By: Wentworth S.B. No. 1561 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to recording certain depositions. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 52.031, Government Code, 1-4 is amended to read as follows: 1-5 (b) A noncertified shorthand reporter may report an oral 1-6 deposition only if: 1-7 (1) the noncertified shorthand reporter delivers an 1-8 affidavit to the parties or to their counsel present at the 1-9 deposition stating that a certified shorthand reporter is not 1-10 available; or 1-11 (2) the parties or their counsel stipulate on the 1-12 record at the beginning of the deposition that a certified 1-13 shorthand reporter is not available; or 1-14 (3) the parties or their counsel stipulate prior to 1-15 the commencement of the deposition, either on the record or in 1-16 writing, to the taking of the deposition by nonstenographic 1-17 recording; or 1-18 (4) absent the application of Subdivisions (1)-(3), on 1-19 application by a party or the party's attorney, a court of 1-20 competent jurisdiction authorizes the taking of the nonstenographic 1-21 deposition. 1-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-23 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.