(a) The board shall disburse funds from the Transcript Reimbursement Fund for the costs, exclusive of per diem charges by official reporters, of preparing either an original transcript and one copy thereof, or where appropriate, a copy of the transcript, of court or deposition proceedings, or both, incurred as a contractual obligation between the shorthand reporter and the applicant, for litigation conducted in California. If there is no deposition transcript, the board may reimburse the applicant or the certified shorthand reporter designated in the application for per diem costs. The rate of per diem for depositions shall not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75) for one-half day, or one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125) for a full day. If a transcript is ordered within one year of the date of the deposition, but subsequent to the per diem having been reimbursed by the Transcript Reimbursement Fund, the amount of the per diem shall be deducted from the regular customary charges for a transcript. Reimbursement may be obtained pursuant to the following provisions:

(1) The applicant or certified shorthand reporter shall promptly submit to the board the certified shorthand reporter’s invoice for transcripts together with the appropriate documentation as is required by this chapter.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), the board shall promptly determine if the applicant or the certified shorthand reporter is entitled to reimbursement under this chapter and shall make payment as follows:

(A) Regular customary charges for preparation of original deposition transcripts and one copy thereof, or a copy of the transcripts.

(B) Regular customary charges for expedited deposition transcripts up to a maximum of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per case.

(C) Regular customary charges for the preparation of original transcripts and one copy thereof, or a copy of transcripts of court proceedings.

(D) Regular customary charges for expedited or daily charges for preparation of original transcripts and one copy thereof or a copy of transcripts of court proceedings.

(E) The charges shall not include notary or handling fees. The charges may include actual shipping costs and exhibits, except that the cost of exhibits may not exceed thirty-five cents ($0.35) each or a total of thirty-five dollars ($35) per transcript.

(3) The maximum amount reimbursable by the fund under paragraph (2) shall not exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) per case per year.

(4) A vexatious litigant shall be ineligible to receive funds from the Transcript Reimbursement Fund. However, a vexatious litigant may become eligible to receive funds if the vexatious litigant is no longer subject to the provisions of Title 3A (commencing with Section 391) of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure pursuant to Section 391.8 of Code of Civil Procedure.

(5) Disbursements to cover the costs of providing transcripts to all applicants appearing pro se pursuant to this section shall not exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per case.

(6) If entitled, and funds are available, the board shall disburse the appropriate sum to the applicant or the certified shorthand reporter when the documentation described in Section 8030.8 accompanies the application. A notice shall be sent to the recipient requiring the recipient to file a notice with the court in which the action is pending stating the sum of reimbursement paid pursuant to this section. The notice filed with the court shall also state that if the sum is subsequently included in any award of costs made in the action, that the sum is to be ordered refunded by the applicant to the Transcript Reimbursement Fund whenever the sum is actually recovered as costs. The court shall not consider whether payment has been made from the Transcript Reimbursement Fund in determining the appropriateness of any award of costs to the parties. The board shall also notify the applicant that the reimbursed sum has been paid to the certified shorthand reporter and shall notify the applicant of the duty to refund any of the sum actually recovered as costs in the action.

(7) If not entitled, the board shall return a copy of the invoice to the applicant and the designated certified shorthand reporter together with a notice stating the grounds for denial.

(8) The board shall complete its actions under this section within 30 days of receipt of the invoice and all required documentation, including a completed application.

(9) Applications for reimbursements from the fund shall be filed on a first-come-first-served basis.

(10) Applications for reimbursement that cannot be paid from the fund due to insufficiency of the fund for that fiscal year shall be held over until the next fiscal year to be paid out of the renewed fund. Applications held over shall be given a priority standing in the next fiscal year.

(b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2025, and as of that date is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 625, Sec. 71. (SB 1443) Effective January 1, 2023. Repealed as of January 1, 2025, by its own provisions.)