6249630 Resolution 21-600, Interior Design Charitable Event Regulation Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016

A RESOLUTION

                                                        

21-600

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

October 11, 2016        

 

 

To declare the existence of an emergency, due to congressional review, with respect to the need to amend section 3209 of Title 17 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to create an exemption to the requirement that an individual engaged in the practice of interior design be licensed for individuals participating in certain charitable fundraising events.   

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Interior Design Charitable Event Regulation Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2016”.

 

            Sec. 2. (a) In May 2008, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (“DCRA”) published a regulation, defining the “practice of interior design”  as “providing or offering to provide consultations, preliminary studies, drawings, specifications, or any related service for the design analysis, programming, space planning, or aesthetic planning of the interior of buildings, using specialized knowledge of interior construction, building systems and components, building codes, fire and safety codes, equipment, materials, and furnishings, in a manner that will protect and enhance the health, safety, and welfare of the public whether one or all of these services are performed either in person or as the directing head of an organization.”

(b) The result of this regulation is that it is considered unlawful for any person who is not licensed as an interior designer to engage in the practice of interior design, regardless of whether the individual is volunteering his or her services at a charitable fundraising event.

(c) DC Design House, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that, since 2008, has organized a design show house fundraising event in the District, for the sole benefit of Children’s National Health System, raising roughly $1.5 million for the hospital over 8 years.

            (d) DC Design House, Inc. has recently become aware that the interior designers who volunteer at the annual fundraising event may be violating DCRA’s regulations, and therefore the organization may not be able to find enough volunteers to hold this year’s fundraising event, which is currently planned for October 2016.

(e) It is necessary to pass this emergency exemption to the requirement that an individual engaged in the practice of interior design be licensed so that DC Design House, Inc. is able to find enough volunteers to hold its charitable event this year.

(f) Further, this congressional review emergency legislation is necessary to ensure that there is no gap between when the Interior Design Charitable Event Regulation Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 expires and when the Interior Design Charitable Event Regulation Temporary Amendment Act of 2016 becomes effective.

 

Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Interior Design Charitable Event Regulation Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 be adopted after a single reading.

 

 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.