State Legislation
This list is current as of June 22, 2021
Arkansas HB 1605
Issue(s): Transcripts
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would amend the Arkansas code to state that "When required to make a transcript of court proceedings, each court reporter of the circuit courts shall be entitled to compensation at the rate of four dollars and ten cents ($4.10) per page for the original and two (2) copies and at the rate of fifty cents (50¢) per page for each additional 25 copies." The original bill also included an amendment, which as initially presented, sought to amend Arkansas Code 16-13-506(a) adding paragraph (3), which stated “The circuit court judge in which the court proceeding occurred is exempt from this section.”
Position
ACRA originally opposed this bill due to the amendment mentioned above, which exempted circuit judges from paying for transcripts that they requested, including those written by substitute reporters. ACRA’s lobbying efforts resulted in the bill’s sponsor withdrawing the original proposed bill from a vote by the Arkansas Senate Judiciary Committee so that it could propose additional amendments and bring it back to the Committee for a future vote. ACRA maintained a neutral stance on the bill after it was amended, adding the language in paragraph (4)(A) and (B).
Status
Enacted into law.
Arkansas HB 1606
Issue(s): Transcripts
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would add a provision permitting that "the court reporter may require that payment for the remainder of the final cost of the transcript be submitted before delivery of the transcript.”
Position
ACRA remained neutral on this bill.
Status
Enacted into law.
Arizona SB 1267
Issue(s): Electronic Recording
Synopsis
If enacted, the initial bill would have allowed "... any courts of law, may for any purpose use tape recorders or other electronic recording devices in lieu of court reporters or stenographers” in instances where “the Court finds a trial is required to start within five days in order to comply with a victim’s or defendant’s right to a speedy trial.” Additionally, the bill notes that this provision does not apply if the matter to be recorded arises out of court proceedings and either party requests that a court reporter or stenographer be used. However, the legislation was amended to give smaller outlying counties in Arizona the authority to proceed without a court reporter if one is not available or if no one has requested one.
Position
Arizona Court Reporters Association and NCRA opposed the bill until all amendments requested by ACRA were implemented.
Status
Enacted into law.
California SB 241
Issue(s): Firm Registration
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill “would authorize an entity that is not a shorthand reporting corporation to engage in those specified acts if the entity is approved for registration by the [Court Reporting Board of California] after meeting specified requirements, including paying an annual registration fee to the board in an amount not to exceed $500 and designating a board-certified reporter-in-charge, as specified … [and] would make a registration valid for one year and would also provide for the suspension and revocation of a registration by the board under specified circumstances.” The bill also includes a provision regarding remote witness testimony in which there are differences of opinion concerning the interpretation of this specific provision.
Position
NCRA maintains a neutral stance on this bill.
Illinois SB 1538
Issue(s): Certification
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would amend the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporters Act of 1984 to “[provide] that the practice of shorthand reporting includes the making of a verbatim record by the use of closed microphone voice dictation silencer and pen shorthand writing ... and [would] change provisions concerning qualifications and applications.”
Position
The Illinois Court Reporters Association did not state a stance to NCRA on this piece of legislation.
Michigan HB 4552
Issue(s): Transcript Rates
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill amends current law to state that "court reporters ... are entitled to demand and receive per page for a transcript ordered by the circuit court and paid for by the county $1.75 per original page and 30 cents per page for each copy." The bill also adds language that the "subsection [mentioned] does not apply to the rate a court reporter who is not an employee of the court or the county may demand and receive for a transcript ordered by a person other than a governmental entity. Except as provided in this section, this state or a county shall not otherwise set a rate that a court reporter ... who is not an employee of the court or the county may demand and receive for a transcript."
Position
The Michigan Association of Professional Court Reporters did not state a stance on this piece of legislation. However, they noted that they are currently working on additional page-rate legislation and will report back to NCRA on the status of any new bills.
Missouri SB 237
Issue(s): Salary Increases
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would adjust the annual salary of a court reporter upon meeting the minimum number of cumulative years of service with a circuit court of the state, beginning January 1, 2022.
Position
MCRA and NCRA supported this bill.
Status
New Hampshire SB 58
Issue(s): Miscellaneous
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would make changes to the New Hampshire Board of Court Reporters by adding a provision that the "majority of the members of the board appointed by the governor and council shall constitute a quorum“ and removing a provision that “members of the board shall receive $25 for each day actually engaged in the duties of their office and shall be reimbursed for all actual travel, incidental, and clerical expenses necessarily incurred in carrying out the provisions of this subdivision.”
Position
The New Hampshire Court Reporters Association did not state a stance to NCRA on this piece of legislation.
New York A 6738/New York S 6816
Issue(s): Remote Oaths of Affirmation
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would authorize oaths to be remotely administered by notaries public to witnesses in legal proceedings, provided that the parties stipulate to such remote administration or the witness can present a photographic identification. These bills were proposed thanks to NYSCRA Board Members reaching out to their lawmakers.
Position
NYSCRA and NCRA support this bill.
Oklahoma HB 1152
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would alter eligibility requirements for applicants applying to take the Oklahoma certified shorthand reporter exam and would remove a provision that interested applicants must “possess a minimum level of court reporting proficiency.” However, according to the bill, individuals must still pass the written knowledge and skills test to become certified by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Position
The Oklahoma Court Reporters Association did not state a stance to NCRA on this piece of legislation.
Status
Enacted into law.
Oklahoma HB 2689
Issue(s): Salary/Stipend
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would add the provision that “on October 1, 2021, each court reporter shall receive a one-time stipend of One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($1,250.00).
Position
NCRA and OCRA supported this bill.
Status
Enacted into law, awaiting signature by the OK Governor.
Texas HB 228
Issue(s): Electronic Recording
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would allow for the commissioners of court, either by order or agreement, to exempt the requirement of appointing an official reporter by authorizing the use of an electronic recording device to report proceedings. Additionally, if an electronic recording device is used to report a court proceeding, this bill states that a court reporter is not required to be present during the proceeding to certify the record of the proceeding.
Position
NCRA, TCRA, and TEXDRA opposes this bill.
Status
The bill has been left pending in committee.
Texas HB 1685
Issue(s): Electronic Recording
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would allow “… the clerk of the municipal courts of record [in the City of San Antonio to] authorize the use of a good quality electronic recording device to report court proceedings. If the clerk authorizes an electronic recording, the court reporter is not required to be present to certify the reporter's record. If a case is appealed, the proceedings shall be transcribed from the recording by an official court reporter.”
Position
TCRA remained neutral on this bill. TEXDRA opposed this bill.
Texas HB 1737
Issue(s): Deposition Transcripts
Synopsis
The intention of HB 1737, as submitted by TEXDRA, was to protect the integrity of the original deposition transcript by delivering for signature a digital transcript secured from tampering or alteration thus protecting the witness’ right to read and sign their testimony and guaranteeing the parties’ rights to obtain, upon payment to the court reporter, a certified copy while enabling the reporter to deliver to the custodial attorney an original transcript upon which the parties and the Court may rely on the accuracy as certified by the court reporter. Additionally, TEXDRA wished to set in statute the financial responsibility for the court reporter’s charges for the original deposition transcript.
Position
TEXDRA proposed bill with no opposition from TCRA.
Texas HB 2579
Issue(s) Remote Oaths of Affirmation
Synopsis
This bill includes provisions regarding transcript filings for reporters and reporting firms as well as provisions allowing certified shorthand reporters to administer oaths remotely. If enacted, the bill would allow "a person certified as a shorthand reporter by the supreme court [to] administer an oath ... to a person who is or may be a witness in a case filed in this state without being located with a party or the witness."
Position
TCRA and TEXDRA jointly proposed this bill.
Utah SB 32
Issue(s): Captioning
Synopsis
This bill provides provisions for when captioners (remote-service contractors in this instance) are not considered employees of a marketplace company in Utah. Essentially, it is the reverse of CA AB 5 (which reclassified independent contractors as employees) in that it states when a captioner/remote-service contractor is not an employee.
Position
UCRA and NCRA support this bill.
Utah SB 84
Issue(s): Transcript Rates
Synopsis
If enacted, this bill would have reduced the transcript page rate for indigent defense cases from $4.50 to $2.00. However, prior to passage the bill substituted the language above with new language stating that a reporter could charge “up to” $4.50 per page for indigent defense cases.
Position
UCRA and NCRA opposed this bill prior to the language being substituted.
Status
The amended bill was enacted into law.
Virginia HB 1463/Virginia HB 1472 and Virginia SB 334
Issue(s): Certification
Synopsis
These bills were companion bills. If enacted, they would have created the Virginia Board for Court Reporters as an independent board to regulate court reporting services and to establish qualifications of applicants for licensure or registration of court reporters in the state. Additionally, if enacted, these bills would have made the Commonwealth of Virginia the first licensure entity in the U.S. to incorporate an apprenticeship program for new court reporters.
Position
VCRA and NCRA supported this legislation.
Status
All failed.