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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the members of the Court Reporters Certification |
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Advisory Board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 154.051, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The Court Reporters Certification Advisory Board is |
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established as an advisory board to the commission. The advisory |
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board is composed of at least nine [seven] members appointed by the |
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supreme court as follows: |
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(1) one active district judge presiding over a court |
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that employs an official court reporter; |
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(2) one active attorney licensed in this state who has |
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been a practicing member of the State Bar for more than the five |
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years immediately preceding the attorney's appointment to the |
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advisory board; |
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(3) two certified shorthand [active official court] |
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reporters actively engaged in the practice of official court [who |
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have practiced shorthand] reporting in this state for more than the |
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five years immediately preceding their appointment to the advisory |
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board; |
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(4) two [active] certified shorthand reporters |
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actively engaged in the practice of [who work on a freelance basis |
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and who have practiced] shorthand reporting on a freelance basis |
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for more than the five years immediately preceding their |
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appointment to the advisory board; [and] |
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(5) one certified shorthand reporter actively engaged |
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in practice as a captioner in this state for more than the five |
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years immediately preceding the captioner's appointment to the |
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advisory board; and |
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(6) two certified shorthand reporters who: |
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(A) own a shorthand reporting firm in this state; |
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and |
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(B) have owned and [one representative of a |
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shorthand reporting firm that has] operated [as] a shorthand |
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reporting firm in this state for more than the five [three] years |
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immediately preceding their [the representative's] appointment to |
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the advisory board. |
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(f-1) Not later than the 90th day before the expiration of |
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an advisory board member's term, the commission: |
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(1) shall post on the commission's Internet website |
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notice of the availability of the membership position; |
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(2) shall accept resumes from and conduct interviews |
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of any qualified individuals interested in appointment to the |
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position; and |
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(3) may recommend to the supreme court one or more of |
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the qualified individuals for appointment to the advisory board. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Texas Supreme Court shall appoint two |
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additional members of the Court Reporters Certification Advisory |
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Board in accordance with Section 154.051(a), Government Code, as |
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amended by this Act. |
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(b) The changes in law made by this Act to the |
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qualifications of members of the Court Reporters Certification |
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Advisory Board do not affect the entitlement of a member serving on |
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the advisory board immediately before the effective date of this |
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Act to continue to carry out the member's functions for the |
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remainder of the member's term. The change in law made by this Act |
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applies only to a member appointed or reappointed on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. This Act does not prohibit a person who |
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is a member of the advisory board on the effective date of this Act |
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from being reappointed to the advisory board if the person has the |
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qualifications required for membership under Section 154.051, |
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Government Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |