AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 17, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 30, 2026

AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 16, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

Introduced by Assembly Member Berman

February 23, 2026

An act to amend Sections 5810 and 5811 of, and to add Sections 5800.2 and 5808 to, the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Section 8014 of the Civil Code, relating to professions and vocations.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

(1) Existing law, until January 1, 2027, provides a comprehensive scheme for the certification and regulation of interior designers. Existing law establishes the California Council for Interior Design Certification (council), which is a nonprofit organization consisting of certified interior designers, as defined. Under existing law, the council carries out the responsibilities and duties set forth in the aforementioned scheme, including by issuing certifications and stamps certifying specified interior designer standards to qualified individuals. Under existing law, the procedure for stamp issuance is subject to occupational analyses and examination validation every 5 to 7 years. Under existing law, the policy for the validation is developed by the Department of Consumer Affairs.

This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until January 1, 2031. The bill would provide that protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the council in exercising its certification and disciplinary authority, and any other functions. The bill would also provide that when the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests, the protection of the public is paramount. The bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature in extending the council’s powers and duties through the sunset review process that the council continue to serve as an entity entrusted with administering a state function in its certification of interior design professionals.

Existing law authorizes the council to issue an interior design certification to any applicant who provides satisfactory evidence that they meet all of specified requirements and who complies with the bylaws, rules, and procedures established by the council, as provided.

This bill would require a certified interior designer to report to the council within 30 days of the date the certified interior designer has knowledge of a certain judgment, settlement, or arbitration award of $5,000 or greater against the certified interior designer in an action alleging fraud, deceit, negligence, incompetence, or recklessness by the certified interior designer in the practice of interior design, as specified. The bill would require the certified interior designer to promptly respond to oral or written inquiries from the council concerning the reportable event, as specified, and would make failure of a certified interior designer to comply with these requirements, among other things, grounds for disciplinary action.

The bill would also require an insurer providing professional liability insurance to a certified interior designer or a state or local governmental agency that self-insures a certified interior designer to report to the council certain information relating to a payment of a judgment, settlement, or arbitration award described above within 30 days of the payment.

The bill would impose the above-described reporting requirements if certain criteria are met, including that a certified interior designer was in responsible control of the portion of the project that was the subject of the civil judgment, settlement, arbitration award, or administrative action. The bill would specify that a certified interior designer is not considered to have violated a confidential settlement agreement or other confidential agreement by providing a report described above. The bill would authorize the council to adopt bylaws, rules, and procedures to further define the reporting requirements.

Existing law authorizes the council to take reasonable actions to carry out its responsibilities and duties, as specified.

This bill would prohibit the total annual salary for any individual employed or contracted by the council from exceeding the annual salary provided to certain state officers during that fiscal year.

Existing law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, requires, with specified exceptions, that all meetings of a state body be open and public and all persons be permitted to attend any meeting of a state body. The act imposes various requirements on a state body holding a meeting subject to the act, including, among other things, requiring the state body to provide notice of its meeting to any person who requests that notice in writing.

Existing law requires meetings of the council issuing stamps to be subject to the rules of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.

This bill would, except as otherwise provided in the provision providing a comprehensive scheme for the certification and regulation of interior designers, require meetings of the council to be governed by either Rosenberg’s Rules of Order or Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

The bill would require the council to provide a meaningful opportunity for public participation in the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any policies, procedures, rules, or bylaws that substantially impact the rights, benefits, privileges, duties, obligations, or responsibilities of individuals or entities subject to certification or approval by the council, including, among other things, actions by the council to increase fees. In this regard, the bill would require the council, at a minimum, to publish the complete text of any policies, procedures, rules, or bylaws proposed for adoption, amendment, or repeal along with a summary of the changes being considered for a period of at least 45 calendar days before the adoption, amendment, or repeal, and to accept written public comments during the 45-day period and allow further public comment during a meeting held for these purposes.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, unless an exemption from disclosure applies.

This bill would require the council, beginning July 1, 2028, and to the extent practicable, to make the records of the council available for public inspection in a manner consistent with the California Public Records Act, as specified, and would authorize the council to charge for the direct costs of responding to requests for records, as specified.

(2) Existing law governs works of improvement, including design professionals liens. Existing law defines “design professional” for that purpose to include, among other things, a person licensed as an architect, as specified.

This bill would also include a person certified as an interior designer pursuant to the provisions described above as a “design professional.”

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 5800.2 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

5800.2.

(a) Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the council in exercising its certification and disciplinary authority, and any other functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature in extending the council’s powers and duties through the sunset review process that the council continue to serve as an entity entrusted with administering a state function in its certification of interior design professionals.

SEC. 2.

Section 5808 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read:

5808.

(a) (1) A Certified Interior Designer shall report to the council in writing within 30 days of the date the Certified Interior Designer has knowledge of any civil action judgment, settlement, arbitration award, or administrative action resulting in a judgment, settlement, or arbitration award against the Certified Interior Designer in any action alleging fraud, deceit, negligence, incompetence, or recklessness by the Certified Interior Designer in the practice of interior design if the amount or value of the judgment, settlement, or arbitration award is five thousand dollars ($5,000) or greater.

(2) The report required by paragraph (1) shall be signed by the Certified Interior Designer and shall set forth the facts that constitute the reportable event. If the reportable event involves the action of an administrative agency or court, the report shall set forth all of the following:

(A) The title of the matter.

(B) The court or agency name.

(C) The docket number.

(D) The claim or file number.

(E) The date on which the reportable event occurred.

(3) The Certified Interior Designer shall promptly respond to oral or written inquiries from the council concerning the reportable event, including inquiries made by the council in conjunction with certification renewal.

(4) Failure of a Certified Interior Designer to comply with this subdivision shall be grounds for disciplinary action.

(5) A Certified Interior Designer who fails to comply with this subdivision may be subject to a civil penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) and not more than one five thousand dollars ($1,000) ($5,000) as an intermediate sanction imposed by the council in lieu of revoking the certification. A Certified Interior Designer who knowingly and intentionally fails to comply with this subdivision may be subject to a civil penalty of up to twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) as an additional intermediate sanction imposed by the council in lieu of revoking the certification. In assessing the amount of the civil penalty for a violation of this subdivision, the council shall consider relevant circumstances presented by the parties to the matter, including, but not limited to, all of the following circumstances:

(b) (1) Within 30 days of payment of all or any portion of a civil action judgment, settlement, or arbitration award described in subdivision (a) against a Certified Interior Designer in which the amount or value of the judgment, settlement, or arbitration award is five thousand dollars ($5,000) or greater, any insurer providing professional liability insurance to that Certified Interior Designer shall report to the council all of the following:

(A) The name of the Certified Interior Designer.

(B) The claim or file number.

(C) The amount or value of the judgment, settlement, or arbitration award.

(D) The amount paid by the insurer.

(E) The identity of the payee.

(2) Within 30 days of payment of all or any portion of any civil action judgment, settlement, or arbitration award described in subdivision (a) against a Certified Interior Designer in which the amount or value of the judgment, settlement, or arbitration award is five thousand dollars ($5,000) or greater, any state or local governmental agency that self-insures the Certified Interior Designer shall report to the council all of the following:

(A) The name of the Certified Interior Designer.

(B) The claim or file number.

(C) The amount or value of the judgment, settlement, or arbitration award.

(D) The amount paid by the insurer.

(E) The identity of the payee.

(c) The reporting requirements described in subdivisions (a) and (b) shall apply if both of the following apply:

(1) A party to the civil action, settlement, arbitration award, or administrative action is or was a sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, corporation, or state or local governmental agency in which a Certified Interior Designer is or was an owner, partner, member, officer, or employee.

(2) A Certified Interior Designer was in responsible control of the portion of the project that was the subject of the civil judgment, settlement, arbitration award, or administrative action.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a Certified Interior Designer shall not be considered to have violated a confidential settlement agreement or other confidential agreement by providing a report to the council as required by this section.

(e) The council may adopt bylaws, rules, and procedures to further define the reporting requirements described in subdivisions (a) and (b).

SEC. 3.

Section 5810 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

5810.

(a) This chapter shall be subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

(b) This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2031, and as of that date is repealed.

SEC. 4.

Section 5811 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

5811.

(a) The California Council for Interior Design Certification, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 5800, is hereby established to carry out the responsibilities and duties set forth in this chapter.

(b) The meetings of the council issuing stamps under Section 5801 shall be subject to the rules of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The council may adopt additional policies and procedures that provide greater transparency to certificate holders and the public than required by the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, meetings of the council shall be governed by either Rosenberg’s Rules of Order or Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

(c) The council may take reasonable actions to carry out its responsibilities and duties, as set forth in this chapter.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law, the total annual salary for any individual employed or contracted by the council shall not exceed the annual salary provided pursuant to Section 11550 of the Government Code during that fiscal year.

(e) The council may adopt bylaws, rules, and procedures necessary to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.

(f) The council may establish application fees, renewal fees, and other fees related to the regulatory costs of providing services and carrying out the council’s responsibilities and duties pursuant to this chapter. These fees shall not exceed the reasonable costs to the council of providing those services and carrying out those responsibilities and duties.

(g) (1) The council shall provide a meaningful opportunity for public participation in the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any policies, procedures, rules, or bylaws that substantially impact the rights, benefits, privileges, duties, obligations, or responsibilities of individuals or entities subject to certification or approval by the council, including, but not limited to, actions by the council to increase fees, impose additional requirements for certification or approval, or substantively modify the disciplinary processes.

(2) For purposes of this subdivision, the council shall, at a minimum, publish the complete text of any policies, procedures, rules, or bylaws proposed for adoption, amendment, or repeal along with a summary of the changes being considered for a period of at least 45 calendar days before the adoption, amendment, or repeal. The council shall accept written public comments during the 45-day period and allow further public comment during a meeting held for these purposes.

(h) (1) Beginning July 1, 2028, the council shall, to the extent practicable, make the records of the council available for public inspection in a manner consistent with the California Public Records Act (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Part 1 of Division 10 of Title 1 of the Government Code), as though the council were a public agency for purposes of that act.

(2) The council may charge for the direct costs of responding to requests for records pursuant to this subdivision, including staff time reasonably required to identify, locate, and provide records.

(3) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this subdivision that, in addition to having all exemptions under the California Public Records Act (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Part 1 of Division 10 of Title 1 of the Government Code) apply, the council shall not disclose investigatory records or records containing sensitive information regarding applicants, certificate holders, employers or clients of certificate holders, or other members of the public.

SEC. 5.

Section 8014 of the Civil Code is amended to read:

8014.

“Design professional” means a person licensed as an architect pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 5500) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, licensed as a landscape architect pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 5615) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, certified as a certified interior designer pursuant to Chapter 3.9 (commencing with Section 5800) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, licensed as a professional engineer pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, or licensed as a land surveyor pursuant to Chapter 15 (commencing with Section 8700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code.