SRC-AAA C.S.S.B. 646 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 646
By: Brown
Jurisprudence
4-15-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, court reporters are certified by the Texas Supreme Court after
reporting proficiency has been tested and approved by the Court Reporters
Certification Board (board).  Compliance with standards of conduct and
professionalism is thereafter subject to both statutory and board
supervision.  However, court reporting firms may be owned by non-court
reporters and therefore are not subject to any of the aforementioned
standards.  This bill requires court reporting firms to be subject to the
same standards as the court reporters in their employ. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 646 requires court reporting firms to be subject to
the same standards as the court reporters in their employ. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 52.021, Government Code, by adding Subsections
(h) and (i), as follows: 

(h) Requires a court reporting firm to register with the Court Reporters
Certification Board (board) by completing an application in a form adopted
by the board. 

(i) Provides that rules applicable to a court reporter are also applicable
to a court reporting firm.  Authorizes the board to enforce this
subsection by assessing a reasonable fee against a court reporting firm. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.  

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.

Amends Section 52.021, Government Code, to delete proposed Subsection (b).
Adds Subsection (i) to provide that rules applicable to a court reporter
are also applicable to a court reporting firm.  Authorizes the board to
enforce this subsection by assessing a reasonable fee against a court
reporting firm.