State of Idaho s3

STATE OF IDAHO
CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS BOARD
BYRL CINNAMON, PRESIDENT
CANDACE CHILDERS, SECRETARY
THE HONORABLE BRENT MOSS, MEMBER
MICHAEL PEACOCK, MEMBER
YVONNE HYDE-GIER, MEMBER / / C.L. “BUTCH’ OTTER, GOVERNOR

P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0017

(208) 334-2517, FAX: (208) 334-5211

www2.state.id.us/csr

Dear Idaho C.S.R.:

Your C.S.R. Board has been requested by the Idaho Court Reporters Association and individual C.S.R.s to consider the requirement of continuing education as part of maintaining your Idaho C.S.R. A committee of the ICRA was formed and has provided to the Board a general plan for CEU’s.

The C.S.R. Board needs and wants your reaction to this possible development before we proceed further. Therefore, we are scheduling a special meeting of the C.S.R. Board in Boise on Saturday, April 28, 2007, during which we will allow comments to be made concerning this proposal. Also, other proposed statutory changes (below) will be discussed. Those who are unable to attend the meeting in person may write and send their comments to the Board or e-mail them by April 21, 2007. Those will all be made a part of the record.

The general outline of the plan is as follows: If you are a member of NCRA and hold one of its certificates, fulfilling those CEU requirements will automatically fulfill the Idaho C.S.R. requirements. Nothing more is needed. If you’re not a member of NCRA or don’t hold one of their certificates, you will need to attend 30 hours of NCRA-approved seminars every three years. Seminars are provided by ICRA, other state associations, and NCRA.

Other statutory changes the Board is considering are as follows:

· Idaho Code 54-3116 provides that, after a C.S.R. license has not been renewed within five years after its expiration, that person must basically start over with the certification process (retesting). The Board is considering shortening that period to two years.

· Making mandatory that a C.S.R. holder notify the Board of any name or address change within 30 days of the change occurring.

Beginning May 1, 2007, the Board will begin enforcing the provisions of Title 54, Chapter 31, regarding failure to renew. Certificates are issued for a period of one year [54-3108(3)] and are considered to be expired if not renewed by the renewal deadline. After the renewal deadline the Board will submit a list of expired C.S.R.s to the Idaho State Supreme Court and the Idaho State Bar. A person with an expired C.S.R. License is not legal to report in Idaho.

We invite your comments regarding these matters. If you cannot make the open meeting, you can return the enclosed questionnaire, or you can e-mail us your thoughts. Those addresses are located above. Please be aware that these are all statutory matters, should the Board proceed with them. All changes must go before the Idaho Legislature for passage.

Thank you.

The Idaho Certified Shorthand Reporters Board

P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0017

(208) 334-2517, FAX: (208) 334-5211

www2.state.id.us/csr

Please complete the following questionnaire and return to the Board no later than April 21, 2007.

The following questions are regarding the proposed requirement for continuing education.

___ Yes, I think continuing education is a good idea, and I support the proposed requirement.

___ No, I am not in favor of requiring continuing education.

___ No, I live out of state, and this requirement would cause me to not renew my Idaho C.S.R.

___ I don’t care one way or the other.

Current law provides that, after a C.S.R. license has not been renewed within five years after its expiration, that person must basically start over with the certification process (retesting). The Board is considering shortening that period to two years.

___ In favor of.

___ Not in favor of.

___ I don’t care one way or the other.

Additional comments (regarding any or all proposed changes):

______

Signature (optional)