Advocacy leaders continue to make legislative strides, pushing the envelope and solidifying real legislative change for the profession. From bill wins to collaborative efforts, these leaders are shaping the future of the profession one win at a time.

Northern Pacific Chapter Celebrates Idaho and Washington

“Our advocacy efforts, led by Katie Edwards, IIDA, Mae Myers, IIDA, and the Consortium for Interior Design – Idaho, have been nothing short of extraordinary, writes VP of Advocacy (Washington) Cecilia Arroyo, IIDA. “We are thrilled to announce a historic milestone: House Bill 790 has been signed into law. Following its successful passage through the legislature, the Governor signed the bill on March 30. This victory is a testament to the dedication and collective spirit of the entire Northwest design community. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the designers, students, and architects whose tireless testimony propelled this movement forward. This is a monumental step toward greater professional recognition and advancement in Idaho, and we look forward to sharing more updates as this progress continues.”

Meanwhile, the Washington advocacy team, led by Arroyo, Megan Onley, IIDA and IIDA International Board president Stacey Crumbaker, IIDA, has also made strides. “We reached a major milestone this year by drafting and presenting our Version 4 bill during a legislative informational hearing,” continues Arroyo. “We extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who testified, submitted comments, and supported us before the House Consumer Protection & Business Committee. This experience was invaluable, and we are already looking ahead to the next session with renewed focus. In collaboration with the AIA Washington Council, the Consortium will refine the bill’s next iteration, informed by the ICOR Scope Overlap Report—a national framework designed to clarify professional roles and incidental practice overlap. We are also planning a “lessons learned” session to ensure our advocates are fully prepared for the fast-paced 2027 legislative session.”

Missouri on the Move

“I’m thrilled to share that the interior design legislation in both the House and Senate have passed out of committee in Missouri for the first time ever!” exclaims VP of Advocacy (Mid-America) Katie Kenagy, IIDA. “This is a huge step forward and is the furthest that interior design legislation has progressed in this multi-year journey. We are now focusing our efforts on reaching out to all legislators to ask for their support on the larger chamber floors.”

For the 3rd year in a row, Missouri, represented by both IIDA Mid-America and IIDA Gateway, has active legislation that, if passed, would take the state from a Title Act to Commercial Practice Act. After pre-filing bills in both the Missouri House and Senate in late 2025, both were referred to committee early in the 2026 legislative session and hearings were held in February.

On March 10, the Senate Committee on Emerging Issues & Professional Registration adopted a Senate Committee Substitute for SB 991 and after review and discussion, it passed unanimously with a 6-0 vote! In addition, the House Committee on Professional Registration & Licensure convened on March 11 to discuss licensure issues for other professions at which time an “omnibus professional licensure bill” was created. The committee Chairman further amended the omnibus bill to include HB 2353 at which point the committee passed it with a 16-1 vote.

Massachusetts at Ways and Means

For the start of 2026 and the second half of this legislative session, Massachusetts is focusing on continuing to build connections and have conversations with the House Bill H.4354 and Senate Bill S.2620 Ways and Means legislators and staff,” says VP of Advocacy (Massachusetts) Amanda Vigneau, IIDA. “In the coming months, both Committees will look at our bill and we will wait for them to favorably report it out of the Committee. We are hopeful this will move more quickly, especially with the successful passage out of the Senate last term.”

Nebraska: Progress, Protection, and Opportunity

Stacy Spale, IIDA, VP of Advocacy (Nebraska), IIDA Great Plains, writes: “This legislative session, a bill was introduced that would have applied sales tax to interior design services, while notably excluding architecture, landscape architecture, and engineering. This created an uneven and concerning precedent for our profession. Thanks to coordinated advocacy efforts from designers, allied professionals, and legislative partners, the bill did not advance. This outcome reflects the strength of our collective voice and reinforces the importance of continued engagement in policy discussions that impact the profession at large.

“At the same time, Nebraska continues to build on the success of the Interior Design Registration Act. Notably, 64% of eligible IIDA Great Plains Nebraska designers have already registered—a strong indicator of industry alignment and commitment to professional advancement.

“Nebraska offers one of the most accessible pathways to registration in the country. Out-of-state NCIDQ-certified designers can obtain registration for just $50 for a two-year stamp.

If you are practicing in or doing work in Nebraska, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Registration enhances your ability to practice, increases professional credibility, and strengthens our collective advocacy voice.”

Rhode Island Gains Traction

VP of Advocacy (Rhode Island), Stephanie McGoldrick, IIDA, shares that on March 10, members of the Consortium for Interior Design Rhode Island testified before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of the Interior Design Practice Act. “A total of 12 individuals provided verbal testimony, including small business owners, architects, designers, and educators,” she says. “In addition, more than 20 letters of support were also submitted. The bill is currently being held by the committee for further review.” The team also testified before the House Committee on Corporations on April 2. “Following these hearings, we plan to meet with the Speaker of the House and the Senate President to further advocate for the legislation and work toward advancing the bills favorably out of committee.”

“Additionally, on March 25, we hosted an engaging and informative event, Bills + Bingo, designed to educate designers and industry partners about advocacy and legislation while supporting our fundraising efforts. The event drew approximately 40 attendees and raised over $700 for the Consortium for Interior Design-Rhode Island.”

California’s Outreach

On behalf of Northern and Southern California, VP of Advocacy (Northern California), Mary Oliver, IIDA writes: California Northern and Southern chapters have been hard at work this year and last on introducing AB1796, which would create a license for interior designers in California.” The team has held meetings with a variety of stakeholders to discuss the bill. “While we have made good progress, there is still a lot of work to be done. We are actively receiving support letters from large firms in the area, and asking them to urge AIA to support as well.”

“Throughout the state, chapters and city centers have been holding town halls to answer questions about the bill and advocacy, with our bill author even popping into one in Sacramento! We testified at the CCIDC sunset review hearing in March and are gearing up for our own hearing in April. Beyond that, our teams continue to hold Lunch-and-Learns with firms in our local areas to educate them on our unique legislative challenges. We look forward to seeing how this year unfolds and whether AB 1796 makes its way to the governor’s desk in September.”

Learn more about IIDA's Advocacy efforts or find out how to be involved in your state.