AB324,1,6 1An Act to repeal 440.962 (1) (a), 440.962 (1) (b), 440.962 (1) (c), 440.962 (1) (d)
2and 440.964; to renumber 440.96 (2); to renumber and amend 440.96 (1); to
3amend
440.965; and to create 440.96 (1g), 440.96 (2m), 440.96 (3), 440.962 (1)
4(am), 440.968 (1) (e), 440.9693 and 440.9696 of the statutes; relating to:
5registration and the scope of practice of interior designers and granting
6rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes the following changes to the registration and practice of interior
designers:
1. Requires a person to pass an interior design examination administered by
an organization approved by the Department of Safety and Professional Services in
order to be granted an initial certificate of registration as an interior designer by
DSPS. Under current law, a person must pass an interior design examination
administered by a national organization that establishes standards for the interior
design profession and that is recognized by DSPS or an examination conducted or
approved by DSPS that is substantially similar.
2. Eliminates several requirements for obtaining an initial registration as an
interior designer, including the requirement under current law to complete an
interior design education program of a certain length of time and have certain
amounts of practical experience in interior design.

3. Makes various changes to the scope of interior design.
4. Requires DSPS to promulgate rules establishing specifications for interior
design seals and stamps and requires a registered interior designer to impress the
seal or stamp on certain documents prepared by the interior designer.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB324,1 1Section 1. 440.96 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 440.96 (1r) and amended
2to read:
AB324,2,103 440.96 (1r) “Interior design" means the design of interior spaces as a part of
4an interior alteration or construction project
in conformity with public health, safety
5and welfare requirements, including the preparation of documents relating to
6interior life safety, space planning, finish materials, furnishings, fixtures, and
7equipment and the preparation of documents interior technical submissions relating
8to interior construction that does not substantially affect the mechanical or
9structural systems of a building. “Interior design" does not include services that
10constitute the practice of architecture or the practice of professional engineering.
AB324,2 11Section 2. 440.96 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB324,2,1512 440.96 (1g) “Interior alteration or construction project” means a project for an
13interior space or area within a proposed or existing building or structure, including
14construction, modification, renovation, rehabilitation, or historic preservation, that
15involves changing or altering any of the following:
AB324,2,1616 (a) The design function or layout of rooms.
AB324,2,1717 (b) The state of permanent fixtures or equipment.
AB324,3,3
1(c) The interior space or area if the change or alteration requires verification
2of the compliance of the interior space or area with a building code, fire code, the
3federal Americans with Disabilities Act, or state or local regulations.
AB324,3,44 (d) Interior office furniture.
AB324,3,55 (e) Nonstructural elements of the interior space or area.
AB324,3 6Section 3. 440.96 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 440.96 (4).
AB324,4 7Section 4. 440.96 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:
AB324,3,138 440.96 (2m) “Interior life safety” means the analysis, development,
9interpretation, review, and employment of space plans or interior components for
10existing or proposed interior spaces to provide for compliance with a building code
11or other law, ordinance, or rule to eliminate, reduce, or control life-threatening or
12health-threatening situations, including to provide for egress or ingress to
13horizontal fire exit ways leading to predetermined vertical fire exit ways.
AB324,5 14Section 5. 440.96 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
AB324,3,2015 440.96 (3) “Interior technical submission” means a design, drawing,
16specification, study, or other technical report or calculation that establishes the scope
17of an interior design project, including a description of standards of quality for
18materials, skilled labor, equipment, and construction systems, and that is signed and
19sealed by a Wisconsin registered interior designer in compliance with this
20subchapter.
AB324,6 21Section 6. 440.962 (1) (a) of the statutes is repealed.
AB324,7 22Section 7. 440.962 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB324,3,2423 440.962 (1) (am) Passes an interior design examination approved by the
24department that is administered by an organization approved by the department.
AB324,8 25Section 8. 440.962 (1) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
AB324,9
1Section 9. 440.962 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
AB324,10 2Section 10. 440.962 (1) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
AB324,11 3Section 11. 440.964 of the statutes is repealed.
AB324,12 4Section 12. 440.965 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB324,4,13 5440.965 Reciprocal registration. The department may, upon application
6and payment of the required fee, grant a permit certificate of registration to use the
7title “Wisconsin registered interior designer" to a person who is not a resident of and
8has no established place of business in this state, or who has recently become a
9resident of this state, if the person holds an unexpired certificate of similar
10registration issued to the person by the proper authority in any state or territory or
11possession of the United States or in any country in which the requirements for the
12registration of interior designers are of a standard not lower than specified in this
13subchapter.
AB324,13 14Section 13. 440.968 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB324,4,1715 440.968 (1) (e) Signed or impressed his or her seal upon a document not
16prepared by him or her or knowingly permitted his or her seal to be used by another
17person.
AB324,14 18Section 14. 440.9693 of the statutes is created to read:
AB324,4,21 19440.9693 Seal or stamp. (1) (a) The department shall promulgate rules
20establishing specifications for seals and stamps used by Wisconsin registered
21interior designers.
AB324,4,2422 (b) No Wisconsin registered interior designer may impress his or her seal or
23stamp upon a document unless the seal or stamp satisfies the specifications
24established by rule under par. (a).
AB324,5,5
1(2) A Wisconsin registered interior designer who is responsible for preparing
2an interior technical submission for delivery to any person or for a public record shall
3date, sign, and impress his or her seal or stamp upon the interior technical
4submission and any other related documents prepared by the Wisconsin registered
5interior designer.
AB324,5,9 6(3) No Wisconsin registered interior designer may impress his or her seal or
7stamp upon a document that has not been prepared by the Wisconsin registered
8interior designer or knowingly permit his or her seal or stamp to be used by any other
9person.
AB324,15 10Section 15 . 440.9696 of the statutes is created to read:
AB324,5,14 11440.9696 Submission of documents. (1) Subject to s. 440.9693 (3), a
12Wisconsin registered interior designer may sign and seal interior technical
13submissions that are required for an interior alteration or construction project for
14public record.
AB324,5,19 15(2) If a city, village, town, or county requires a seal or stamp on interior
16technical submissions that are submitted for an interior alteration or construction
17project, the city, village, town, or county shall accept interior technical submissions
18impressed with the seal or stamp of a Wisconsin registered interior designer
19consistent with this subchapter.
AB324,16 20Section 16. Initial applicability.
AB324,5,2421 (1) Registration requirements. The treatment of ss. 440.962 (1) (a), (am), (b),
22(c), (d) and 440.964 first applies to an application submitted on the effective date of
23this subsection to the department of safety and professional services for registration
24as an interior designer.
AB324,17
1Section 17. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication,
2except as follows:
AB324,6,43 (1) Seals and stamps. The treatment of s. 440.9693 takes effect on the first day
4of the 7th month beginning after publication.
AB324,6,55 (End)
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