HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3237 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1649
|
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Marjorie C. Decker and Paul McMurtry
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act concerning furnishing transcripts of notes and fees.
_______________
PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Marjorie C. Decker | 25th Middlesex | 1/16/2025 |
Jennifer Balinsky Armini | 8th Essex | 2/12/2025 |
Todd M. Smola | 1st Hampden | 2/26/2025 |
David T. Vieira | 3rd Barnstable | 2/26/2025 |
James C. Arena-DeRosa | 8th Middlesex | 2/26/2025 |
Steven George Xiarhos | 5th Barnstable | 3/5/2025 |
Lindsay N. Sabadosa | 1st Hampshire | 3/14/2025 |
Manny Cruz | 7th Essex | 3/17/2025 |
Daniel Cahill | 10th Essex | 3/26/2025 |
Sean Reid | 11th Essex | 3/26/2025 |
Kristin E. Kassner | 2nd Essex | 3/26/2025 |
Donald H. Wong | 9th Essex | 4/7/2025 |
Bruce E. Tarr | First Essex and Middlesex | 4/7/2025 |
Mike Connolly | 26th Middlesex | 4/7/2025 |
Donald R. Berthiaume, Jr. | 5th Worcester | 4/11/2025 |
Jeffrey Rosario Turco | 19th Suffolk | 5/28/2025 |
Estela A. Reyes | 4th Essex | 5/28/2025 |
Natalie M. Higgins | 4th Worcester | 5/28/2025 |
Joan B. Lovely | Second Essex | 7/17/2025 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3237 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1649
By Representatives Decker of Cambridge and McMurtry of Dedham, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1649) of Marjorie C. Decker, Jennifer Balinsky Armini and others relative to furnishing transcripts of notes and fees. The Judiciary. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
_______________
An Act concerning furnishing transcripts of notes and fees.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 221 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 88 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-
Section 88. Upon request of the presiding justice or any party, the transcriber shall furnish a transcript of their notes or audio recording, or any part thereof, taken at a trial or hearing, for which they shall be paid by the party requesting it at the rate of $4.50 per page for the original and $1.50 per page for each copy ordered. Copies, if so requested by an indigent person or counsel for an indigent person, shall be paid at $.15 per page. In the event that a rush transcript is ordered by the presiding justice or any party, the rate shall be $6.75 per page for the original and $2.25 per page for each copy; and provided further, that copies, if so requested by an indigent person or counsel for an indigent person, shall be paid at $.23 per page. If a transcript is ordered by the presiding justice or, in a criminal case, by the district attorney, payment therefor shall be made at the same rate by the administrative office of the trial court upon a voucher approved by the presiding justice and, in a criminal case, the charges for transcripts furnished to a justice and to the district attorney shall be taxed like other expenses. If the presiding justice orders that a statement given to the police be transcribed, all parties shall receive a copy and payment therefor shall be made at the same rate by the administrative office of the trial court upon a voucher approved by the presiding justice.
Beginning on the first day of July 2030, and on the first day of each fifth July thereafter, the rates and fees set forth in section 88 shall be increased to reflect the cumulative annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index and published as the adjusted amounts as used in this section. The (1) office of transcription services or (2) the presiding justice of the administrative office of the trial court shall issue directives to implement the purposes of this section.