COCRA Asks Members To Save The CRB

Posted in: Electronic Recording

Court Reporters Board of California Should Survive Our California Budget Crisis

Today’s budget crisis in California is the most challenging crisis in the state’s history. We have all felt the sting of the crisis and are doing our best to alleviate the suffering of those who have lost jobs and homes.

COCRA wants to ensure our members and friends that we and the other associations continue to track events in Sacramento.

Recently COCRA has received important updates from our lobbyists in Sacramento about the proposed elimination of the Court Reporters Board of California [CRB].

Because the CRB is a self-supporting organization, maintained by the dues it collects from its membership, our lobbyists feel the CRB is not going to face as significant a threat of elimination as those organizations maintained with taxpayer money.

That is not to say we shouldn’t take the proposed elimination lightly. In fact, it is suggested we contact our local legislators and make them aware that the CRB is, indeed, self-supporting and, therefore, cannot help alleviate the pressures of a multi-billion budget gap.

Because the governor’s administration is targeting several professional boards for elimination, there is little chance of changing their position. Your local legislator, the one who may be voting on this issue, is the key contact to ensuring our CRB is around long after the dust settles during this budgetary crisis.

Please copy the letter below and send it to your local representatives at your earliest convenience.

Who are your representatives? Click on this link for the address of your local assembly member and senator; be sure to use your residential zip code. It’s that easy!

SAMPLE LETTER TO YOUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES

[Your name and address]

[Legislator's name and address]

[Date]

Re: The Court Reporters Board of California

Dear Assembly Member/Senator ____________,

In January of 2009, the Governor, in his effort to reduce our budget deficit, has proposed eliminating several professional boards serving under the Department of Consumer Affairs. One such organization is the Court Reporters Board of California [CRB], a self-supporting board, maintained through annual membership dues at no cost to California taxpayers.

The CRB protects the public, as their mission statement says, by “ensuring the integrity of judicial records through oversight of the court reporting profession.” This is done through testing, licensing, and disciplinary action, when necessary.

While I appreciate the efforts made to reduce our budget, eliminating the CRB will not alleviate any of the pressures of a potential $41.6 billion budget gap. Please help maintain the CRB by voting against any language proposing the elimination of this self-supporting board.

Truly,

___________________

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