The Impact of Senate Bill 1319: Establishing a Higher Standard for the Design Profession

Interior designers shape the environments where we live, work, and heal–from the lighting in an office to the materials and furniture selected for a healthcare facility. Their work directly impacts occupant safety, accessibility, and well-being. Yet, for years, the profession lacked clear legal recognition in Pennsylvania, often leading to confusion between interior designers and decorators.

This changed with Senate Bill 1319 (SB 1319), signed into law as Act 144 of 2024 by Governor Josh Shapiro on October 31, 2024. The legislation was the result of a two-year collaboration between the Interior Design Legislative Coalition of Pennsylvania (IDLCPA) and the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Both organizations advocated for mandatory continuing education to ensure that architects and interior designers remain informed on the latest design innovations and best practices. Pennsylvania now joins 29 other states with legislation elevating and regulating the standards of the interior design profession.

Before SB 1319, Pennsylvania interior designers faced several challenges that impacted their professional standing and the industry’s credibility. One of the primary issues was a lack of formal recognition, as interior designers were often mistaken for decorators, despite their extensive training in building codes, accessibility requirements, and safety regulations. This misunderstanding diminished the profession’s perceived value and created barriers to industry-wide standardization.

Additionally, there was limited professional representation at the state level. The Pennsylvania Architects Licensure Board previously had no dedicated interior design representative, leaving interior designers without a formal voice in regulatory decisions. Another significant challenge was the lack of an emphasis on mandatory continuing education requirements. Unlike many other states, Pennsylvania did not require Registered Architects (RAs) to complete continuing education, and interior designers certified by their professional organization had only minimal renewal requirements. This gap limited professional development and the incentive to stay current with evolving industry standards.

These challenges resulted in inconsistencies in professional qualifications, making it difficult to ensure best practices across all design sectors. By addressing these gaps, SB 1319 establishes a stronger foundation for interior designers and RAs in Pennsylvania.

SB 1319 establishes a higher standard of excellence for interior designers in Pennsylvania, benefiting multiple stakeholders. For clients, the legislation creates the protected title of Certified Interior Designer (CID), distinguishing individuals that have the expertise to meet safety, accessibility, and building code requirements, which fosters greater confidence in the quality and compliance of the interior spaces they design.

Project teams also stand to gain as the law strengthens collaboration between architects, interior designers, engineers, contractors, and other teaming partners, ensuring a more integrated approach to creating high-quality, code-compliant spaces. The building codes studied by CIDs impact every design sector, ensuring health and safety in a wide range of environments, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions, workplaces, laboratories, and civic spaces.

This legislation introduces several critical updates to Pennsylvania’s regulatory framework for interior design. Most notably, it establishes the CID title, which may only be used by individuals who have successfully passed the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam. To obtain this certification, candidates must complete specialized education, supervised work experience, and a three-part national exam covering building systems, construction standards, contract administration, and project coordination.

SB 1319 also establishes continuing education requirements, mandating that CIDs complete 24 hours of continuing education, with 12 hours specifically focused on health, safety, and wellness. RAs are now subject to the same 24-hour continuing education requirement, ensuring that both architects and interior designers stay current with the latest safety protocols and best practices.

Lastly, the Pennsylvania Architects Licensure Board must now include a Certified Interior Designer, ensuring that the profession has a representative voice in regulatory decisions that impact the industry.

At IKM Architecture (IKM), we view SB 1319 as a positive step forward in strengthening the interior design and architecture professions. The built environment impacts occupant well-being, and architects and designers have a responsibility to understand and apply the latest codes and best practices. Interior designers bring far more to a project than aesthetics–they apply technical expertise, code compliance, and safety-driven design strategies that shape functional and impactful spaces. This is especially crucial for our healthcare clients, where interior design directly impacts patient outcomes and staff well-being.  

Our interior designers push the boundaries of traditional interior design, and SB 1319 affirms this commitment. They do this by attending industry-leading events like the National Exposition of Contract Interior Furnishings (NeoCon), which further allows our team to expand their knowledge of design trends and innovative products. IKM also provides support for the NCIDQ exam through access to study materials and dedicated time for preparation. We celebrate our designers’ milestone achievements office-wide and empower their professional growth within a supportive and collaborative environment. IKM has always incorporated curiosity and continuing education into our values through conference attendance and lunch and learns. SB 1319 aligns with our dedication to continuously advancing our knowledge and evolving our processes for more impactful solutions. We encourage our designers to work across multiple project types and become integrated into projects early on. Including interior designers in discussions at the beginning of the project lifecycle leads to stronger team collaboration and allows their insights to help shape each phase, from concept to construction, ensuring well-coordinated, thoughtfully designed environments that enhance both form and function. This insight also provides the project team with a well-rounded understanding of requirements and factors such as occupant health and safety, leading to more effective and tailored solutions for our clients and the broader community.

IKM’s interior designers have been recognized for their exceptional work by the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), winning first place in the Hospitals category at the national 2024 Healthcare Design Awards for the Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Forbes Hospital Emergency Department Behavioral Health project. The interior design of the Carnegie Mellon University Forbes Beeler Apartments also received first place in the Living category at IIDA’s Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Chapter awards in 2024.

SB 1319 reinforces IKM’s ongoing commitment to advancing knowledge, upholding design excellence, and delivering high-quality environments. We are excited to see Pennsylvania formally recognize the expertise of interior designers, and we look forward to continuing to contribute to the profession’s growth.

_{Editor: Ashley Poore; Graphic Designer: Jessica Sandy; Contributors: Madeline Oppelt, Whitney Livsey, Zachmann Skala, Katie Gumina}