEE

House Bill 4378 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)

Sponsor:  Representative Andrea LaFontaine

House Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Senate Committee:  Regulatory Reform

Date Completed:  5-6-14

CONTENT

The bill would repeal Section 601a of the Occupational Code, which provides for an advisory subcommittee on interior design, and would delete a provision of the Code related to interior designers.

Interior Design Advisory Subcommittee

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. The bill would repeal Section 601a.

Registration Issuance Periods

The Code requires LARA to issue an initial or renewal license or registration within specific time frames. Those requirements do not apply to certain licenses or registrations, including an interior designer listed under the Code. The bill would delete this reference to interior designers.

MCL 339.411                                                           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 repeal 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. 

                                                                                        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.