E-news Sept-2006

IDLCPA NEWSFLASH!!!
ISSUED: Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2006

<<Click here for a full color printable PDF>>

ITS GO TIME!!!

We are less than 6 months away from introducing the Interior Designers Bill and it is time to get all designers and supportive individuals involved. Currently board members of IDLCPA are trying to meet with member of the Professional Licensure Committees in both the House and the Senate. In order to do this we need YOUR HELP! Legislators are more willing to listen to their constituents as these people are in their voting territories. Our objective is to find designers in the respective districts of the legislators on the Committee and present the practice plan for designers. This effort has to be successful in order for our bill to be successful. If we cannot get majority support from meeting with Committee members we will FAIL.

GETTING LEGISLATORS INVOLVED

We desperately need all designers to see if they are constituents of legislators on the Professional Licensure Committee. In order to find out if your legislators sit on the Professional Licensure Committee, visit www.legis.state.pa.us –make sure to look for representatives in both the House and the Senate. If you are one of these people, PLEASE contact Mary Ann Mozelewski at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We will send you information on how to schedule an appointment with your legislator and someone from our board will go with you to meet and discus the legislative issue for interior designers.

In the 2007-2008 legislative session the Interior Designers Practice Bill is supposed to be introduced. However, our lobbyist, Milliron & Associates, has advised us not to submit any bill until we have met with and gained support from the Professional Licensure Committees. The further we delay this process (due to lack of involvement of PA designers) it will cost more money and time - possibly by a whole legislative year. The 2007-2008 legislative sessions will cost IDLCPA $36,000 in lobbying fees alone. We can’t give up now!!! Please become involved and support this effort!!! Every supporting person makes a difference!!!

STILL LESS THAN 100 MEMBERS

For legislators to take us seriously we need unified majority support from the estimated 2,000 designers in Pennsylvania. Currently we have less then 100 IDLCPA members with most of the membership numbers coming from the Pittsburgh area. NOT GOOD! This representation tells legislators that the majority of designers are either not in support or are neutral to supporting interior design regulation.
Furthermore, the IDLCPA membership for 2006 is ending in December and membership renewals are requested. If you are not a member please become one, now is the time! To request or renew a membership contact us via phone or go to our website and download the pdf. form at www.idlcpa.org.

$30,000 POLITICAL ACTION MONEY NEEDED

We need designers to contribute personal monies to the Political Action account (PAC) in order to support legislators who will help in our cause. The lobbyist recommends $25-30,000 per year. We have asked many of you to partner with us and give money to this fund. Special thanks to all who have participated in and supported or contributed to our PAC Parties. We could not do this without your continued support and we are VERY grateful! Currently our PAC funds have been depleted. All of the money has been given to key legislative persons with whom IDLCPA has had the pleasure of personally meeting to discuss our cause. If you can help us this coming year (2007) please write a personal check made out to the Interior Designers PAC and send it to IDLCPA