SECTION 5.155. Conflicts of Interest

(a) If a Registered Interior Designer has any business association or financial interest which might reasonably appear to influence the Registered Interior Designer's judgment in connection with the performance of a professional service and thereby jeopardize an interest of the Registered Interior Designer's current or prospective client or employer, the Registered Interior Designer shall promptly inform the client or employer in writing of the circumstances of the business association or financial interest.

(b) A Registered Interior Designer shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any financial or other valuable consideration, material favor, or other benefit of any substantial nature, financial or otherwise, from more than one party in connection with a single project or assignment unless the circumstances are fully disclosed in writing to all parties.

(c) A Registered Interior Designer shall not solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any financial or other valuable consideration, material favor, or other benefit of any substantial nature from any supplier of materials or equipment or from any contractor or any consultant in connection with any project on which the Registered Interior Designer is performing or has contracted to perform Interior Design services unless the circumstances are fully disclosed in writing to all parties.

(d) The phrase "benefit of any substantial nature" is defined to mean any act, article, money, or other material consideration which is of such value or proportion that its acceptance creates an obligation or the appearance of an obligation on the part of the Registered Interior Designer or otherwise could adversely affect the Registered Interior Designer's ability to exercise his/her own judgment without regard to such benefit.

Source Note: The provisions of this §5.155 adopted to be effective March 1, 2001, 26 TexReg 1726; amended to be effective March 29, 2007, 32 TexReg 1746; amended to be effective June 13, 2010, 35 TexReg 4708