88R11056 AMF-F
By: Leach H.B. No. 3473
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the members of the Court Reporters Certification
Advisory Board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 154.051, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f-1) to read as
follows:
(a) The Court Reporters Certification Advisory Board is
established as an advisory board to the commission. The advisory
board is composed of at least nine [seven] members appointed by the
supreme court as follows:
(1) one active district judge presiding over a court
that employs an official court reporter;
(2) one active attorney licensed in this state who has
been a practicing member of the State Bar for more than the five
years immediately preceding the attorney's appointment to the
advisory board;
(3) two certified shorthand [active official court]
reporters actively engaged in the practice of official court [who
have practiced shorthand] reporting in this state for more than the
five years immediately preceding their appointment to the advisory
board;
(4) two [active] certified shorthand reporters
actively engaged in the practice of [who work on a freelance basis
and who have practiced] shorthand reporting on a freelance basis
for more than the five years immediately preceding their
appointment to the advisory board; [and]
(5) one certified shorthand reporter actively engaged
in practice as a captioner in this state for more than the five
years immediately preceding the captioner's appointment to the
advisory board; and
(6) two certified shorthand reporters who:
(A) own a shorthand reporting firm in this state;
and
(B) have owned and [one representative of a
shorthand reporting firm that has] operated [as] a shorthand
reporting firm in this state for more than the five [three] years
immediately preceding their [the representative's] appointment to
the advisory board.
(f-1) Not later than the 90th day before the expiration of
an advisory board member's term, the commission:
(1) shall post on the commission's Internet website
notice of the availability of the membership position;
(2) shall accept resumes from and conduct interviews
of any qualified individuals interested in appointment to the
position; and
(3) may recommend to the supreme court one or more of
the qualified individuals for appointment to the advisory board.
SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
date of this Act, the Texas Supreme Court shall appoint two
additional members of the Court Reporters Certification Advisory
Board in accordance with Section 154.051(a), Government Code, as
amended by this Act.
(b) The changes in law made by this Act to the
qualifications of members of the Court Reporters Certification
Advisory Board do not affect the entitlement of a member serving on
the advisory board immediately before the effective date of this
Act to continue to carry out the member's functions for the
remainder of the member's term. The change in law made by this Act
applies only to a member appointed or reappointed on or after the
effective date of this Act. This Act does not prohibit a person who
is a member of the advisory board on the effective date of this Act
from being reappointed to the advisory board if the person has the
qualifications required for membership under Section 154.051,
Government Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.