Bill Text: CA AB804 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Shorthand reporters: continuing education requirements.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2016-01-15 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB804 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB804-Enrolled.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 804 ENROLLED
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 4, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 31, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 23, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Roger Hernández
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
An act to amend Section 8031 of, and to add Section 8024.8 to, the
Business and Professions Code, relating to shorthand reporters.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 804, Roger Hernández. Shorthand reporters: continuing education
requirements.
Existing law provides for the certification and regulation of
shorthand reporters by the Court Reporters Board of California in the
Department of Consumer Affairs, and provides for the regulation of
shorthand reporting schools by the board. Existing law provides for
the renewal of a shorthand reporter's certificate if specified
requirements are met. Existing law sets forth specified fees for the
examination for, and the issuance and renewal of, a shorthand
reporter's certificate.
This bill would require the board, on or before July 1, 2017, to
adopt regulations to establish, for renewal of a shorthand reporter's
certificate, minimum approved continuing education requirements,
with certain exceptions, and would require the board to establish a
procedure for approving providers of those continuing education
courses, as specified. The bill would also require the board to
collaborate with the Judicial Council to develop a list of courses
that satisfy the continuing education requirements of both these
provisions and a specified rule, applicable to trial court personnel,
of the California Rules of Court. The bill would also authorize the
board to, by regulation, establish a fee for approval of those
continuing education providers, not to exceed the reasonable
regulatory costs, if any, to the board of approving those providers.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 8024.8 is added to the Business and Professions
Code, to read:
8024.8. (a) On or before July 1, 2017, the board shall adopt
regulations to establish minimum continuing education requirements
for renewal of a certificate issued pursuant to this chapter. No
earlier than six months after the effective date of the regulations,
to renew his or her certificate, a certificate holder shall, in
addition to the requirements of Section 8024, submit to the board, on
a form prescribed by the board, that he or she has completed the
minimum continuing education requirements.
(b) The board shall ensure that the continuing education required
by this section is relevant to the practice of shorthand reporting.
(c) The board shall ensure that the continuing education required
by this section includes a minimum of two hours of course credits in
ethics and professional conduct of shorthand reporting.
(d) The board shall ensure that the continuing education required
by this section is not less than 8 hours and not more than 12 hours
of course credits every two years.
(e) The board shall also establish a procedure for approving
providers of continuing education courses, and all providers of
continuing education shall comply with procedures established by the
board. The board may establish a fee for providers of continuing
education courses pursuant to Section 8031. The board may revoke or
deny the right of a provider to offer continuing education coursework
pursuant to this section for failure to comply with the requirements
of this section or any regulation adopted pursuant to this section.
(f) The board may establish exceptions to the continuing education
requirements of this section for a certificate holder who cannot
meet the continuing education requirements for reasons of health,
military service, or undue hardship.
(g) The continuing education requirements of this section shall
comply with the guidelines for mandatory continuing education
established by the Department of Consumer Affairs pursuant to Section
166.
(h) The board shall, in collaboration with the Judicial Council,
develop a list of courses that satisfy the requirements of both this
section and Rule 10.474 of Title 10 of the California Rules of Court.
The courses on this list may be used to satisfy the requirements of
both this section and Rule 10.474.
(i) The board may adopt regulations as necessary to implement this
section.
SEC. 2. Section 8031 of the Business and Professions Code is
amended to read:
8031. The amount of the fees required by this chapter is that
fixed by the board in accordance with the following schedule:
(a) The fee for filing an application for each examination shall
be no more than forty dollars ($40).
(b) The fee for examination and reexamination for the written or
practical part of the examination shall be in an amount fixed by the
board, which shall be equal to the actual cost of preparing,
administering, grading, and analyzing the examination, but shall not
exceed seventy-five dollars ($75) for each separate part, for each
administration.
(c) The initial certificate fee is an amount equal to the renewal
fee in effect on the last regular renewal date before the date on
which the certificate is issued, except that, if the certificate will
expire less than 180 days after its issuance, then the fee is 50
percent of the renewal fee in effect on the last regular renewal date
before the date on which the certificate is issued, or fifty dollars
($50), whichever is greater. The board may, by appropriate
regulation, provide for the waiver or refund of the initial
certificate fee where the certificate is issued less than 45 days
before the date on which it will expire.
(d) By a resolution adopted by the board, a renewal fee may be
established in such amounts and at such times as the board may deem
appropriate to meet its operational expenses and funding
responsibilities as set forth in this chapter. The renewal fee shall
not be more than one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) nor less than
ten dollars ($10) annually, with the following exception:
Any person who is employed full time by the State of California as
a hearing reporter and who does not otherwise render shorthand
reporting services for a fee shall be exempt from licensure while in
state employment and shall not be subject to the renewal fee
provisions of this subdivision until 30 days after leaving state
employment. The renewal fee shall, in addition to the amount fixed by
this subdivision, include any unpaid fees required by this section
plus any delinquency fee.
(e) The duplicate certificate fee shall be no greater than ten
dollars ($10).
(f) The penalty for failure to notify the board of a change of
name or address as required by Section 8024.6 shall be no greater
than fifty dollars ($50).
(g) The fee for approval of a continuing education provider shall
be fixed by the board through regulation in an amount to cover the
reasonable regulatory cost to the board of approving those continuing
education providers, but shall be no greater than forty dollars
($40).
