Iowa Code § 544C.15 - Registered interior designer stamp and seal — conflicts of interest — penalties

1. A person shall not intentionally do any of the following: a. Affix the signature or seal of a registered interior designer to any interior technical submission without the permission of the registered interior designer. b. Use or attempt to use the interior design registration or seal of another except as provided in section 544C.14. c. Impersonate a registered interior designer. d. Obtain or attempt to obtain registration from the board by fraud. e. Make any willfully false oath or affirmation to the board. f. As a registered interior designer, accept compensation from a client in connection with a registered interior design project, except as payment for the provision of registered interior design services, which would reasonably appear to compromise the registered interior designer’s professional judgment in serving the best interests of the client or public. 2. A person who intentionally violates a provision of subsection 1 is guilty of a simple misdemeanor. 3. A registered interior designer shall avoid conflicts of interest. a. If an unavoidable conflict of interests arises, a registered interior designer shall do all of the following: (1) Immediately inform the client or employer of all circumstances that may interfere with or impair the obligation of the registered interior designer to provide professional services. (2) Notify the client or employer and withdraw from employment at any time when it is not possible to faithfully discharge the responsibilities and duties owed to the client or employer. b. If an unavoidable conflict of interest arises, a registered interior designer shall not do any of the following: (1) Agree to perform professional registered interior design services for a client or employer if the registered interior designer has a significant financial or other interest that would impair or interfere with the responsibility of the registered interior designer to faithfully discharge professional interior design services on behalf of the client or employer. (2) Accept payment from any party other than a client or employer for a particular project and not have any direct or indirect financial interest in a service or phase of a service to be provided as part of a project unless the client or employer approves of the conflict. (3) Solicit or accept anything of value from material or equipment suppliers in return for specifying or endorsing a product. (4) Violate the confidences of a client or employer except as otherwise required by law. (5) Perform services for a client or employer while a full-time employee of another employer without notifying all parties concerned. 4. This section shall not limit the professional responsibility of a registered interior designer to an owner of a project when the registered interior designer is employed by a person under contract to engage in interior design practice for that project. 2023 Acts, ch 20, §7