COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Provides for digital and remote court reporting

HLS 26RS-819 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 188
BY REPRESENTATIVE MUSCARELLO
COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Provides for digital and remote court reporting
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 13:981.1(C), relative to court reporter shortages; to provide relative to digital
3 and remote court reporting; to provide for digital transcription by court reporters; to
4 provide for virtual court reporting under certain circumstances; to provide for
5 certification requirements for digital and remote court reporting; and to provide for
6 related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 13:981.1(C) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §981.1. Court reporter shortage
10 * * *
11 C.(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 37:2556(A)(1), a court may
12 utilize a digital transcription platform for the purposes of preserving the court record
13 in all court proceedings.
14 (2) A court reporter certified in any method may transcribe court records
15 virtually using any court-approved cloud-based digital recording system.
16 Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, when a cloud-based recording
17 system is in use, a court reporter is not required to be physically present during the
18 proceedings in order to certify the transcript of the proceedings.
19 (3) A court reporter utilizing a digital recording platform may remotely
20 operate recording equipment in any trial court, provided that the court reporter is a
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-819 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 188
1 certified digital reporter. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, court
2 personnel may operate and monitor the digital recording system. Court personnel
3 operating the equipment are not required to be digitally certified but shall be trained
4 in best practices for digital recording controls and equipment monitoring.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 188 Original 2026 Regular Session Muscarello
Abstract: Authorizes certified digital reporters to remotely use virtual platforms for court
proceedings.
Present law (R.S. 37:2556) requires that all official court reporters and deputy official court
reporters employed as such in a court of record, be subject to the certification requirements
of the certified shorthand reporter law and the regulatory authority of the Bd. of Examiners
of Certified Shorthand Reporters.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law authorizes the judges of a district court, acting en banc, to declare a shortage of
available certified court reporters in their respective districts. Provides that upon such a
declaration and for the duration of the shortage, a judge of that district may appoint as an
official or deputy court reporter a court reporter who is properly licensed in another state.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law provides that a court reporter appointed pursuant to proposed law has the same
duties, entitlements, and certification requirements prescribed in present law (R.S.
13:981.1(B).
Proposed law permits the use of digital transcription platforms in all court proceedings.
Proposed law permits any court reporter certified in any method to virtually transcribe court
records. Further provides that the court reporter is not required to be physically present
during the proceedings to certify the proceedings.
Proposed law authorizes a court reporter who is a certified digital reporter to utilize a digital
recording platform to remotely operate the recording equipment in any trial court.
(Adds R.S. 13:981.1(C))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.