Tom Umberg
- Democratic
- Senator
- District 34
Author
(1) Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of shorthand reporters by the Court Reporters Board of California, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law subjects a person or entity to certain penalties if the person or entity engages in specified acts relating to shorthand reporting, including any act that constitutes shorthand reporting, except if the person or entity is a licensed shorthand reporter, a shorthand reporting corporation, or one of specified other persons or entities not subject to those provisions. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor. This bill, on and after July 1, 2022, and until January 1, 2024, would authorize an entity that is not a shorthand reporting corporation to engage in those specified acts if the entity is approved for registration by the board after meeting specified requirements, including paying an annual registration fee to the board in an amount not to exceed $500 and designating a board-certified reporter-in-charge, as specified. The bill would require the board to approve an entity's registration or deny the entity's application upon making specified findings. The bill would make a registration valid for one year and would also provide for the suspension and revocation of a registration by the board under specified circumstances. The bill would require the board to make available on its internet website a directory of registered entities. The bill would authorize the board to adopt regulations to implement these provisions. Because a violation of the provisions regulating shorthand reporting is a crime, by expanding the provisions to apply to these new registrants the bill would expand the scope of a crime and impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law regulates the procedure of civil actions. Existing law authorizes a party in a general civil case, as defined, who has provided notice, to appear by telephone at specified conferences, hearings, and proceedings. Existing law authorizes a court to require a party to appear in person at these conferences, hearings, or proceedings if the court makes a specified determination on a hearing-by-hearing basis. This bill would, until July 1, 2023, authorize a party to appear remotely and the court to conduct conferences, hearings, proceedings, and trials in civil cases, in whole or in part, through the use of remote technology. The bill would authorize the court to require a party or witness to appear in person at a conference, hearing, or proceeding, if any specified condition is present. The bill would require the court to have a process for a party, court reporter, court interpreter, or other court personnel to alert the judicial officer of technology or audibility issues. The bill would prohibit a court from requiring a party to appear remotely. The bill would allow self-represented parties to appear remotely only if they agree to do so. The bill would require the Judicial Council to adopt rules to implement these provisions, as specified. (3) Existing law provides that, unless otherwise ordered by the court or agreed to by the parties, a continuance or postponement of a trial date extends any deadlines applicable to discovery, including the exchange of expert witness information, mandatory settlement conferences, and summary judgment motions, which have not already passed as of March 19, 2020, for the same length of time as the continuance or postponement of the trial date. Existing law provides that this extension is in effect only during the COVID-19 state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor on March 4, 2020, and for 180 days after the end of the state of emergency. This bill would apply these provisions to the continuance or postponement of an arbitration date. (4) Existing law authorizes the service of documents in a civil action by electronic means pursuant to rules adopted by the Judicial Council. Existing law authorizes a court to electronically serve any document issued by the court that is not required to be personally served on a party that has agreed or consented to accept electronic service, with the same legal effect as service by mail, except as specified. This bill would, on and after July 1, 2024, instead require the court to electronically transmit those documents on a party that has agreed or consented to accept electronic service. (5) Existing law authorizes a minor's parent to compromise, or execute a covenant not to sue or not to enforce a judgment on, a claim on behalf of the minor if the minor has a disputed claim for damages, money, or other property and does not have a guardian of the estate. This bill would require the court to schedule a hearing on a petition to compromise a minor's disputed claim within 30 days from the date of filing and, if the petition is unopposed, would require the court to enter a decision at the conclusion of the hearing. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 214, Statutes of 2021.
Approved by the Governor.
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2:30 p.m.
Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 2553.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 2912.) Ordered to the Senate.
In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
Ordered to third reading.
Read third time and amended.
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (August 26).
August 19 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (July 13). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (June 22).
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 36. Noes 0. Page 1388.) Ordered to the Assembly.
Read second time and amended. Ordered to third reading.
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 1184.) (May 20).
Set for hearing May 20.
May 10 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.
Set for hearing May 10.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0. Page 859.) (April 20).
Set for hearing April 20.
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on JUD. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 670.) (April 5).
Set for hearing April 5.
Re-referred to Coms. on B., P. & E.D. and JUD.
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 21.
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
| Bill Text Versions | Format |
|---|---|
| SB241 | HTML |
| 01/21/21 - Introduced | |
| 03/05/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/08/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 04/22/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 05/25/21 - Amended Senate | |
| 06/10/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 06/23/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 06/28/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 08/30/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/03/21 - Amended Assembly | |
| 09/13/21 - Enrolled | |
| 09/22/21 - Chaptered |
| Document | Format |
|---|---|
| 04/01/21- Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development | |
| 04/16/21- Senate Judiciary | |
| 05/07/21- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/20/21- Senate Appropriations | |
| 05/25/21- Sen. Floor Analyses | |
| 06/17/21- Assembly Business and Professions | |
| 07/09/21- Assembly Judiciary | |
| 08/16/21- Assembly Appropriations | |
| 08/31/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 09/03/21- ASSEMBLY FLOOR ANALYSIS | |
| 09/09/21- Sen. Floor Analyses |
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