PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: The department of licensing will be proposing amendments to chapter 308-14 WAC that define continuing education requirements for court reporter licensees.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 18.145.050, 18.145.100, 43.24.023.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: SB 6450, chapter 49, Laws of 2010, was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor on March 12, 2010, giving the department of licensing (DOL) the authority to establish continuing education requirements in rule.
Continuing education requirements will ensure competent and qualified individuals are licensed on an ongoing basis for the profession of court reporting.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study. The department will work closely with an ad hoc committee comprised of licensed court reporters from Washington state to determine these requirements. Communication with the public in general will be made through the DOL Court Reporter web site and the COURT-REPORTER listserv. To receive information by e-mail, please sign up on the COURT-REPORTER listserv at http://listserv.wa.gov.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Interested parties may send in their comments by mail, phone, facsimile, or e-mail. The public is welcome to attend the ad hoc committee meetings. Details of the ad hoc committee meetings will be posted on our web site and distributed the COURT-REPORTER listserv. Additional information will be posted on the court reporter web site as it becomes available at http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/courtreporters/crlaws.html.
May 18, 2010
Walt Fahrer
Rules Coordinator