Court reporting service providers.

2017
STATE OF WYOMING
17LSO-0172
Introduced
1.2

HOUSE BILL

NO.

HB0143

Court reporting service providers.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Pelkey and Senator(s) Case

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to court reporting service providers; specifying prohibited acts; providing exemptions; providing penalties; specifying scope of provisions; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 33
‑
49
‑
101
through
33
‑
49
‑
105

are
created to read:

CHAPTER 49

COURT REPORT
ING SERVICE PROVIDERS

33
‑
49
‑
101
.

Scope
; definition
.

The provisions of this chapter
shall
apply to any
court reporting service provider.

For purposes of this chapter, "court reporting service provider" includes any court reporter, business, entity or firm providing or arranging for court reporting services in connection with any case, action or proceeding in this state.

33
‑
49
‑
102
.

Prohibited acts.

(a)

No court report
ing service provider
shall engage in any of the following acts:

(
i
)

E
stablish rates or
terms for court reporting services that extend beyond a single case, action or proceeding
;

(ii)

Include
a

court reporting service provider
on any list of preferred providers of court reporting services
that is maintained by any person, business, entity or firm that has entered into an oral or written contractual agreement
specifying the price or other terms upon which future court reporting services will be provided
;

(ii
i
)

F
ail to offer comparable services,
in both
quality and
price
, to all parties
,
or
otherwise
provide financial terms or other services that are not offered at the same time and on
similar
terms to all parties
to the
case, action or
proceeding
, provided that different credit terms
may
be offered based on payment experience and credit worthiness;

(i
v
)

Base
compensation for the court reporting services on the outcome of the
case, action or
proceeding or otherwise
enter into an agreement or arrangement to
obtain

a fi
nancial interest in the
case, action or
proceeding
;

(
v)

Prohibit or restrict the discretion of the attorney from using the attorney's preferred
court reporting service provider
;

(vi)

Allow the format of the transcript to be manipulated to affect pricing, require the court reporter taking the deposition to relinquish control of an original deposition transcript or a copy thereof before it is
certified or otherwise give any other person or entity the right to control or direct the time, manner or method of the provis
ion of court reporting services.

33
‑
49
‑
103
.

Prohibition of waiver.

The provisions of this chapter shall not be waived by disclosure, agreement, stipulation or by any other means.

33
‑
49
‑
104
.

Exemptions.

If required by law, any governmental entity in this state may obtain court reporting services on a long
‑
term basis through competitive bidding.

33
‑
49
‑
105
.

Penalties.

Any
court reporting service provider

that
violate
s

any provision of this chapter
shall be subject to a fine
of
not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00)
.

Section

2
.

This
act is effective July 1,
201
7
.

(END)

1
HB0143