COCRA Blogs Live From 6-15-09 Committee Hearing

Posted in: Electronic Recording, Furloughs

Hi everyone.  This is Janice Scott and Stacy Gaskill and we’re present in Sacramento right now and we’ll be live blogging from the capitol.  We’re keeping an eye on the fate of the Court Reporters Board and we’re also tracking any other legislative moves that might affect court reporters.

5:13 FINAL UPDATE: Final vote 7-2 in favor of keeping the CR Board…congratulations to the CR Board and all CSRs in CA.

And thanks to everyone who followed our blog!

Signing out live from Sacramento.

5:10 UPDATE: A final vote is coming now…stay tuned.

4:30 UPDATE: The committee didn’t have enough for a quorum, which is six votes, but our lobbyist believes that all will vote as recommended; that is, keep the CR Board and the TRF fund.

Of note, Chair Negrete was impressed by the testimony and appreciates the help the TRF provides indigent litigants.

4:12  UPDATE Kay Reindle representing “education” and is speaking of the importance of the work that the CRB does in terms of court reporting education.

4:09  UPDATE: Toni Pulone of DRA is speaking now urging committee to reject the proposal.

4:08  UPDATE: Janice Scott of COCRA is now speaking on behalf of the CRB speaking about the certification process that the CRB oversees.

3:50  UPDATE:  Discussion about the Court Reporters Board has begun.

3:33 UPDATE: We are now hearing issue 7, Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau.

3:31 UPDATE: Many boards are making the same arguments – “If it (the board) ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

3:10 UPDATE: We are now hearing issue 6, Board of Behavioral Sciences.

3:05 UPDATE: DRA and COCRA have talking points at the ready to show how problematic it will be if CR Board is eliminated.

2:55 UPDATE: We are now hearing issue number 5, Professional Fiduciaries.

2:45 UPDATE: Department of Finance is having a difficult time convincing committee of large savings if boards are eliminated.

2:35 UPDATE: We are now hearing issue 4, Board of Geologists.

NOTE – The committee is comprised of the following members – Chair, Gloria Negrete; Mark Wyland; Sam Aanestad; Ellen Corbett; Lou Correa; Dean Florez; Jenny Oropeza; Loria Romero; Mimi Walters; Leland Yee.

2:30 UPDATE: We are now hearing issue 3, Telephone Medical Advice Services Bureau.

2:15 UPDATE: The CR Board is issue 9 of 11. We are currently hearing issue 2. The committee is very engaging and asking many questions.

1:12 UPDATE: Your COCRA team is here in Sacramento today and we plan on blogging live from today’s hearing on whether the CRB should continue in existence. So keep updating the page for live updates.

1:56 Mark Wyland acknowledges that eliminating or consolidating all or some of these boards will not save money for the general fund.

2:02 UPDATE: Four people for each issue are given the opportunity to speak. Two in opposition and two in support.

COCRA is present with Stephanie Grossman and Toni Pulone of DRA.

1. Patricia Dowling
   June 15th, 2009 at 9:08 pm

   Very impressive! Thank you so very much for your up-to-the-minute report!