BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1685
87R16936 TSS-F	By: Cortez (Men�ndez)
	Jurisprudence
	5/17/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Due to the scarcity of qualified court reporters, it has been difficult to secure reasonably priced court reporting services on a consistent basis for the municipal courts in the City of San Antonio. In addition, the cost of installing and maintaining electronic recording devices in all three trial courtrooms is roughly half the cost of just one year's court reporter services.

H.B. 1685 seeks to provide the City of San Antonio the authority to use an electronic recording device in the municipal court of record so as to achieve these substantial cost savings. H.B. 1685 amends the Government Code to authorize the governing body of the City of San Antonio to authorize the use of a good quality electronic recording device to report court proceedings in cases tried before the municipal court. If the governing body authorizes an electronic recording, the court reporter is not required to be present to certify the reporter's record. The bill requires the recording to be kept for the 20-day period beginning the day after the last day of the court proceeding, trial, or denial of motion for new trial, whichever occurs last. The bill requires the proceedings to be transcribed from the recording by an official court reporter if the case is appealed.

H.B. 1685 amends current law relating to the use of an electronic recording device to report proceedings before a municipal court of record for the City of San Antonio.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 30.00226, Government Code, by adding Subsection (c), as follows:

(c)� Authorizes the governing body, instead of using a court reporter to preserve a record in a case, to authorize the use of a good quality electronic recording device to report court proceedings. Provides that if the governing body authorizes an electronic recording, the court reporter is not required to be present to certify the reporter's record. Requires that the recording be kept for the 20-day period beginning the day after the last day of the court proceeding, trial, or denial of motion for new trial, whichever occurs last. Requires that the proceedings, if a case is appealed, be transcribed from the recording by an official court reporter.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2021.