An Act relating to registered interior designers and interior design; relating to project costs for the construction, enlargement, or improvement of airports; extending the termination date of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors; relating to the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors; establishing requirements for the practice of registered interior design; relating to the practice of architecture, engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture, and registered interior design; relating to the scope of the certification requirements for architects, engineers, land surveyors, landscape architects, and registered interior designers; relating to immunity for design professionals; relating to the cost of construction for recreation centers; relating to liens for labor or materials furnished; relating to the procurement of landscape architectural and interior design services; relating to the cost of construction of safe water and hygienic sewage disposal facilities in villages; and providing for an effective date.

34th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jesse Bjorkman and 8 co-sponsors

Alaska bill establishes interior designer licensing, extends professional boards, adjusts construction cost thresholds for public projects, and provides liability protections for design professionals.

(H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 6/18/26

Legislative bill overview

HB 314 is a comprehensive omnibus bill that establishes licensing and regulatory requirements for registered interior designers in Alaska, extends the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors, and modifies various construction cost thresholds and procurement rules affecting design professionals across multiple disciplines. The bill addresses professional standards, project cost definitions for public facilities (airports, recreation centers, water/sewage systems), and liability protections for design professionals.

Why is this important

This legislation directly impacts Alaska's design and construction industry by creating new professional licensing standards that could affect who can legally practice interior design, while simultaneously adjusting cost thresholds that determine when competitive procurement is required for government projects. These changes will influence project timelines, costs, and professional opportunities for architects, engineers, interior designers, and landscape architects working in Alaska.

Potential points of contention

Interior design licensing scope: Establishing new licensing requirements may benefit established professionals but could restrict business opportunities for unlicensed practitioners and increase costs for clients seeking design services

Project cost thresholds: Adjusting construction cost definitions for triggering competitive bidding could favor certain contractors and designers while potentially reducing competition on public projects

Liability protections: Immunity provisions for design professionals may limit recourse for clients or project owners if design defects cause problems, balancing professional protection against accountability