CA SB 662

Title: Courts: court reporters.
Author: Susan Rubio

Summary
SB 662, as amended, Rubio. Courts: court reporters. Existing law establishes the Court Reporters Board of California to license and regulate shorthand reporters. Existing law establishes that a person who holds a valid certificate as a shorthand reporter shall be known as a “certified shorthand reporter.” Existing law requires an individual to have satisfactorily passed an examination, as prescribed by the board, in order to be certified as a shorthand reporter.This bill would require the board, in consultation with the Office of Professional Examination Services of the Department of Consumer Affairs, to evaluate the necessity of requiring applicants who have passed either the National Court Reporters Association’s or the National Verbatim Reporters Association’s certification examination to demonstrate competency as a certified shorthand reporter. The bill would require the board to submit its findings to the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature on or before June 1, 2024. The bill would authorize the board to replace the state-specific examination requirement with the National Court Reporters Association’s or the National Verbatim Reporters Association’s certification examination if the board concludes that the current state-specific examination is not necessary to establish a minimum level of competency of shorthand reporters and that the examination poses a barrier to licensure as a shorthand reporter. Existing law authorizes a superior court to appoint official reporters and official reporters pro tempore as deemed necessary for the performance of the duties of the court and its members. Existing law also authorizes a court to use electronic recording equipment to record an action or proceeding in a limited civil case, or a misdemeanor or infraction case, if an official reporter or an official reporter pro tempore is unavailable. This bill would instead permit a court to electronically record any civil case if approved electronic recording equipment is available. The bill would require a court to provide a certified shorthand reporter, as defined, the right of first refusal to transcribe an electronically reported proceeding. The bill would additionally require that the court make every effort to hire a court reporter before electing to electronically record the action or proceedings pursuant to these provisions.Existing law appropriated $30,000,000 in both the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscal years to the Judicial Council to be allocated to courts to increase the number of official court reporters in family and civil law cases, as specified.The bill would require the Judicial Council to collect information from courts regarding how they are utilizing funds appropriated to recruit and hire court reporters. The bill would require, beginning January 1, 2025, and annually thereafter until all such funds are expended, the Judicial Council to report to the Legislature the efforts courts have taken to hire and retain court reporters and how the funds appropriated for this purpose have been spent.

Status
Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

Bill Documents
CA SB 662 - 04/27/23 - Amended Senate
04/27/23 - CA SB 662 (04/27/23 - Amended Senate)