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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
March 23, 2021
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1152 By: Osburn of the House
and
Garvin of the Senate
An Act relating to court reporters; amending 20 O.S.
2011, Section 1503, which relates to examination for
enrollment of certified shorthand reporters; removing
certain preliminary proficiency requirements; and
providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 20 O.S. 2011, Section 1503, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 1503. A. Every applicant who seeks to be examined for
enrollment as a certified shorthand reporter shall prove to the
satisfaction of the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand
Reporters that he or s he:
1. Is of legal age;
2. Meets the requisite st andards of ethical fitness; and
3. Has at least a high school education or its equivalent ; and
4. Possesses a minimum level of court reporting proficiency
which would allow the applicant to meet the exam ination requirements
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established in paragraph 1 of subsection B of this section. An
applicant may satisfy such requirements by obtaining verification
through a court reporting school official of the applicant 's level
of proficiency, as outlined by the tes t application; by passing a
preliminary proficiency examination, which has been approved by the
Board; or by proving that the applicant has previously held any
state or national shorthand reporting certificate or license .
B. The examination for certificat ion in one or more authorized
methods of shorthand reporting consists of two parts, designated
Part 1 and Part 2 as follows:
1. Part 1 consists of the test as authorized by the Supreme
Court consisting of the following requirements: demonstrated
proficiency in reporting testimony and proceedings at a spee d of not
more than two hundred (200) words per minute in taking a question -
and-answer type dictation and at a speed of not more than one
hundred eighty (180) words per minute in taking literary materials
which shall be designed to test the ability of an ap plicant to
accurately prepare a transcript of testimony and proceedings that is
reasonably free from spelling errors. The Board may not increase or
decrease such minimum speed requirement, by rule or othe rwise; and
2. Part 2 is the Oklahoma Written Knowl edge test which consists
of not less than twenty -five multiple choice questions relating to
Oklahoma law and court rules, duties of certified shorthand
reporters, and general court procedure. The examinat ion shall be
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approved by the Supreme Court. A pers on who has tested with the
Board and successfully completed the written knowledge portion of
the examination shall be allowed to retain the credit for that
portion for two (2) years from the date passed, a nd shall not be
required to retake that portion dur ing the two-year period.
C. An applicant who is academically dishonest when taking any
authorized examination is disqualified and may not take the
examination again until two (2) years have elapsed from t he date of
the examination at which the applicant w as disqualified.
D. A certification issued under this section must be for one or
more of the following methods of shorthand reporting:
1. Written shorthand;
2. Machine shorthand; or
3. Any other method of shorthand reporting authorized by the
Supreme Court.
E. No person may engage in shorthand reporting in this state
unless the person is a licensed or certified shorthand reporter or
otherwise authorized by law or the Supreme Court.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
March 23, 2021 - DO PASS