COURTS/COURT REPORTERS: Excludes court reporters from the two-year waiting period for rehiring relative to termination of public service (EN NO IMPACT See Note)
Summary
HB 177 creates a narrow exception in Louisiana’s post-employment ethics rules for former official court reporters. Under current law, former public employees generally face a two-year restriction on providing compensated assistance or contractual services to the same public employer in matters or services they previously handled while employed. This bill adds former official court reporters to the list of exceptions, allowing them to render services on a contractual basis to or for their former public employer after leaving public service.
The bill amends R.S. 42:1121 by adding a new subsection that specifically exempts former official court reporters from the two-year prohibition. The practical effect is to permit courts and other former public employers to contract with experienced court reporters more quickly after separation, rather than waiting two years. The House committee also removed earlier language that would have addressed reemployment of former or retired court reporters, narrowing the bill to contractual services only.
Impact
HB 177 modifies Louisiana’s ethics law governing post-employment restrictions for former public employees, specifically R.S. 42:1121. It expands the existing list of statutory exceptions to the two-year cooling-off period by adding former official court reporters, alongside previously exempted categories such as former employees of the Louisiana School for the Deaf and former sexual assault nurse examiners. The bill affects former court reporters, public employers such as courts, and the state ethics framework by allowing these professionals to provide contract services to their former agencies sooner than otherwise permitted.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment around HB 177 appears strongly favorable and noncontroversial. The bill passed the House unanimously, 92-0, and there is no record of committee opposition in the provided materials. The final action indicates it was signed by the Governor as Act 532, suggesting broad acceptance of the measure.
Contention
The only notable point of contention reflected in the legislative history is the scope of the exemption. Committee amendments removed language that would have addressed the reemployment of former or retired court reporters, indicating a decision to narrow the bill to contractual services rather than broader rehiring provisions. No opposition to the final, narrower version is shown in the vote record or available discussion materials.
Establishes an exception to suspension of retirement benefits for court reporters who are reemployed by judicial districts or parishes where a critical shortage exists. (gov sig) (EN INCREASE FC SG EX)
Provides for a study of court reporter per-page transcription rates in Louisiana and a study of digital court reporting as an alternative to traditional reporting