By Dutton                                              H.B. No. 637
       74R2068 MWV-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to certification of court reporters.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 52.002, Government Code, is amended to
    1-5  read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 52.002.  Rules.  (a)  The supreme court may adopt rules
    1-7  consistent with this chapter, including rules governing the
    1-8  certification and conduct of official and deputy court reporters
    1-9  and shorthand reporters.
   1-10        (b)  The supreme court may adopt rules relating to the
   1-11  nonrenewal of the certification of a shorthand reporter who is in
   1-12  default on a loan guaranteed under Chapter 57, Education Code, by
   1-13  the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation.
   1-14        SECTION 2.  Section 52.013(b), Government Code, is amended to
   1-15  read as follows:
   1-16        (b)  The board may:
   1-17              (1)  appoint any necessary or proper subcommittee;
   1-18              (2)  hire necessary employees;
   1-19              (3)  pay all reasonable expenses from available funds;
   1-20              (4)  approve curriculum for court reporter proprietary
   1-21  schools as provided by Section 32.33, Education Code; <and>
   1-22              (5)  approve court reporter programs in technical
   1-23  institutes and public community colleges for purposes of
   1-24  certification under Section 61.051, Education Code; and
    2-1              (6)  under supreme court rules, approve continuing
    2-2  professional education courses for persons certified as shorthand
    2-3  reporters.
    2-4        SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 52, Government Code, is
    2-5  amended by adding Section 52.015 to read as follows:
    2-6        Sec. 52.015.  CONTINUING EDUCATION.  (a)  The supreme court
    2-7  by rule may require continuing professional education for persons
    2-8  certified as shorthand reporters.
    2-9        (b)  The plan for continuing professional education adopted
   2-10  by the court may include standards relating to:
   2-11              (1)  annual reporting by shorthand reporters or by
   2-12  providers of continuing professional education;
   2-13              (2)  continuing professional education course content;
   2-14  and
   2-15              (3)  minimum number of hours of continuing professional
   2-16  education required annually.
   2-17        (c)  The supreme court by rule may exempt certain persons,
   2-18  including disabled and retired persons, from all or a portion of
   2-19  the continuing education requirements.
   2-20        SECTION 4.  Not later than December 31, 1995, the Court
   2-21  Reporters Certification Board shall develop a plan for continuing
   2-22  professional education for persons certified as shorthand reporters
   2-23  for the consideration of the supreme court.  The plan may include
   2-24  standards relating to:
   2-25              (1)  annual reporting by shorthand reporters or by
   2-26  providers of continuing professional education;
   2-27              (2)  continuing professional education course content;
    3-1  and
    3-2              (3)  minimum number of hours of continuing professional
    3-3  education required annually.
    3-4        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-5  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-6  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-7  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-8  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.