A.  There is hereby established a court reporter pool of thirty court reporters employed by the supreme court from which said court reporters may be assigned from time to time to any of the various district courts in the state as the need arises in order that transcripts for criminal appeals and other necessary purposes may be timely lodged in the appellate courts.  

B.  The court reporters provided for in this Section shall be in addition to all other court reporters otherwise provided for in this Part.  Each such court reporter shall have the same qualifications, duties, and responsibilities as provided for in La. Rev. Stat. 13:961(C) and shall be entitled to same fees paid in the same manner as provided for in La. Rev. Stat. 13:961(C).  When assigned to a district court, they shall perform their duties under the supervision and direction of the trial judge to whom they are assigned.  

C.  The supreme court shall assign the court reporters in the pool on a geographical basis, as far as practicable, and as determined from the reports of transcript delays submitted by the various district courts to the supreme court.  

D.  In addition to all fees for court reporters provided for in La. Rev. Stat. 13:961, each court reporter in the pool shall be paid an annual salary by the state in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars.  The supreme court shall provide for the salaries, related costs, and travel expenses of the court reporters in its annual budget for operations of the court.  Reimbursement for travel expenses of pool court reporters shall not exceed the amount allowed other state employees.  

E.  The judicial administrator may, at his discretion, elect to secure court reporting services from shorthand court reporting companies or independent shorthand court reporters as needed to complete unfinished transcripts, rather than employing the full quota of court reporters provided for in Subsection A of this Section.  

Added by Acts 1980, No. 538, §1.  Amended by Acts 1981, No. 885, §1.