HLS 17RS-516 REENGROSSED
2017 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 66
BY REPRESENTATIVE MAGEE
COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Provides relative to transcript fees charged by court
reporters in Terrebonne Parish
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 13:976, relative to court reporters; to provide relative to fees for
3 transcripts in the Thirty-Second Judicial District; to provide for fees for cases on
4 appeal; to provide for private civil contracts in matters not on appeal; to provide for
5 a contingent effective date; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 13:976 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 ยง976. Thirty-Second Judicial District; additional court reporters; transcript fees;
9 contracts
10 A. In addition to the court reporters appointed under the provisions of R.S.
11 13:961A R.S. 13:961(A), the judges of the Thirty-Second Judicial District Court,
12 sitting en banc, and with the approval of the Terrebonne Parish governing authority,
13 may appoint additional qualified court reporters as they deem necessary, who shall
14 serve at the pleasure of the court en banc, and may be assigned to the various
15 divisions of the court, or to the grand jury, as the court en banc may direct.
16 B. Each of said the court reporters shall be paid by the Terrebonne Parish
17 governing authority out of the parish general fund, a salary to be fixed by the judges
18 en banc of the Thirty-Second Judicial District Court subject to the approval of the
19 parish governing authority. The governing authority of the parish shall annually, and
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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HB NO. 66
1 at the same time as it prepares its general budget of expenses, budget an amount
2 sufficient to pay the salaries of the said court reporters.
3 C. In all cases on appeal, the The civil and criminal transcript fee for all
4 court reporters in the Thirty-Second Judicial District should shall not exceed two
5 dollars and seventy-five cents three dollars and fifty cents per thirty-one thirty-two
6 line page and twenty-five seventy-five cents per page copy. These fees shall be
7 charged by and be paid to the court reporter who reported and transcribed the
8 testimony, shall be retained by him as compensation in addition to his salary, and
9 shall be taxed as costs of the suit in which the testimony is taken. When a copy is
10 requested by a litigant, a copy shall be provided and a fee not to exceed one dollar
11 for each page shall be charged and paid to the court reporter.
12 D. For matters not on appeal, a litigant requesting a transcript of testimony
13 or other matter transcribed shall enter into a private civil contract with the court
14 reporter for the payment of fees applicable to those contracts. Such fees shall be in
15 accordance with fees customarily charged in the judicial district for depositions.
16 D.E. In all other respects, the court reporters herein authorized by the
17 provisions of this Section shall be governed and regulated by the provisions of R.S.
18 13:961.
19 Section 2. In accordance with the provisions of R.S. 13:62, the increase in court costs
20or fees as provided for in this Act shall become effective if and when the Judicial Council
21provides a recommendation that such court costs or fees meet the applicable guidelines in
22its 2018 Report to the Louisiana Legislature.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 66 Reengrossed 2017 Regular Session Magee
Abstract: Increases the transcript fees available for court reporters in the 32
nd
JDC for
matters on appeal and requires private civil contracts for court reporters for matters
not on appeal.
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are additions. HLS 17RS-516 REENGROSSED
HB NO. 66
Present law limits the transcript fees for court reporters in the 32
nd
JDC and does not
distinguish between matters on appeal from those not on appeal.
Proposed law increases the limit for transcript fees for court reporters in the 32
nd
JDC for
matters on appeal and requires the use of private contracts with court reporters for fees on
matters not on appeal.
Proposed law provides for the increase in fees to become effective if and when the Judicial
Council reviews such request and makes a recommendation to the legislature in its 2018
report that the fees meet the applicable guidelines.
(Amends R.S. 13:976)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to the original
bill:
1. Provide that the increase in fees will become effective if and when the Judicial
Council reviews the request and makes its recommendation to the legislature in
its 2018 report.
2. Add technical amendments.
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Increase the civil and criminal transcript fees for court reporters in the 32
nd
JDC
from $3.25 to $3.50 per page.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.