SB 1997
Zaffirini Bill Pushes Interior Designer Exam Deadline To 2037
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Delayed start
The only thing the bill does is push the exam requirement for these designers back ten years, to 2037, well past the next election. The caption says the bill is about renewal for certain designers, which is true, but it does not say the change is a ten-year delay.
Delayed startInitial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the renewal of a certificate of registration by certain interior designers.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Designers registered without the exam had until 2027. Now 2037. Ten more years to pass it!
This bill gives interior designers who got their state registration without ever taking the exam ten more years to pass it, moving the deadline from September 1, 2027 to September 1, 2037. It touches only that grandfathered group of registered interior designers and the board that licenses them. On the ground, these designers can keep renewing without passing the exam until 2037, and the rule itself now expires in 2039 instead of 2029.
Labels
Labels: QUICK READ: 129 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 129 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB1997 · 2025-03-06
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the renewal of a certificate of registration by certain interior designers.
WHAT IT DOES
Designers registered without the exam had until 2027. Now 2037. Ten more years to pass it!
This bill gives interior designers who got their state registration without ever taking the exam ten more years to pass it, moving the deadline from September 1, 2027 to September 1, 2037. It touches only that grandfathered group of registered interior designers and the board that licenses them. On the ground, these designers can keep renewing without passing the exam until 2037, and the rule itself now expires in 2039 instead of 2029.
CHARGES
[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 55%
The only thing the bill does is push the exam requirement for these designers back ten years, to 2037, well past the next election. The caption says the bill is about renewal for certain designers, which is true, but it does not say the change is a ten-year delay.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Business & Commerce
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Killam Development Ltd.$72,700.00
Killam Development Ltd.
$72,700.00
- Cash
- $10,000.00
- Paid by others
- $62,700.00
- Total
- $72,700.00
Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101011018, 101057658.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60,000.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$60,000.00
- Cash
- $60,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $60,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Killam Development Ltd.
$72,700.00
- Cash
- $10,000.00
- Paid by others
- $62,700.00
- Total
- $72,700.00
Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101011018, 101057658.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$60,000.00
- Cash
- $60,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $60,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Mar 6, 2025
03/17/2025 S Referred to Business & Commerce
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
HB 2286 by Craddick (identical)
Subjects
Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions
INTERIOR DESIGNERS
Text
The text as introduced · 129 words
89R6373 GP-F By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1997 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the renewal of a certificate of registration by certain interior designers. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 1051.351(c-1), Occupations Code, is amended to read as follows: (c-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a person who holds a certificate of registration issued under Chapter 1053 without examination may not renew the certificate on or after September 1, 2037 [ 2027 ], unless, before September 1, 2037 [ 2027 ], the person has passed the registration examination adopted by the board under Section 1053.154 and in effect on January 1, 2014. This subsection expires January 1, 2039 [ 2029 ]. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.