Section 106.3B. Only the following persons may act and are eligible for appointment on a full-time or part-time basis as official court reporters for the courts, including the Workers' Compensation Court Commission, Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims, and the Corporation Commission:

a. 1. Persons now certified or hereafter certified by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters shall be given primary consideration for appointment;

b. 2. Persons who, prior to July 1, 1978, were licensed as licensed shorthand reporters by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters shall be given secondary consideration for appointment;

c. 3. Persons who, prior to July 1, 1978, were acting shorthand reporters under a certificate issued by the Chief Justice;

d. 4. When no person eligible for appointment as an official court reporter, as provided above, is available for appointment, a presiding judge or a district judge may make application to the Chief Justice to appoint a shorthand reporter on a temporary basis. The candidate must file with the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters a properly completed application for a temporary certificate, along with any other supporting documents or information required by the Board, and shall pay the applicable examination fee as set forth in the fee schedule issued by the Board which shall be deposited with the Clerk of the Supreme Court. The Board shall advise the Chief Justice if the applicant is recommended for a temporary certificate. The Chief Justice may issue a temporary certificate valid for not more than twelve (12) months, upon payment of a fee of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) and a fee of Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00) for the certified shorthand reporter examination which will be deposited with the Clerk of the Supreme Court. The temporary certificate shall be nonrenewable, except in emergency situations as determined by the Chief Justice and for no longer than ninety (90) additional days. Absent good cause shown as determined by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters, a temporary certificate holder shall sit for at least one Oklahoma certified shorthand reporter examination administered during the term of the temporary certificate. The holder shall be required to transcribe the examination, and the examination results of such transcription shall be reported to the holder's supervisory judge;

e. 5. The appointment of an official court reporter by a district or presiding judge shall be subject to the approval of the Chief Justice. Before giving his approval to the appointment, the Chief Justice shall determine, with the aid of the Administrative Director of the Courts, that the appointing judge has given proper consideration to the statutory preference accorded herein to certified and licensed reporters; and

f. 6. A temporary court reporter, either while so serving or after the expiration of this appointment, shall be required to transcribe any testimony and other proceedings taken by him and to certify that the transcription is true and correct. A transcript certified by a temporary court reporter shall have the same effect as one certified by a regular court reporter.

Section 1503.1. A. Every certified shorthand reporter and every court reporter temporarily employed by the district court, Workers' Compensation Court Commission, Workers' Compensation Court of Existing Claims, or Corporation Commission shall annually complete at least four (4) hours of continuing education approved by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters. Included in the four-hour minimum requirement for every official shorthand reporter and every court reporter temporarily employed by the district court, Workers' Compensation Court, or Corporation Commission at least one (1) hour shall relate to Oklahoma court rules and procedures. All four (4) hours of continuing education shall be approved by the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters.

B. A certified shorthand reporter or court reporter is exempt from the requirements of subsection A of this section if the reporter verifies under oath to the State Board of Examiners of Certified Shorthand Reporters that he or she:

1. Has attained the age of sixty-five (65) before or during the calendar year for which the reporter seeks an exemption;

2. Is a member of the Armed Forces on full-time active duty during the entire calendar year for which the reporter seeks an exemption; or

3. Has provided written verification by a licensed physician that a medical condition has prevented the court reporter from working in such capacity and completing continuing education for the calendar year for which the reporter seeks an exemption.