Section 15-5-21. Promulgation of rules relating to transcripts and court reporters' fees

   (a) The Judicial Council shall promulgate rules and regulations which shall:

   (1) Provide for and set the fees to be charged by all official court reporters in this state for attending court, taking stenographic notes, and recording the evidence;

   (2) Provide for and set the fees to be charged by all official court reporters in this state for furnishing transcripts of the evidence and for other proceedings furnished by the official court reporters in all civil and criminal cases in this state;

   (3) Provide for a minimum per diem fee for official court reporters, which fee may be supplemented by the various counties within the circuits to which the court reporters are assigned; and

   (4) Provide for the form and style of the transcripts, which shall be uniform throughout the state.

(b) The Judicial Council shall amend its rules and regulations providing for and setting the fees to be charged by all official court reporters whenever the council shall deem it necessary and proper.

(c) This Code section shall not apply to those court reporters taking and furnishing transcripts of depositions or taking and furnishing transcripts of nonjudicial functions, nor to any independent contracts of any reporters.

(d) A rule or regulation promulgated by the Judicial Council pursuant to this Code section shall not become effective unless that council provides to the chairperson of the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives, the chairperson of the Judiciary, Non-civil Committee of the House of Representatives, the chairperson of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, and the chairperson of the Special Judiciary Committee of the Senate, at least 30 days prior to the date that the council intends to adopt such rule or regulation, written notice which includes an exact copy of the proposed rule or regulation and the intended date of its adoption. After July 1, 1986, no rule or regulation adopted by the Judicial Council pursuant to this Code section shall be valid unless adopted in conformity with this subsection. A proceeding to contest any rule or regulation on the grounds of noncompliance with this subsection must be commenced within two years from the effective date of the rule or regulation.

Ga. L. 1975, p. 852, §§ 1, 2; Ga. L. 1986, p. 956, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 13, § 15; Ga. L. 2009, p. 303, § 19/HB 117; Ga. L. 2010, p. 878, § 15/HB 1387.