1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to courts; modifying provisions for court reporters; amending Minnesota 
1.3 	Statutes 2012, sections 486.01; 486.05; 486.06; 486.10, subdivisions 2, 3; 
1.4 	repealing Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 486.055.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 486.01, is amended to read:
1.7 	486.01 APPOINTMENT, DUTIES, BOND; SUBSTITUTES.
1.8 	Each judge, by duplicate orders filed with the court administrator and county auditor 
1.9 	of the several counties of the judge's district, may appoint a competent stenographer as 
1.10 	reporter of the court, to hold office during the judge's pleasure, and to act as the judge's 
1.11 	secretary in all matters pertaining to official duties. Such reporter shall give bond to the 
1.12 	state in the sum of $2,000, to be approved by the appointing judge, conditioned for the 
1.13 	faithful and impartial discharge of all the reporter's duties, which bond, with the oath of 
1.14 	office, shall be filed with the court administrator in the county in which the judge resides.
1.15 	Whenever the official reporter so appointed, because of sickness or physical 
1.16 	disability, is temporarily unable to perform duties, the judge of the court affected may, if 
1.17 	another official court reporter is not available, secure for the temporary period of disability 
1.18 	of the official court reporter, another competent reporter to perform such duties for not 
1.19 	to exceed 60 days in any calendar year. The substitute court reporter so appointed shall 
1.20 	receive as salary an amount equal to the salary of the official court reporter for the period 
1.21 	of time involved and shall also receive in addition thereto expenses and fees provided by 
1.22 	sections 486.05 and 486.06. The salary of such substitute reporter shall be paid in the 
1.23 	manner now provided by law for the payment of the salary of the official court reporter. 
1.24 	The substitute court reporter shall not be required to furnish bond, unless ordered by the 
2.1 	judge to do so. The employment of and the compensation paid to such substitute reporter 
2.2 	shall in no way affect or prejudice the employment of and the compensation paid to the 
2.3 	official court reporter of said court.

2.4 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 486.05, is amended to read:
2.5 	486.05 DISTRICT COURT; REPORTERS' SALARIES AND EXPENSES.
2.6 		Subdivision 1.Salaries. The salary for each court reporter shall be set annually 
2.7 	by the district administrator biennially by agreement of the court reporter collective 
2.8 	bargaining representative and state court administration within the range established under 
2.9 	section 480.181 as provided in the judicial branch personnel rules.
2.10 		Subd. 1a.Expenses. A court reporter, in addition to a salary, shall be paid necessary 
2.11 	mileage, traveling, and hotel expenses incurred in the discharge of official duties while 
2.12 	absent from the home chambers where the judge the reporter serves is assigned and any 
2.13 	other expenses agreed to between the court reporter collective bargaining representative 
2.14 	and state court administration. The expenses are to be paid by the state upon presentation 
2.15 	of a verified itemized statement approved by the judge.

2.16 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 486.06, is amended to read:
2.17 	486.06 CHARGE FOR TRANSCRIPT.
2.18 	In addition to the salary set in section 486.05, the court reporter may charge for a 
2.19 	transcript of a record ordered by any person other than the judge 50 cents per original 
2.20 	folio thereof and ten cents per folio for each manifold or other copy thereof when so 
2.21 	ordered that it can be made with the original transcript. The chief judge of the judicial 
2.22 	district council may by order establish new transcript fee ceilings annually biennially 
2.23 	in odd numbered years.
2.24 	A court reporter may impose a fee authorized under this section only if the transcript 
2.25 	is delivered to the person who ordered it within a reasonable time after it was ordered.

2.26 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 486.10, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.27 		Subd. 2.Disclosure; court reporter requirements; objections. (a) The existence 
2.28 	of a contract or agreement for court reporting services must be disclosed as provided 
2.29 	by this paragraph. Written notice of a contract or agreement must be (1) included in 
2.30 	the notice of taking deposition or the notice of legal proceeding before commencement 
2.31 	of a legal proceeding at which court reporting services are being provided. Oral, and 
2.32 	(2) disclosure of a contract or agreement the fee schedule must be made on part of the 
3.1 	record by the court reporter at the commencement of the legal proceeding by the person 
3.2 	providing the notice of the deposition.
3.3 	(b) A freelance court reporter and court reporting firm:
3.4 	(1) shall treat all parties to an action equally, providing comparable services and 
3.5 	charging equal fees to all parties;
3.6 	(2) may not act as an advocate for any party or act partially to any party to an 
3.7 	action; and
3.8 	(3) shall comply with all state and federal court rules that govern the activities 
3.9 	of court reporters.
3.10 	(c) An attorney shall state the reason for the objection to the provision of court 
3.11 	reporting services by a freelance court reporter or court reporting firm and shall note 
3.12 	the objection and the reason on the record.

3.13 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2014, and applies to legal 
3.14 	proceedings commencing on or after that date.

3.15 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 486.10, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
3.16 		Subd. 3.Remedies. Through objection by a party to the proceedings and upon 
3.17 	the court's or presiding officer's learning determination of a violation of subdivision 2, 
3.18 	paragraph (a), the court or presiding officer may: (1) declare that the record for which the 
3.19 	court reporting services were provided is void and may order that the legal proceeding be 
3.20 	reconducted; or (2) impose sanctions against the party violating subdivision 2, paragraph 
3.21 	(a), including civil contempt of court, costs, and reasonable attorney fees resulting from 
3.22 	the violation. If the legal proceedings are reconducted, the parties who violate violated
3.23 	 subdivision 2, paragraph (a), are jointly and severally liable for costs associated with 
3.24 	reconducting the legal proceeding and preparing the new record. Costs include, but are not 
3.25 	limited to, attorney, witness, and freelance court reporter appearance and transcript fees.

3.26 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective August 1, 2014, and applies to legal 
3.27 	proceedings commencing on or after that date.

3.28 	Sec. 6.  REPEALER.
 3.29 	Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 486.055, is repealed.