NCRA Celebrates Passage Of Michigan HB 5046

(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs historic rate adjustment for officers of the court; prioritizes judicial integrity in Michigan with first increase in more than three decades

Reston, VA, Jan. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country's leading organization representing stenographic court reporters, captioners, and legal videographers,
proudly applauds the Michigan legislature for the successful passage of House Bill 5046, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for signing the measure on January 17. HB 5046 gained bipartisan support to provide the first page-rate adjustment for court reporters in Michigan since 1986.

“NCRA members advocated Governor Whitmer to sign HB 5046 through our grassroots mobilization efforts in the later part of 2024,” said NCRA President Keith R. Lemons, FAPR, RPR, CRR (Ret.).“The messages from NCRA members delivered to Lansing advocating for this long overdue adjustment were heard and we are grateful for that,” he added.

“Thanks to Governor Whitmer and the legislature, the first increase adjustment is now being implemented in Michigan since 1986,” said NCRA Executive Director Dave Wenhold, CAE, PLC.“When state leaders and NCRA coordinate efforts, we deliver for our members who have always put the record first since 1899,” he added.
Stenographic court reporters are officers of the court who capture the spoken word, creating an official record of events called a transcript.

“A court reporter's work plays a significant role in both the administration and restoration of justice,” said Colin Brehm, NCRA's State Government Relations Manager.“Thanks to Governor Whitmer, Michigan recognizes that, as well as the crucial role stenographic court reporters serve as public servants.”

“Stenographic court reporters are the unsung heroes of our judicial system, serving with unwavering dedication to ensure that every word spoken in court is accurately recorded for posterity,” noted Lemons.“Their commitment to precision, confidentiality, and professionalism underpins the integrity of legal proceedings across Michigan and the country,” he added.

The public is invited to learn more about judicial integrity and how to advocate for their community's stenographic court reporter by visiting the NCRA Advocacy Action Center and resource library .

Court reporters and captioners rely on the latest in technology to use stenographic machines to capture the spoken word and translate it into written text in real time. These professionals work both in and out of the courtroom recording legal cases and depositions, providing live captioning of events, and assisting members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities with gaining access to information, entertainment, educational opportunities, and more.

If you're looking for a career that is on the cutting edge of technology, offers the opportunity for work at home or abroad, like to write, enjoy helping others, and are fast with your fingers, then the fields of court reporting and captioning are careers you can explore at NCRA/discoversteno.org.

The NCRA A to Z^® Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand program, a free online six-week introductory course, lets participants see if a career in court reporting or captioning would be a good choice for them. The program is an introduction to stenographic theory and provides participants with the opportunity to learn the basics of writing on a steno machine. There is no charge to take the course, but participants are required to have access to a steno machine or an iPad they can use to download the iStenoPad app.

To arrange an interview with a working court reporter, captioner, legal videographer, or a current court reporting student, or to learn more about the lucrative and flexible court reporting or captioning professions and the many job opportunities currently available, contact ... .

About NCRA
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has been internationally recognized for promoting excellence among those who capture and convert the spoken word to text for more than 125 years. NCRA is committed to supporting its more than 12,000 members in achieving the highest level of professional expertise with educational opportunities and industry-recognized court reporting, educator, and videographer certification programs. NCRA impacts legislative issues and the global marketplace through its actively involved membership.

Forbes has named court reporting as one of the best career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the court reporting field is expected to be one of the fastest areas of projected employment growth across all occupations. According to , the court reporting profession ranks sixth out of 25 careers with the lowest unemployment rate, just 0.7 percent. Career information about the court reporting profession-one of the leading career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree - can be found at Text>NCRA

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