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LRB-0245/1
KP:skw&wlj
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
May 7, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Horlacher, Stubbs, Brooks,
Cabral-Guevara, Dittrich, Gundrum, Hintz, Hong, Krug, Kuglitsch,
Loudenbeck, Macco, Magnafici, Neylon, Skowronski, Sortwell, Vruwink,
Wichgers and Tittl, cosponsored by Senators Kooyenga, Johnson, Stroebel,
Carpenter, Marklein and Roys. Referred to Committee on Regulatory
Licensing Reform.
AB320,1,6 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 (1r) (b) 2., 440.96 (3),
4440.962 (1) (am), 440.968 (1) (e), 440.9693 and 440.9696 of the statutes;
5relating to: registration and the scope of practice of interior designers and
6granting rule-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:
AB320,1 1Section 1. 440.96 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 440.96 (1r) (a) and
2amended to read:
AB320,2,93 440.96 (1r) (a) “Interior design" means the design of interior spaces as a part
4of an interior alteration or construction project
in conformity with public health,
5safety and welfare requirements, including the preparation of documents relating to
6building code descriptions, egress plans, space planning, finish materials,
7furnishings, fixtures, and equipment and the preparation of documents interior
8technical submissions
relating to interior construction that does not substantially
9affect the mechanical or structural systems of a building.
AB320,2,10 10(b) “Interior design" does not include services any of the following:
AB320,2,12 111. Services that constitute the practice of architecture or the practice of
12professional engineering.
AB320,2 13Section 2. 440.96 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
AB320,2,1714 440.96 (1g) “Interior alteration or construction project” means a project for an
15interior space or area within a proposed or existing building or structure, including
16construction, modification, renovation, rehabilitation, or historic preservation, that
17involves changing or altering any of the following:
AB320,2,1818 (a) The design function or layout of rooms.
AB320,2,1919 (b) The state of permanent fixtures or equipment.
AB320,3,3
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.
AB320,3,44 (d) Interior office furniture.
AB320,3,55 (e) Nonstructural elements of the interior space or area.
AB320,3 6Section 3. 440.96 (1r) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
AB320,3,77 440.96 (1r) (b) 2. Engineering any of the following:
AB320,3,98 a. Foundations, beams, trusses, columns, or other primary structural framing
9members or seismic systems.
AB320,3,1110 b. Structural concrete slabs, roof framing systems, or load-bearing or shear
11walls.
AB320,3,1212 c. Openings in a roof or exterior wall.
AB320,3,1413 d. Exterior elements, including doors, windows, awnings, canopies, sunshades,
14signage, and other similar exterior building elements.
AB320,3,1915 e. Heating, ventilating, or air conditioning equipment or distribution systems;
16building management systems; high or medium voltage electrical distribution
17systems; standby or emergency power or distribution systems; plumbing; plumbing
18distribution systems; fire alarm systems; fire sprinkler systems; security or
19monitoring systems; or other related building systems.
AB320,4 20Section 4. 440.96 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 440.96 (4).
AB320,5 21Section 5. 440.96 (3) of the statutes is created to read:
AB320,4,222 440.96 (3) “Interior technical submission” means a design, drawing,
23specification, study, or other technical report or calculation that establishes the scope
24of an interior design project, including a description of standards of quality for
25materials, skilled labor, equipment, and construction systems, and that is signed and

1sealed by a Wisconsin registered interior designer in compliance with this
2subchapter.
AB320,6 3Section 6. 440.962 (1) (a) of the statutes is repealed.
AB320,7 4Section 7. 440.962 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB320,4,65 440.962 (1) (am) Passes an interior design examination approved by the
6department that is administered by an organization approved by the department.
AB320,8 7Section 8. 440.962 (1) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
AB320,9 8Section 9. 440.962 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
AB320,10 9Section 10. 440.962 (1) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
AB320,11 10Section 11. 440.964 of the statutes is repealed.
AB320,12 11Section 12. 440.965 of the statutes is amended to read:
AB320,4,20 12440.965 Reciprocal registration. The department may, upon application
13and payment of the required fee, grant a permit certificate of registration to use the
14title “Wisconsin registered interior designer" to a person who is not a resident of and
15has no established place of business in this state, or who has recently become a
16resident of this state, if the person holds an unexpired certificate of similar
17registration issued to the person by the proper authority in any state or territory or
18possession of the United States or in any country in which the requirements for the
19registration of interior designers are of a standard not lower than specified in this
20subchapter.
AB320,13 21Section 13. 440.968 (1) (e) of the statutes is created to read:
AB320,4,2422 440.968 (1) (e) Signed or impressed his or her seal or stamp upon a document
23not prepared by him or her or knowingly permitted his or her seal or stamp to be used
24by another person.
AB320,14 25Section 14. 440.9693 of the statutes is created to read:
AB320,5,3
1440.9693 Seal or stamp. (1) (a) The department shall promulgate rules
2establishing specifications for seals and stamps used by Wisconsin registered
3interior designers.
AB320,5,64 (b) No Wisconsin registered interior designer may impress his or her seal or
5stamp upon a document unless the seal or stamp satisfies the specifications
6established by rule under par. (a).
AB320,5,11 7(2) A Wisconsin registered interior designer who is responsible for preparing
8an interior technical submission for delivery to any person or for a public record shall
9date, sign, and impress his or her seal or stamp upon the interior technical
10submission and any other related documents prepared by the Wisconsin registered
11interior designer.
AB320,5,15 12(3) No Wisconsin registered interior designer may impress his or her seal or
13stamp upon a document that has not been prepared by the Wisconsin registered
14interior designer or knowingly permit his or her seal or stamp to be used by any other
15person.
AB320,15 16Section 15 . 440.9696 of the statutes is created to read:
AB320,5,20 17440.9696 Submission of documents. (1) Subject to s. 440.9693 (2), a
18Wisconsin registered interior designer may sign and seal interior technical
19submissions that are required for an interior alteration or construction project for
20public record.
AB320,5,25 21(2) If a city, village, town, or county requires a seal or stamp on interior
22technical submissions that are submitted for an interior alteration or construction
23project, the city, village, town, or county shall accept interior technical submissions
24impressed with the seal or stamp of a Wisconsin registered interior designer
25consistent with this subchapter.
AB320,16
1Section 16. Initial applicability.
AB320,6,52 (1) Registration requirements. The treatment of ss. 440.962 (1) (a), (am), (b),
3(c), and (d) and 440.964 first applies to an application submitted on the effective date
4of this subsection to the department of safety and professional services for
5registration as an interior designer.
AB320,17 6Section 17 . Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication,
7except as follows:
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