An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3812 By: Stinson of the House
and
Stanley of the Senate
An Act relating to courts; amending 20 O.S. 202 1,
Sections 106.3B and 1503.1, which relate to court
reporters; updating references; modi fying process for
temporary appointment; and removing certain
continuing education requirement .
SUBJECT: Courts
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 20 O.S. 2021, Section 106.3B, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 106.3B Only the following persons may act and are
eligible for appointment on a fu ll-time or part-time basis as
official court reporters for th e courts, including the Workers '
Compensation Court Commission, Workers' Compensation Court of
Existing Claims, and the Corporation Commission:
a. 1. Persons now certified or hereafter certified by the State
Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters shall be given
primary consideration for appointment;
b. 2. Persons who, prior t o July 1, 1978, were licensed as
licensed shorthand reporters by the State Board of Examiners of
Certified Shorthand Reporters sh all be given secondary consideration
for appointment;
c. 3. Persons who, prior to July 1, 1978, were acting shorthand
reporters under a certificate issued by the Chief Justice; ENR. H. B. NO. 3812 Page 2
d. 4. When no person eligible for appointment as an offic ial
court reporter, as provided above, is available for appoi ntment, a
presiding judge or a district judge may make application to the
Chief Justice to appoint a shorthand reporter on a temporary basis.
The candidate must file with the State Board of Exam iners of
Certified Shorthand Reporters a properly completed a pplication for a
temporary certificate, along with any other supporting documents or
information required by the Board, and shall pay the applicable
examination fee as set forth in the fee schedu le issued by the Board
which shall be deposited with the Cler k of the Supreme Court. The
Board shall advise the Chief Justice if the applicant i s recommended
for a temporary certificate. The Chief Justice may issue a
temporary certificate valid for not m ore than twelve (12) mo nths,
upon payment of a fee of Fifty D ollars ($50.00) and a fee of
Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00) for the certified shortha nd reporter
examination which will be deposited with the Clerk of the Supreme
Court. The temporary certificate shall be nonrenewable, except in
emergency situations as det ermined by the Chief Justice and for no
longer than ninety (90) additional days . Absent good cause shown as
determined by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand
Reporters, a tempora ry certificate holder s hall sit for at least one
Oklahoma certified shorthand reporter examination administered
during the term of the temporary certificate. The holder shall be
required to transcribe the examination, and the examination results
of such transcription shall be reported to the holder 's supervisory
judge;
e. 5. The appointment of an official court reporter by a
district or presidin g judge shall be subject to the approval of the
Chief Justice. Before giving his approval to the appointment, t he
Chief Justice shall determine, with the aid of the Adminis trative
Director of the Courts, that the appointing judge has given proper
consideration to the statutory preference accorded herein to
certified and licensed reporters; and
f. 6. A temporary court reporter, either wh ile so serving or
after the expiration of this appointment, shall be required to
transcribe any testimony and other proc eedings taken by him and to
certify that the transcription is true and correct. A transcript
certified by a temporary court reporter sh all have the same effect
as one certified by a regular court reporter.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 20 O.S. 2021, Section 1503.1, is
amended to read as follows: ENR. H. B. NO. 3812 Page 3
Section 1503.1 A. Every certified shorthand reporte r and every
court reporter temporarily employed by the distri ct court, Workers'
Compensation Court Commission, Workers' Compensation Court of
Existing Claims, or Corporation Commission shall annually complete
at least four (4) hours of continuing education approved by the
State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters. Included
in the four-hour minimum requirement for every official shorthand
reporter and every court reporter temporarily employed by the
district court, Workers ' Compensation Court, or Corporation
Commission at least one (1) hour shall relate to Oklahoma court
rules and procedures. All four (4) hours of continuing edu cation
shall be approved by the State Board of Examiners of Certified
Shorthand Reporters.
B. A certified shorthan d reporter or court reporter is exempt
from the requirements of subsection A of this section if the
reporter verifies under oath to the Stat e Board of Examiners of
Certified Shorthand Reporters that he or she:
1. Has attained the age of sixty -five (65) before or during the
calendar year for which the reporter seeks an exemption;
2. Is a member of the Armed Forces on full-time active duty
during the entire calendar year for which the reporter seeks an
exemption; or
3. Has provided written verification by a licensed physician
that a medical condit ion has prevented the court reporter from
working in such capacity and completing continuing ed ucation for the
calendar year for which the reporter seeks an exemption.
ENR. H. B. NO. 3812 Page 4
Passed the House of Representatives the 14th day of March, 2022.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 26th day of April, 2022.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of th e State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of Sta te this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________