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1997 SESSION

971972837
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 445
House Amendments in [ ] -- January 30, 1997
Requesting the Board of Professional and Occupational Regulation to evaluate the need for and [ suggest the degree of regulation, if any, for recommend the degree of regulation of court reporters, if any, and ] the licensing of court reporters.
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Patrons-- Armstrong and Almand
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, while the actual number of court reporters is unknown, it is estimated that there are 600 court reporters who offer their services in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, approximately half of this number are members of professional associations, including the Virginia Court Reporter Association and the Tri-State Verbatim Stenomask Reporters Association, which strive to ensure the skill and integrity of their profession; and

WHEREAS, the importance of the services provided by court reporters in civil, criminal and other cases cannot be [ understated overstated ] ; and

WHEREAS, Virginia is one of the few states in the United States which do not have official court reporters; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Professional and Occupational Regulation is authorized by § 54.1-310 of the Code of Virginia to evaluate professions and occupations not regulated in the Commonwealth [ for consideration of , consider ] whether such professions and occupations should be regulated, and [ to ] make recommendations as the public interest requires [ concerning such regulation ] to the General Assembly [ concerning such regulation ] ; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Board of Professional and Occupational Regulation be requested to evaluate the need for and [ suggest recommend ] the degree of regulation [ of court reporters ] , if any, [ for and ] the licensing of court reporters in the Commonwealth.

The Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation shall provide staff support for the study. All other agencies of the Commonwealth shall [ cooperate as requested in the conduct of the study provide assistance to the Board upon request ] .

The Board shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1998 Session of the General Assembly in accordance with the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.