Free to Design: Florida Entrepreneurs Take On the Interior Design Cartel
Florida is ground zero in the nationwide battle to cartelize the interior design industry.
A small group of well-funded industry insiders led by the American Society of Interior Designers has been relentless in its pursuit of ever more restrictive laws. Studies have shown that interior design regulations result in higher prices, less variety, and fewer employment opportunities, especially for minorities and older mid-career switchers.
On May 26, 2009, the Institute for Justice joined with three interior designers—Eva Locke, Pat Levenson and Barbara Gardner—and the National Federation of Independent Business to file a lawsuit in federal court in Tallahassee challenging Floridas interior design law.
The Institute for Justice is the nations leading legal advocacy group for economic liberty—the right to earn an honest living free from excessive and arbitrary regulation. IJ has successfully challenged anti-competitive interior design laws across the country. Floridas suit promises to be the biggest fight yet in the battle against the interior design cartel, and may finally put an end to restrictive interior design laws nationwide. Read more about this case
The Institute for Justice is always looking for new ways to promote the message of freedom.
To that end, IJ produced the following videos in-house to tell the stories of our clients and their fight for individual liberty.
None of this — the cases or these videos — would be possible without the continued generosity of our donors.
We hope you enjoy them and share them with those who need a little inspiration.
Dallas Sign Ban (0:53) Under a Dallas law enacted in 2008, businesses are prohibited from putting signs in the upper two-thirds of any window or glass door, and no more than 15 percent of any window or glass door may be covered by signs.
The Campaign Finance Bait & Switch (1:12) The same special interests who for decades have called for government-funded political campaigns are again pushing something called the Fair Elections Now Act . . . a proposal that would create anything but fair elections.
Hanging by a Thread (2:29) Eyebrow threading is a booming industry in Texas. But state bureaucrats are making it impossible to continue practicing this ancient art.
Teaching is Not a Crime (3:05) Anyone in Virginia can do yoga, and anyone can teach yoga. But, incredibly, it is illegal to teach people to teach yoga. Yoga-teacher training is just the latest target of vocational school licensing laws that require countless entrepreneurs to ask the governments permission before opening their mouths.
Saving Lives (2:49) Every year, 1,000 Americans die because they cannot find a matching bone marrow donor. Minorities are hit especially hard. Common sense suggests that offering modest incentives to attract more bone marrow donors would be worth pursuing, but federal law makes that a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Free to Design (3:27) A small group of well-funded industry insiders led by the American Society of Interior Designers has been relentless in its pursuit of ever more restrictive laws. Studies have shown that interior design regulations result in higher prices, less variety, and fewer employment opportunities, especially for minorities and older mid-career switchers.
Banned in Boston (3:33) It should not take seven years and a team of lawyers to open a small business. Yet that is precisely the case for Erroll Tyler, an aspiring Boston-area entrepreneur who has been trying to open Nautical Tours, a cutting-edge amphibious vehicle tour service based in Cambridge.
Andrea Weck & School Choice (3:51) Why is school choice important? Let school choice mom and IJ client Andrea Weck tell you in her own words
Karen Sampson & Free Speech (3:56) Think you have a right to speak out freely in elections? As IJ client Karen Sampson will tell you, you better think again!
The Story of Susette Kelo (11:00) Let us briefly take you through IJ client Susette Kelo's historic fight against eminent domain abuse.
The Story of Randy Bailey (9:10) Wanna cheer for a regular guy who became a national champion for freedom? Watch brakeshop owner and IJ client Randy Bailey fight for his (and all of our) property rights.
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