Boards and Commissions - As introduced, transfers oversight of land surveyors from the state board of examiners for land surveyors to the state board of examiners for architects and engineers; removes registration requirement for interior designers; removes funding mechanism that requires revenues generated from contractor licensing fees, penalties, or interest allocated, in part, to the board of licensing contractors be utilized for the purposes set forth in the Go Build Tennessee Act; and makes other changes relative to occupational boards. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29, Part 2; Title 20, Chapter 9, Part 6; Title 55, Chapter 17, Part 1; Title 62, Chapter 13; Title 62, Chapter 18; Title 62, Chapter 2; Title 62, Chapter 20; Title 62, Chapter 27; Title 62, Chapter 35; Title 62, Chapter 4; Title 62, Chapter 6; Title 62, Chapter 76; Title 68, Chapter 102 and Title 68, Chapter 105.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by William Lamberth

Tennessee bill consolidates occupational licensing boards, deregulates interior design, and redirects contractor licensing revenues away from workforce development funding.

Signed by Senate Speaker

#boardsandcommissions

Legislative bill overview

HB 2530 consolidates occupational licensing oversight by transferring land surveyor regulation from a dedicated board to the architects and engineers board, eliminates registration requirements for interior designers, and removes a funding mechanism that directed contractor licensing revenues toward the Go Build Tennessee Act. The bill makes various technical amendments across multiple licensing statutes.

Why is this important

This legislation affects how Tennessee regulates professional occupations and funds workforce development. Consolidating boards could reduce administrative overhead but may alter the specialized attention given to land surveyors. Removing interior designer registration could reduce barriers to entry in that profession, while eliminating dedicated contractor fee funding directly impacts the Go Build Tennessee workforce initiative's financial sustainability.

Potential points of contention

Land surveyor oversight consolidation: Critics may argue that merging surveyors into the architects/engineers board dilutes specialized expertise, while supporters contend it reduces bureaucratic duplication and costs

Interior designer deregulation: Professional interior designers may oppose removing registration requirements as threatening their credentialing value, while consumer advocates might support reduced licensing barriers and lower service costs

Go Build Tennessee funding loss: Elimination of the contractor licensing fee allocation removes a dedicated funding stream, raising questions about how workforce development initiatives will be financed and whether construction labor shortages will worsen