10.15.24
IIDA Weighs in on State Legislation
As an organization that remains laser-focused on amplifying IIDA’s influence among key decision-makers and policy leaders across the State we are proud to announce we’ve successfully completed a year of high legislative engagement. This year alone, we’ve had the privilege of engaging in a total of 65 strategic meetings to champion IIDA’s policy priorities. Of those, approximately 63% were with the Legislature, 6% with the Governor’s Administration, and 31% with critical industry stakeholders like the California Architects Board, the American Institute of Architects, and California Building Officials.
As a service to our members and our community at-large, IIDA NorCal and SoCal team up each year to identify, advocate for, and monitor legislation impacting the commercial interior design industry. These priorities guide the topics of our discussions and the testimony we deliver in legislative committees. In the 2024 Legislative Session—the second and final year of the 2023-24 cycle—a staggering 2,124 bills were introduced, with 1,505 originating in the Assembly and 619 in the Senate. We’re proud to have endorsed three pivotal pieces of legislation that align with our platform, including measures designed to enhance local planning efforts and incentivize modernization projects. Be sure to explore the summaries of each bill below, and most importantly, make your voice heard by voting this November!
AB 247 (Muratsuchi) is a two-year bill that we supported last year to place a general obligation bond before voters in November for educational facilities. California’s legislators passed AB 247 and it was signed by the acting Governor (Senate President pro-Tempore McGuire) on Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024.
The measure will appear on the November 2024 ballot as Proposition 2. If approved by voters, the bond would provide $10 billion to construct and modernize education facilities, including $8.5 billion for elementary and secondary educational facilities and $1.5 billion for community college facilities. The California Department of Education (CDE) estimates that approximately 30% of the state’s K-12 classrooms are at least 50 years-old and 10% are 70 years-old. We know that updating and creating state-of-the art educational facilities improve student outcomes, and our profession contributes every day towards this goal.
AB 2117 was introduced by Assemblyman Joe Patterson and proposed that local and state permits do not expire on an approved project while a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) challenge is taking place. The bill effectively extends the expiration date of local development permits and project approvals. IIDA believes AB 2117 (Patterson) offered a practical solution to address delays caused by permit expirations. By preventing permit expirations during CEQA challenges, AB 2117 (Patterson) helps maintain economic stability and job security across California’s construction ecosystem and helps keep projects moving. The bill was signed by the Governor on September 19th, 2024.
AB 2085 (Bauer-Kahan) creates streamlining for the development of community clinics in areas already zoned for commercial or medical facilities. It mandates local agencies to review these applications administratively and respond within 60 days, providing written reasons if there is a conflict with planning standards. These developments would be exempt from CEQA, expanding the scope of ministerial project exemptions. The bill which was authored by Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan will enable our professionals to design and innovate within these zones that can adapt to meet the essential services offered by the community clinics and make them more accessible to the public. AB 2085 (Bauer-Kahan) passed the legislature on August 29th, 2024, and was signed into law on September 28th, 2024.
We’re excited to dive into key legislation in 2025 that will directly impact and elevate our profession, just like the bills mentioned above. Our commitment to securing permitting privileges for commercial interior designers in California remains unwavering. In fact, the groundwork for next year’s legislative session is already in motion! Stay tuned for updates on our #SignSealEmpower initiative in the coming months as we continue to push for progress and transformation in our industry.
To stay up to date on all legislative efforts, text “InteriorDesign” to 52886.
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