AN ACT 1-1 relating to court reporting firms. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Section 52.021, Government Code, is amended by 1-4 adding Subsections (h) and (i) to read as follows: 1-5 (h) A court reporting firm shall register with the board by 1-6 completing an application in a form adopted by the board. 1-7 (i) Rules applicable to a court reporter are also applicable 1-8 to a court reporting firm. The board may enforce this subsection 1-9 by assessing a reasonable fee against a court reporting firm. 1-10 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-11 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. _______________________________ _______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B. No. 646 passed the Senate on April 24, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 0. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 646 passed the House on May 5, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: _______________________________ Date _______________________________ Governor