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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of a judge of a court of record to |
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determine the system of recordkeeping used to record the court's |
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proceedings. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 21.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.010. SYSTEM OF RECORDKEEPING. (a) Subject to |
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Subsection (b), a judge of a court of record may determine the |
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system of recordkeeping the court will use to create a record of the |
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court's proceedings. |
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(b) The supreme court must approve a local rule authorizing |
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the use of an electronic system of recordkeeping in a court of |
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record before the court may implement that system. |
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(c) An electronic system of recordkeeping must provide a |
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record of the court's proceedings that is substantially similar in |
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content to the record a court reporter is required to provide under |
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Chapter 52 and under other applicable rules adopted by the supreme |
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court. |
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SECTION 2. Section 52.041, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 52.041. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICIAL COURT |
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REPORTER. Unless the judge chooses to use an electronic system of |
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recordkeeping as authorized by Section 21.010, the [Each] judge of |
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a court of record shall appoint an official court reporter. An |
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official court reporter is a sworn officer of the court and holds |
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office at the pleasure of the court. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |