Supporting Assembly Bill 342

This spring, IIDA’s California Chapters joined together in support of Assembly Bill 342 which was heard and advanced by the Assembly Business and Professions Committee at the end of March. 

Introduced by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia of District 68 in Southern California, AB 342 allows the California Architect Board to ask licensees to provide demographic information including race, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity at the time of initial license and at the time of renewal. The American Institute of Architects state component in California sponsored the legislation stating that, “the collection of this demographic information is essential to [our] EDI efforts, as it allows for research to be done to understand attrition and recruitment patterns impacting the profession. From there, we can better develop strategies to address any patterns that create barriers to entry within the profession.”

As participants in the same broader commercial building design industry and passionate believers in an equitable, diverse, and inclusive professions, IIDA extended strong support for AB 342. We believe the collection of this demographic information will bring value to the industry at large, advancing us toward our shared Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion goals. More importantly this data aids in our effort to ensure the spaces designed by architectural professionals are created by a community that reflects the diversity of  residents of California. This data can also help inform future policies to address any professional equity gaps. 

For more information regarding IIDA’s EDI efforts, visit each chapter’s EDI resources:
Northern California EDI 
Southern California EDI