Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0455-01-06-.03

Current through September 10, 2024
Section 0455-01-06-.03 - CONTINUING EDUCATION SPONSORS AND PROGRAMS
(1) Sponsor, as used in this Section, shall mean the following:
(a) The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA);
(b) The National Verbatim Reporters Association (NVRA);
(c) The Tennessee Court Reporters Association (TNCRA) or any state court reporters association whose course or program has been approved for CE credits under the guidelines of any national or state court reporting association;
(d) Any computer users group whose program or course has been approved for CE credits under the guidelines of any national or state court reporting association;
(e) A city, county, state or federal judicial body responsible for coordination and presentation of CE courses or programs for its employees;
(f) A university or college course or adult education program that contributes directly to the Court Reporter's knowledge, ability or competence to perform his/her duties; and
(g) Any other school, college or university, State agency, or any other person, firm or association that has been approved by the Board to coordinate and present CE Courses and programs in conjunction with this Section.
(2) All programs shall:
(a) Contribute to the advancement, extension and enhancement of the professional skills and knowledge of the individual licensee in the practice of court reporting;
(b) Include one or more of the following subjects directly related to the court reporter's ability to produce accurate and timely transcripts:
1. English, including grammar, punctuation, general principles, spelling, vocabulary, etymology, usage, semantics, regional and minority dialects or colloquialisms, English history, transcript styles;
2. Medical, including Greek and Latin derivatives, homonyms, abbreviations, surgical procedures, pharmacy, anatomy and physiology, specialized medical fields, (e.g., neurology, dentistry, radiology, gastroenterology), with emphasis on terminology and techniques or concepts likely to be encountered during litigation;
3. Legal, including terminology, research techniques, presentations on the various subdivisions of law (e.g., criminal, torts, domestic relations, corporate, admiralty, patent, environmental) and procedural law (e.g., depositions, trials, administrative proceedings) presentations by legal specialists or experts in the field, history of the American/world legal system;
4. Technical subjects presented by experts with emphasis on terminology and concepts encountered by the shorthand reporter during litigation (e.g., accident reconstruction, chemistry, construction, geology, insurance, maritime, aerospace, products liability, industrial and environmental pollution);
5. Technology related to new developments in the field of reporting (e.g., computer technology, computer techniques, video, telecommunications, equipment maintenance);
6. General litigation procedures as they relate to court, deposition and administrative proceedings (e.g., reporting depositions, court hearings, arbitrations, conventions and the court reporter's responsibility with regard to these proceedings, notary responsibilities, making exhibits, reading back, going on and off the record, review of statutes, rules related to the reporter);
7. Transcript preparation, including indexing of witnesses, exhibits, formats, dictating, editing and scoping, reference libraries and research techniques, proofreading; and
8. Management, including financial, marketing, personnel, equipment maintenance, time and stress management;
(c) Be relevant to the needs of court reporters and also to the reporting service needs of the users;
(d) Be developed and presented by persons with education and/or experience in the subject matter of the program;
(e) Specify for whom the program is primarily designed, the course objectives, course content and teaching methods to be used; and
(f) Specify the number of CE hours that may be applied to fulfilling the CE requirements for renewal of the license.
(3) Each CE program shall provide a mechanism for evaluation of the program by the participants. The evaluation may be completed on-site immediately following the program or an evaluation questionnaire may be distributed to participants to be completed and returned by mail. The sponsor and the instructor, together, shall review the evaluation outcome and revise subsequent programs accordingly.
(a) An approved sponsor may subcontract with individuals and organizations to provide programs.
(b) Continuing education credits may be awarded for home study courses, correspondence courses or internet based courses, provided they are courses administered by approved sponsors.
(c) All programs given by approved sponsors shall be open to all licensed court reporters and not be limited to members of a single organization or group.
(d) Continuing Education credit hours used to satisfy the CE requirements of another jurisdiction may be applied to fulfill the CE requirements of the Tennessee Board of Court Reporting.
(e) License of Attendance. It shall be the responsibility of a sponsor to provide each participant in a program with a license of attendance or participation. The sponsor's license of attendance shall contain:
1. The name, address, and license number of the sponsor;
2. The name and address of the participant;
3. A brief statement of the subject matter;
4. The number of hours attended in each program;
5. The date and place of the program; and
6. The signature of the sponsor.
(f) The sponsor shall maintain attendance records for not less than 5 years.
(g) The sponsor shall be responsible for assuring that no renewal applicant shall receive CE credit for time not actually spent attending the program.

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0455-01-06-.03

Emergency rule filed February 1, 2010; effective through July 31, 2010. New rule filed February 1, 2010; effective July 29, 2010. Rule petitioned March 1, 2010. Emergency rule filed February 1, 2010 expired effective August 1, 2010. Original rule filed July 26, 2010; effective October 24, 2010.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 20-9-605, 20-9-607 and 20-9-612.