Oklahoma 2023 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB1396 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 04/27/2023

                     
 
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ENGROSSED SENATE AMENDMENT 
TO 
ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 1396 	By: Hasenbeck of the House 
 
  and 
 
  Floyd of the Senate 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to courts; amending 20 O.S. 2021, 
Section 106.9, which relates to salaries of court 
reporters; increasing court repor ter salaries; 
providing a maximum salary increase; and providing an 
effective date. 
 
 
 
AMENDMENT NO. 1. Page 1, strike the title, enacting clause and 
entire bill and insert 
 
 
“An Act relating to court reporters; amending 20 O.S. 
2021, Section 106.9, as amen ded by Section 1, Chapter 
271, O.S.L. 2022 (20 O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 106.9), 
which relates to court reporter salaries; modifying 
definition; clarifying language; authorizin g payment 
of annual equipment allowance to certain official 
court reporters; dire cting payment of certain 
allowance; increasing amounts of certain additional 
payments; increasing maximum cumulative amount of 
certain additional payments; providing an effect ive 
date; and declaring an emergency.   
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE O F THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.   AMENDATORY     20 O.S. 2021, Section 106.9, as 
amended by Section 1, Chapter 271, O.S.L. 2022 (20 O.S. Supp. 2022, 
Section 106.9), is amended to read as f ollows:   
 
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Section 106.9 A.  Each court reporter regula rly engaged by the 
district court, the Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims, 
or the Corporation Commission shall be paid a salary pur suant to the 
salary schedule established by the annual appropriation for the 
district courts and Corporation Comm ission and in accordance with 
the job description for the position to which appointed.  For fiscal 
year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter , each court reporter shall 
receive an annual salary of Fifty-three Thousand Dollars 
($53,000.00). 
B.  In addition to their base salaries, official court reporters 
who are certified or licensed shorthand reporters and those acting 
shorthand reporters pursuant to paragraph c 3 of Section 106.3B of 
this title shall be paid annually the sum of Four Hundred Dollars 
($400.00) for each year of service to the district court, the 
Workers’ Compensation Court, the Workers’ Compensation Court of 
Existing Claims and the Cor poration Commission, with a maximum of 
twenty (20) years of service only to be used for the purpose of 
longevity, not to exceed Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00) per 
year, payable monthly.  For the purpose of payment for longevity, 
“years of service” is defined as all years served as a certified or 
licensed court reporter in the district court, the Workers ’ 
Compensation Court, the Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing 
Claims and the Corporation Commission after June 30, 1978.  Such 
longevity Longevity payments shall begin be made on July 1 of each   
 
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year following completion of one (1) year’s the first year of 
service as defined herein. 
C.  In addition to their base salaries, official court reporters 
eligible for longevity payments pursuant to subsection B of this 
section shall be paid an annual equipment allowanc e of Three 
Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00).  Payments for such allowance shall be 
made on July 1 of each year following completion of the first year 
of service as defined in subsection B of this section. 
D. In addition to their base salaries, official court reporters 
who are certified shorthand reporters shall be paid the following: 
1.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any 
official court reporter who is a Registered Professional Reporter 
(RPR), as recognized by the State Board of Examiners of Certified 
Shorthand Reporters.  To qualify as a RPR, an official court 
reporter shall have a proficiency level in reporting testimony and 
proceedings of a speed of not less than two hundred twenty-five 
(225) words per minute in taking a question-and-answer-type 
dictation, two hundred (200) words per minute in taking a jury 
charge and one hundred eighty (180) words per minute in taking 
literary material, shall pass a Written Knowledge Test with a score 
of at least seventy percent (70%), all as determined by an 
examination recognized by the Board, and shall complete thirty (30)   
 
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hours of continuing education per three-year cycle commencing at the 
date of recognition; 
2.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any 
official court reporter who is a Registered Merit Reporter (RMR), as 
recognized by the State Board of Exami ners of Certified Shorthand 
Reporters.  To qualify as a RMR, an official court reporter shall 
have a proficiency level in repor ting testimony and proceedings of a 
speed of not less than two hundred sixty (260) words per minute in 
taking a question-and-answer-type dictation, two hundred forty (240) 
words per minute in taking a jury charge and two hundred (200) words 
per minute in taking literary material, shall pass a Written 
Knowledge Test with a score of at least seventy percent (70%), all 
as determined by an examination recognized by the Board, and shall 
complete thirty (30) hours of continuing education per three-year 
cycle commencing at the date of recognition; 
3.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any 
official court reporter who is a Registered Diplomat Reporter (RDR), 
as recognized by the Sta te Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand 
Reporters, and who completes thirty (30) hours of continuing 
education per three-year cycle commencing at the date of 
recognition;   
 
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4.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any 
official court repor ter who is a Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR), 
as recognized by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand 
Reporters, and who completes thirty (30) hours of continuing 
education per three-year cycle commencing at the date of 
recognition; or 
5.  Any official court reporter who is the holder of more than 
one certification shall be compensated in the ad ditional amounts 
specified in paragraphs 1 through 4 of this subsection for each 
certification up to a maximum of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) 
Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00) per year over and above the 
reporter’s base salary, payable monthly. 
D. E.  Court reporters temporarily employed by the district 
court, Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claims, or 
Corporation Commission shall be compensa ted by the court fund of the 
court which they serve at a rate to be set by such court.  In 
addition, court reporters temporarily employed pursuant to this 
subsection who are required by th e terms of their employment to 
travel outside their county of reside nce shall receive reimbursement 
for mileage actually and nece ssarily traveled to and from the place 
of attendance at a rate not to exceed the rate of reimbursement 
specified in the State T ravel Reimbursement Act for state employees. 
Any travel reimburseme nt shall be paid from the court fund of the   
 
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court where the service of the temporarily employed court reporter 
is provided. 
SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. 
SECTION 3.  It being immediately necessary for the preservation 
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby 
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and 
be in full force from and after its passage and approval. ” 
Passed the Senate the 26th day of April, 2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate 
 
 
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________ , 
2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives   
 
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ENGROSSED HOUSE 
BILL NO. 1396 	By: Hasenbeck of the House 
 
   and 
 
  Floyd of the Senate 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to courts; amending 20 O.S. 2021, 
Section 106.9, which relates to salaries of court 
reporters; increasing court report er salaries; 
providing a maximum salary increase; and providing an 
effective date. 
 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STA TE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 4.    AMENDATORY     20 O.S. 2021, Section 106.9, as 
amended by Section 1, Chapter 271, O.S.L. 2022 (20 O.S. Supp. 2022, 
Section 106.9), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 106.9 A.  Each court reporter regula rly engaged by the 
district court, the Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims, 
or the Corporation Commission shall be paid a salary pur suant to the 
salary schedule established b y the annual appropriation for the 
district courts and Corporation Comm ission and in accordance with 
the job description for the position to which appointed.  For fiscal 
year 2023 and each fiscal year thereafter , each court reporter shall 
receive an annual salary of Fifty-three Thousand Dollars 
($53,000.00).   
 
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B.  In addition to their base salaries, official court reporters 
who are certified or licensed shorthand reporters and those acting 
shorthand reporters pursuant to paragraph c of Section 106.3B of 
this title shall be paid annually the sum of Four Hundred Dollars 
($400.00) for each year of service to the district court, the 
Workers' Compensation Court, the Workers' Compensation Court of 
Existing Claims and the Cor poration Commission, with a maximum of 
twenty (20) years of service only to be used for the purpose of 
longevity, not to exceed Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00) per 
year, payable monthly.  For the purpose of payment for longevity, 
"years of service" is defined as all years served as a certified or 
licensed court reporter in the district court, the Workers ' 
Compensation Court and the Corporation Commission after June 30, 
1978.  Such longevity payments shall begin on July 1 of each year 
following completion of one (1) year's service as defined herein. 
C.  In addition to their base salaries, official court reporters 
who are certified shorthand reporters shall be paid the foll owing: 
1.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any 
official court reporter who is a Registered Professional Reporter 
(RPR), as recognized by the State Board of Examiners of Certified 
Shorthand Reporters.  To qualify as a RPR, an official court 
reporter shall have a proficiency level in reporting testimony and 
proceedings of a speed of not less than two hundred twenty-five   
 
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(225) words per minute in taking a question-and-answer-type 
dictation, two hundred (200) words per minute in taking a jury 
charge and one hundred eighty (180) words per minute in taking 
literary material, shall pass a Written Knowledge Test with a sco re 
of at least seventy percent (70%), all as determined by an 
examination recognized by the Board, and shall complete thirty (30) 
hours of continuing education per three-year cycle commencing at the 
date of recognition; 
2.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hun dred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any 
official court reporter who is a Registered Merit Reporter (RMR), as 
recognized by the State Board of Exami ners of Certified Shorthand 
Reporters.  To qualify as a RMR, an official court reporter shall 
have a proficiency level in repor ting testimony and proceedings of a 
speed of not less than two hundred sixty (260) words per minute in 
taking a question-and-answer-type dictation, two hundred forty (240) 
words per minute in taking a jury charge and two hundred (200) words 
per minute in taking literary material, shall pass a Written 
Knowledge Test with a score of at least seventy percent (70%), all 
as determined by an examination recognized by the Board, and shall 
complete thirty (30) hours of continuing education per three -year 
cycle commencing at the date of recognition; 
3.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any   
 
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official court reporter who is a Registered Diplomat Reporter (RDR), 
as recognized by the Sta te Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand 
Reporters, and who completes thirty (30) hours of continuing 
education per three-year cycle commencing at the date of 
recognition; 
4.  The sum of One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) Two 
Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) per year, payable monthly, to any 
official court reporter w ho is a Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR), 
as recognized by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand 
Reporters, and who completes thirty (30) hours of conti nuing 
education per three-year cycle commencing at the date of 
recognition; or 
5.  Any official court reporter who is the holder of more than 
one certification shall be compensated in the additional amo unts 
specified in paragraphs 1 through 4 of this subse ction for each 
certification up to a maximum of Six Thousand Dollars ($6,000.00) 
Eight Thousand Dollars ($8,000.00) per year over and above the 
reporter's base salary, payable monthly. 
D.  Court reporters temporarily employed by the district court, 
Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims, or Corporation 
Commission shall be compensated b y the court fund of the court which 
they serve at a rate to be set by such court.  In addition, court 
reporters temporarily employed pursuant to this subsection who are 
required by the terms of their employment to travel outside their   
 
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county of residence s hall receive reimbursement for mileage actually 
and necessarily traveled to and fr om the place of attendance at a 
rate not to exceed the rate of reimbursement specified in the State 
Travel Reimbursement Act for state employees. Any travel 
reimbursement shall be paid from the court fund of the court where 
the service of the temporarily employed court reporter is prov ided. 
SECTION 2.    NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified 
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 106.9A -1 of Title 20, unless 
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: 
A. The Administrative Director of the Courts may use available 
funds for the acquisition and proper maintenance of court reporter 
equipment including software . 
B. Any equipment provided to a court reporter pursuant to the 
provisions of this section which is lost shall be replaced not later 
than thirty (30) days after the loss occurs and no state funds shall 
be used for such replacement . 
SECTION 3.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.   
 
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Passed the House of Representatives the 22nd day of March, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives 
 
 
Passed the Senate the ____ day of __________, 2023. 
 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate