An Act
ENR. H. B. NO. 1396 Page 1
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1396 By: Hasenbeck of the House
and
Floyd of the Senate
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 1 06.9),
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 additio nal
payments; increasing maximum cumulative amount of
certain additional payments; providing an effect ive
date; and declaring an emergency.
SUBJECT: Court reporters
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STA TE 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:
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).
ENR. H. B. NO. 1396 Page 2
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
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)
hours of continuing education per three-year cycle commencing at the
date of recognition;
ENR. H. B. NO. 1396 Page 3
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;
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 the terms of their employment to
travel outside their county of reside nce shall receive reimbursement ENR. H. B. NO. 1396 Page 4
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 Stat e Travel Reimbursement Act for state employees.
Any travel reimburseme nt shall be paid from the court fund of the
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.
ENR. H. B. NO. 1396 Page 5
Passed the House of Representatives the 16th day of May, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 26th day of April, 2023.
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 the 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 State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________