Court reporters: registration: nonshorthand reporting corporation entities.

Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of shorthand reporters by the Court Reporters Board of California, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law subjects a person or entity to certain penalties if the person or entity engages in specified acts relating to shorthand reporting, including any act that constitutes shorthand reporting, except if the person or entity is a licensed shorthand reporter, a shorthand reporting corporation, or one of specified other persons or entities not subject to those provisions. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. This bill, on and after January 1, 2021, would authorize an entity that is not a shorthand reporting corporation to engage in those specified acts if the entity is approved for registration by the board after meeting specified requirements, including paying an annual registration fee not to exceed $500 to the board and designating a board-certified reporter-in-charge, as specified. The bill would require the board to approve an entity's registration or deny the entity's application upon making specified findings. The bill would make a registration valid for one year and would also provide for the suspension and revocation of a registration by the board under specified circumstances. The bill would require the board to make available on its internet website a directory of registered entities. Because a violation of the provisions regulating short hand reporting is a crime, by expanding the provisions to apply to these new registrants, the bill would expand the scope of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.