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.