BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  SB 671
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   August 17, 2011

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                     SB 671 (Price) - As Amended:  May 18, 2011 

          Policy Committee:                              Business and 
          Professions  Vote:                            8 - 1

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program: 
          No     Reimbursable:              

           SUMMARY  

          This bill establishes continuing education requirements as a 
          condition for state license renewal of all court reporters. 
          Specifically, this bill:

          1)Requires the Court Reporters Board of California to establish 
            the continuing education requirements, by July 1, 2012.

          2)Requires the board to establish a procedure for approving 
            providers of continuing education courses.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Costs associated with this legislation would be minor and 
          absorbable within existing resources. 

           COMMENTS  

           1)Background and Purpose  . There are two types of certified 
            shorthand reporters: those who work as employees of the court 
            system and freelance reporters who report depositions. In 
            order to qualify for licensure, all reporters must attend one 
            of the 16 California schools authorized by the board and pass 
            two written exams and a performance exam. Currently, only 
            reporters employed by the courts are required by the Judicial 
            Council to take continuing education courses, which are 
            intended to ensure these reporters maintain a high level of 
            professionalism, including technical skills and knowledge of 
            the constantly changing relevant statutes. There is no similar 
            requirement for freelance reporters, which creates an inequity 
            in the professional standards of the licensee.








                                                                  SB 671
                                                                  Page  2


             This bill closes a loophole in the licensing requirements by 
            mandating that all reporters update their skills through 
            continuing education, consistent with standards adopted by the 
            board.

           2)Related Legislation  . A substantially similar bill, AB 2189 
            (Karnette) of 2008 would have required the Board to establish 
            continuing education requirements for renewal of a shorthand 
            reporter certificate.  This bill was vetoed. In his veto 
            message, Gov. Schwarzenegger noted, "The proposed continuing 
            education requirements in this bill impose an additional 
            burden on the regulated profession without justifying a 
            compelling need."

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916) 
          319-2081