SB 186

This bill would provide that the state salary of an official court reporter would conform to the pay scale established by the State of Alabama Personnel Department Pay Plan for state employees, would further establish the specific pay grade and step rate at which an official court reporter would enter the pay scale, and would make him or her subject to any cost-of-living and merit raises given to state employees

This bill would also provide the pay grade and step rate for an official court reporter who returns to state service after a break in his or her service

This bill would establish the manner in which the salary for a supernumerary court reporter is determined

Relating to court reporters, to amend Sections 12-17-274 and 12-17-292, Code of Alabama 1975; to provide that the state salary of an official court reporter would conform to the pay scale established by the State of Alabama Personnel Department Pay Plan for state employees; to provide for the pay grade and step rate and to make court reporters subject to any cost-of-living and merit raises given to state employees; to provide for the pay grade and step rate of an official court reporter who returns to state service; and to provide for the salary of a supernumerary court reporter.

Section 1

Sections 12-17-274 and 12-17-292, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:

§12-17-274.

(a) The An official court reporters reporter shall be paid a salary by the state in such an amount as shall be established by law, to be paid as other state employees are paid.

(b)(1) In addition to the salary paid by the state, each official court reporter shall be paid a salary by the counties composing the circuit in such an amount as shall be established by law.

(2) In circuits composed of more than one county, each county shall pay its pro rata part thereof, based on the assessed tax valuation of all property in such the county for the preceding year.

(3) The payments shall be made in favor of such the official court reporter for the respective amounts due by the several counties each month and shall be paid by the treasurer of each county out of the general fund.

(c) This section shall not be construed to repeal or amend any local law, special law, general law, or general law of local application providing extra allowances, compensation, or expenses, for any official court reporter paid from the funds of any county or counties.

(d)(1) Beginning on October 1, 1997 2018, the state salary of all an official court reporters reporter not covered by the Merit System of the State of Alabama shall be thirty-eight thousand two hundred and sixty-three dollars and fifty-nine cents ($38,263.59) per year. conform to the pay scale established by the State of Alabama Personnel Department Pay Plan for state employees.

(2) An official court reporter serving on October 1, 2018, shall enter the pay scale at a pay grade of 77 and shall receive a salary at a step rate which shall be the closest step rate higher than the salary earned by the official court reporter prior to October 1, 2018.

(3) An official court reporter employed after October 1, 2018, shall receive a salary equivalent to step of pay grade 77.

(e) In the event a cost-of-living pay raise bill for all state employees is enacted during the 1997 Regular Session of the Legislature, then no official court reporter who receives any increase in compensation under the terms of this section shall be entitled to such cost-of-living increase granted in any law granting a cost-of-living pay raise. An official court reporter shall be entitled to any cost-of-living adjustments given to all state employees and shall also be entitled to any merit raises given to Unified Judicial System employees after the effective date of this act.

(f) In the event of a break in service of an official court reporter paid under the pay scale established by the State of Alabama Personnel Department Pay Plan for state employees, should the official court reporter return to service, the official court reporter shall return to service under the same grade and step in effect at the separation date of the official court reporter.

§12-17-292.

(a) Every supernumerary circuit court reporter shall serve for life and receive annually a salary equal to 50 percent of the state salary payable to official circuit court reporters, payable to the highest paid official court reporter, unless the salary paid to the highest paid official court reporter becomes less than the salary of the official court reporter upon which the salary for a supernumerary court reporter was previously based, and then the salary paid to the supernumerary court reporter may not be reduced on account thereof.

(b) The salary payable to a supernumerary court reporter shall be paid out of the State Treasury as other salaries are paid, but a supernumerary court reporter designated to perform services as a court reporter in court shall be compensated, in lieu of the salary specified in this section subsection (a), in like manner and as official court reporters are paid, for the duration of his or her services in court."

Section 2

This act shall become effective immediately following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.