H.B. No. 1518
 
AN ACT
relating to circumstances under which court reporting firms,
shorthand reporting firms, and affiliate offices are considered to
provide services in this state.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 52.001, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
       Sec. 52.001. DEFINITIONS.  (a)  In this chapter:
             (1)  "Board" means the Court Reporters Certification
Board.
             (2)  "Certification" means a certification issued by
the state supreme court on the board's recommendation.
             (2-a)  "Director" means the administrative director of
the board's employees.
             (3)  "Official court reporter" means the shorthand
reporter appointed by a judge as the official court reporter.
             (4)  "Shorthand reporter" and "court reporter" mean a
person who engages in shorthand reporting.
             (5)  "Shorthand reporting" and "court reporting" mean
the practice of shorthand reporting for use in litigation in the
courts of this state by making a verbatim record of an oral court
proceeding, deposition, or proceeding before a grand jury, referee,
or court commissioner using written symbols in shorthand, machine
shorthand, or oral stenography.
             (6)  "Shorthand reporting firm," "court reporting
firm," and "affiliate office" mean an entity wholly or partly in the
business of providing court reporting or other related services in
this state.
             (7)  "Registration" means a registration issued by the
board.
       (b)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(6), a court reporting
firm, shorthand reporting firm, or affiliate office is considered
to be providing court reporting or other related services in this
state if:
             (1)  any act that constitutes a court reporting service
or shorthand reporting service occurs wholly or partly in this
state;
             (2)  the firm or office recruits a resident of this
state through an intermediary located inside or outside of this
state to provide court reporting services, shorthand reporting
services, or other related services in this state; or
             (3)  the firm or office contracts with a resident of
this state by mail or otherwise and either party is to perform court
reporting services, shorthand reporting services, or other related
services wholly or partly in this state.
       SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
____________________________________________________________
   President of the SenateSpeaker of the House      
       I certify that H.B. No. 1518 was passed by the House on March
22, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House   
       I certify that H.B. No. 1518 was passed by the Senate on April
25, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate    
APPROVED:  _____________________
APPROVED:  _____________________
                   Date          
 
 
          _____________________
                 Governor