8028.  (a) For the purposes of determining the necessity for the
board to register shorthand reporting entities and subject those
entities to its discipline and oversight, the board shall, until
January 1, 2004, be authorized to examine, evaluate, and investigate
complaints against shorthand reporting entities.  Nothing in this
subdivision shall be construed to grant the board any authority to
discipline or sanction shorthand reporting entities that is not
otherwise permitted by law.
   (b) For purposes of this article, a "shorthand reporting entity"
is an entity or person, including partnerships, unincorporated
associations, and limited liability companies, that holds itself out
as a deposition agency, offers a booking or billing service for
certified shorthand reporters, or in any manner whatsoever acts as an
intermediary for a person, entity, or organization that employs,
hires, or engages the services of any person licensed as a certified
shorthand reporter.  This article does not apply to any department or
agency of the state that employs hearing reporters.
   (c) The board may examine, evaluate, and investigate complaints
pursuant to subdivision (a) beginning January 1, 2001, and continuing
until no later than January 1, 2004.



8028.2.  Based on the information gathered pursuant to Section 8028,
the board shall, on or before January 1, 2004, submit a report to
the Legislature, including recommendations on the necessity for the
board to register shorthand reporting entities, as defined in
subdivision (b) of Section 8028.  If the report recommends the
registration of shorthand reporting entities, the report shall
include:
   (a) A description of the problem that establishing the new
registration requirement would address, including the specific
evidence of the necessity for the state to address the problem.
   (b) The reasons this proposed registration requirement was
selected to address this problem, including the full range of
alternatives considered and the reason each of these other
alternatives was not selected.
   (c) The specific public benefit or harm that would result from the
establishment of the proposed registration requirements, the
specific manner in which the registration requirements would achieve
this public benefit, and the specific standards of performance that
shall be used in reviewing the subsequent operation of the shorthand
reporting entities.
   (d) The specific source or sources of revenue and funding the
board will utilize to regulate the newly registered entities in order
to achieve its mandate.



8028.4.  This article shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2004, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted on or before January 1, 2004, deletes or
extends that date.