DES PLAINES, IL and HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (August 19, 2008) - The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has joined with the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and other national organizations in opposing restrictive and unnecessary design regulation. The proposed regulation stems from the efforts of a small, but influential group of interior designers who are lobbying state legislatures across the United States for legislation that would regulate who may provide interior design services to the public and would prohibit the large majority of designers from practicing their profession.
"The NKBA is very pleased to have NARI join us in our efforts to oppose the attempts of a handful of interior designers who seek to limit their competition by imposing arbitrary licensing restrictions on the design community," said Edward S. Nagorsky, General Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs for the NKBA. "There is a concerted effort on the part of a select few designers who insist that everyone seeking to practice interior design attend their approved schools, pass their approved exam, and apprentice under them, all without any demonstration that the current practice of interior design by those who don't meet these self-imposed standards is in any way a cause for concern. Such unnecessary and anti-competitive legislation will limit consumer choice in retaining the services of a professional designer, while increasing the costs of design services beyond the reach of the ordinary consumer."
The broad sweep of the proposed regulation includes many of the services that members of NARI provide on a daily basis. "NARI resolutely supports the NKBA's efforts on this issue," said Gwen Biasi, Director of Marketing and Communications for NARI. "It is essential to protect the remodeling industry from disruptions in businesses that already face significant challenges by market conditions."
The NKBA has been instrumental in educating the design community about these attempts to limit the market for interior design and dictate who may or may not provide these services. Through its legislative website at www.capwiz.com/nkba, in addition to articles, publications, and presentations to local NKBA chapters, trade associations, and other grassroots organizations, much of the industry is now aware of what is at stake.
NARI joins the NKBA, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Interior Design Society (IDS), and the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA), in addition to numerous other organizations, in their efforts to defeat interior design licensing. For more information on title and practice acts, please visit www.capwiz.com/nkba or contact Edward S. Nagorsky, NKBA General Counsel and Director of Legislative Affairs, at 800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).
About NARI
The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry. With more than 7,700 member companies nationwide, the Association-based in Des Plaines, Illinois-is "The Voice of the Professional Remodeling Industry." NARI is a professional association whose members voluntarily subscribe to a strict code of ethics. For more information, or to locate a local NARI chapter, visit NARI's website at www.RemodelToday.com, or contact the national headquarters office at 800-611-NARI
About the NKBA
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is a non-profit trade association that owns the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS). With more than 40,000 members, the NKBA has educated and led the kitchen and bath industry for 45 years. The mission of the NKBA is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices and provide leadership and direction for the kitchen and bath industry worldwide. For more information, please visit the NKBA Press Room at NKBA.org/Press or call 800-THE-NKBA (843-6522).
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