First of all, I would like to wish all of our members and their families a very happy and healthy new year.
We are pleased to announce that A07508/S4112 has moved out of labor committee and referred to Ways and Means. This should be the final step before it gets out of committee and put on the agenda to be voted upon.
The New York State Court Reporters Association through its lobbyist is seeking to pass bills A07508/S 4112 to protect the use of court reporters at Worker’s Compensation hearings. This legislation amends S 122 of the Workers’ Compensation Law be both stenographically recorded and transcribed by a stenographer in the employ of the board for Workers’ Compensation cases. Plans by the Workers’ Compensation Board to allow for digital recording were found by members of the Legislature to be in opposition to the legislative intent of Workers’ Compensation Law S 122. In order to prevent any future confusion the statute should be amended to clarify that testimony must be both stenographically recorded and transcribed by a stenographer in the employ of the board.
In the Assembly, this bill is being sponsored by Keith L.T. Wright and cosponsored by Samuel Roberts, Michael Miller and William Colton. We will continue to track this legislation and push for its enactment.
Once again, our lobbyist has been diligently working to keep electronic recording out of the Workers’ Compensation Board. Your dues go to keeping our lobbyist, so please, make sure you renew your membership and encourage others to join so we can be on top of these important issues affecting our profession.
Another reminder that NYSCRA convention will be held October 5th and 6th, 2012 at the Gallery of Shorthand in Central Islip and the Melville Marriott in Long Island. Please contact Harriet Brenner-Gettleman with any questions or if you would like to volunteer at hbrenner@realtimecenter.com. I would like to thank Harriet for her hard work as well as the convention committee and especially Bill Cohen for his generosity in contributing funds toward a spelling contest at our convention. As many of you know Bill was president of our Association in 1963 and knows the importance and difficulties in running a convention.
I would like to welcome Reporters’ Ink Corp as a Corporate member and thank Realtime Center For Learning and Association of Surrogate’s & Supreme Court Reporters for upgrading their Corporate Memberships to Gold Corporate Members. Our organization would not exist as is without your support.