S-3628.1          _______________________________________________

                                 SENATE BILL 6406

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Senator Rinehart

Read first time 01/29/92.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.Concerning the licensing of court reporting schools.

     AN ACT Relating to court reporting schools; amending RCW 18.145.080; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.      The legislature finds that the community and technical college court reporting schools in this state and court reporting schools approved by the national court reporters association provide complete preparation for individuals entering the profession of shorthand or court reporting.  The quality of the education being provided in these schools makes it unnecessary for the protection of the public safety and well-being to require an additional state-administered examination as a prerequisite to certification.  Therefore, the state acknowledges a certificate of graduation from an approved shorthand or court reporting school as a prerequisite to certification, in lieu of successful completion of an examination approved by the director.

     Sec. 2.  RCW 18.145.080 and 1989 c 382 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

     (1) The department shall issue a certificate to any applicant who, as determined by the director upon advice of the board, has:

     (a) Successfully completed an examination approved by the director or earned a certificate of graduation from a court reporting school that is part of an entity established, operated, and governed by this state or its political subdivisions under Title 28A, 28B, or 28C RCW or a court reporting school approved by the national court reporters association;

     (b) Good moral character;

     (c) Not engaged in unprofessional conduct; and

     (d) Not been determined to be unable to practice with reasonable skill and safety as a result of a physical or mental impairment.

     (2) A one-year temporary certificate may be issued, at the discretion of the director, to a person holding one of the following:  National ((shorthand)) court reporters association certificate of proficiency, registered professional reporter certificate, or certificate of merit; or a current court or shorthand reporter certification, registration, or license of another state((; or a certificate of graduation of a court reporting school)).  To continue to be certified under this chapter, a person receiving a temporary certificate shall successfully complete the examination under subsection (1)(a) of this section within one year of receiving the temporary certificate, except that the director may renew the temporary certificate if extraordinary circumstances are shown.

     (3) The examination required by subsection (1)(a) of this section shall be no more difficult than the examination provided by the court reporter examining committee as authorized by RCW 2.32.180.