On March 1, Florida's interior design regulation was once again found to be constitutional. Affirming last year's District Court decision, the Court of Appeals agreed that Florida's interior design license requirement is constitutional.
Those challenging the law were unable to prove that the license requirement lacked a rational basis. As the Court stated: "The Florida legislature enacted the license requirement to protect public safety by ensuring that interior designers are trained to comply with fire and building codes."
Furthermore, the Institute for Justice was unable to prove that licensing the practice of interior design does not lead to improvement in the safety of interior design and compliance with building codes.
In concurrence, Judge Black stated that the law's burdens are not excessive in relation to the benefits, and that: "The individual licensing requirement advances the state's legitimate interest in promoting the health and safety of occupants of buildings."
Though the Institute for Justice has already stated its plans to further appeal the case, this is a huge victory for the interior design community and IIDA offered its sincere congratulations to all who have voiced support for licensure in Florida and participated in the lawsuit. Full text of the Court's decision can be found here (pdf).