AMEND TEXAS' ONE-THIRD RULE
PETITION TO AMEND THE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT for TEXAS CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS and TEXAS COURT REPORTING FIRMS, SECTION 17, "FEES," TO READ: A CSR OR CRF SHALL NOT CHARGE FOR A COPY AT A RATE MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS THE PER PAGE COST OF THE ORIGINAL AND FIRST COPY.
Since 1994, Texas freelance Certified Shorthand Reporters (CSRs) and licensed Court Reporting Firms (CRFs) have been unfairly restricted from charging per-page copy fees comparable to other states. The freelance court reporting landscape has changed dramatically over 20 years since the one-third rule was put in place. This restriction on commerce is anti-competitive, anti-business, and makes no economic sense in the current global environment. We will present documentation supporting our position, including, but not limited to, the following:
* The national average copy cost is 57.12% of the original rate
* Only 4 of the 50 states (TX, MI, WV and AZ) in the United States regulate copy prices, and NO STATE restricts copy prices as dramatically as Texas.
Therefore, as a DULY LICENSED TEXAS CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTER (CSR) and/or TEXAS COURT REPORTING FIRM (CRF) Representative, I AFFIX MY NAME HERETO AND ASK THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT TO AMEND THIS UNFAIR, ANTI-COMPETITIVE AND OPPRESSIVE RESTRICTION, thus permitting Texas freelance Court Reporters and Court Reporting Firms to compete fairly and effectively on a local, national and international basis.
Respectfully submitted:
Comment