HB187 • 2026

COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Revises provisions of law regarding court reporters and the court reporter pool employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court

Budget Labor Taxes

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Nicholas Muscarello
Last action: 2026-05-22
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 291
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the pool of emergency reporters will be selected or what happens if there are more requests for court reporters than available in the pool.

Changes to Court Reporters and the Supreme Court's Reporter Pool

This act changes how stenographer-reporters at the Board of Tax Appeals prepare transcripts and establishes a pool of thirty emergency court reporters employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court with specific rules about their salaries, travel expenses, and duties.

What This Bill Does

Creates new rules for stenographer-reporters at the Board of Tax Appeals to prepare, certify, and charge for transcripts according to board rules.
Establishes a pool of thirty emergency court reporters employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court who can be assigned to any district court as needed.
Requires each court reporter in the pool to receive an annual salary of $15,000 from the state budget.
Specifies that travel expenses for these reporters will not exceed what other state employees are allowed.
Gives emergency court reporters the authority of official reporters for a district court.

Who It Names or Affects

Court reporters employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court
Stenographer-reporters at the Board of Tax Appeals

Terms To Know

stenographer-reporter: A person who records court proceedings in writing and prepares transcripts for the Board of Tax Appeals.
emergency court reporter: A court reporter employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to assist district courts as needed, especially during emergencies or high demand periods.

Limits and Unknowns

The act does not specify how the pool of emergency reporters will be selected.
It is unclear what happens if there are more requests for court reporters than available in the pool.
The effectiveness date is set for May 22, 2026.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Summary of Senate Amendments to HB187

Filed

Plain English: SSHB187 4872 5483 HOUSE SUMMARY OF SENATE AMENDMENTS HB 187 2026 Regular Session Muscarello COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Revises the provisions of law regarding court reporters and the court reporter pool employed by the La.

SSHB187 4872 5483 HOUSE SUMMARY OF SENATE AMENDMENTS HB 187 2026 Regular Session Muscarello COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Revises the provisions of law regarding court reporters and the court reporter pool employed by the La.
Supreme Court Synopsis of Senate Amendments 1.
Authorizes a stenographer-reporter of the Bd.
of Tax Appeals to prepare, certify, and charge for a transcript in accordance with the board's rules.

House Committee Amendment #2572 JUD Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB187 4872 2572 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB187 4872 2572 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to Original House Bill No.
187 by Representative Muscarello 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 3, delete "supreme court" and insert "Louisiana Supreme Court" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

House Committee Amendment #2493 JUD Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB187 3264 2493 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB187 3264 2493 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Judiciary to Original House Bill No.
187 by Representative Muscarello 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 3, delete "supreme court" and insert "Louisiana Supreme Court" Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

House Vote on HB 187 CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENTS (#1233)

Filed

Plain English: The amendment to HB187 involves concurring with changes made by the Senate regarding court reporters and their pool employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

The House is agreeing to the amendments made by the Senate on HB187, which relates to provisions for court reporters and the court reporter pool managed by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

The official amendment text does not provide specific details about what changes were made by the Senate or what exactly the House is concurring with. Therefore, it's unclear what concrete changes this concurrence will bring.

Senate Committee Amendment #2849 JUDB Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes how court reporters are managed in Louisiana, including setting up a pool of emergency court reporters with specific salaries and responsibilities.

Changes the language to amend and reenact certain sections of law related to court reporters instead of repealing them.
Establishes a new section (R.S. 13:961(J)) that gives stenographer-reporters of the Board of Tax Appeals specific authority and certification status.
Amends R.S. 13:981(A) and (D) to establish a pool of thirty emergency court reporters with an annual salary of $15,000 each, paid by the state.

The amendment text does not provide detailed rules for how these changes will be implemented or enforced.
It is unclear what specific impacts this change might have on existing court reporter practices and budgets.

Senate Committee Amendment #2356 JUDB Draft

Draft

Plain English: SCAHB187 539 2356 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary B to Engrossed House Bill No.

SCAHB187 539 2356 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary B to Engrossed House Bill No.
187 by Representative Muscarello 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 2, after "To" delete the remainder of the line and insert the following: 3 "amend and re-enact R.S.
13:981(A) and (D) and to enact R.S.

Bill History

2026-05-22 H
Effective date: 05/22/2026.
2026-05-22 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 291.
2026-05-19 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-18 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-18 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-13 H
Read by title, roll called, yeas 96, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.
2026-05-12 H
Scheduled for concurrence on 05/13/2026.
2026-05-12 H
Received from the Senate with amendments.
2026-05-11 S
The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-04 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-29 S
Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-28 S
Reported with amendments.
2026-04-07 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.
2026-04-01 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-01 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 96, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-31 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/01/2026.
2026-03-30 H
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-26 H
Reported with amendments (12-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
2026-02-20 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/20/2026.
2026-02-18 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
2026-02-18 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Revises provisions of law regarding court reporters and the court reporter pool employed by the Louisiana Supreme Court

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 187
BY REPRESENTATIVE MUSCARELLO
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 13:981(A) and (D) and to enact R.S. 13:961(J), relative to court
3 reporter pools; to provide concerning stenographer-reporters of the Board of Tax
4 Appeals; to revise provisions establishing a court reporter pool employed by the
5 Louisiana Supreme Court; and to revise provisions relative to rules, procedures, and
6 guidelines with respect to the court reporter pool.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 13:981(A) and (D) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 13:961(J) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §961. Court reporters; generally
11 * * *
12 J. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a
13 stenographer-reporter of the Board of Tax Appeals as authorized pursuant to R.S.
14 47:1404 and 1416 shall prepare, certify, and charge for a transcript in accordance
15 with the board's rules. The stenographer-reporter shall be considered to have the
16 authority of an official reporter for the board in the same manner as if appointed by
17 the district court for the parish of the board's domicile and shall be considered a
18 certified digital reporter during his or her continued employment in that capacity.
19 * * *
20 §981. Court reporter pools
21 A. There is hereby established a court reporter pool of thirty emergency
22 court reporters employed or approved by the supreme court from which said court
23 reporters may be assigned from time to time to any of the various district courts in
24 the state as the need arises in order that transcripts for criminal appeals and other
25 necessary purposes may be timely lodged in the appellate courts.
26 * * *
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 187 ENROLLED
1 D. In addition to all fees for court reporters provided for in R.S. 13:961, each
2 court reporter in the pool shall be paid an annual salary by the state in the amount of
3 fifteen thousand dollars. The supreme court shall provide for the salaries, related
4 costs, and travel expenses of the court reporters in its annual budget for operations
5 of the court. Reimbursement for travel expenses of pool court reporters shall not
6 exceed the amount allowed other state employees. Notwithstanding any other
7 provision of law to the contrary, an emergency court reporter appointed pursuant to
8 the authority of this Section shall prepare, certify, and charge for a transcript in
9 accordance with rules duly adopted by the Supreme Court for that purpose. An
10 emergency court reporter under this Section shall be considered to have the authority
11 of an official reporter for a district court in the same manner as if appointed by it.
12 * * *
13 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
14 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
15 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
16 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
17 effective on the day following such approval.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.