NEW HAMPSHIRE CODE OF ADMINISTRATIVE RULES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Adopted 5/1/08
CHAPTER REP 100 DEFINITIONS, ORGANIZATION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
PART Rep 101 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Section Rep 101.01 Purpose and Scope
PART Rep 102 DEFINITIONS
Section Rep 102.01 Terms Used
PART Rep 103 BOARD ORGANIZATION
Section Rep 103.01 Duties and Responsibilities
Section Rep 103.02 Composition of the Board
Section Rep 103.03 The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson
Section Rep 103.04 Staff
Section Rep 103.05 Organization
Section Rep 103.06 Seal
Section Rep 103.07 Office Hours, Location, Mailing Address & Telephone
PART Rep 104 PUBLIC INFORMATION
Section Rep 104.01 Record of Board Actions
Section Rep 104.02 Custodian of Records
Section Rep 104.03 Roster Distribute
PART Rep 105 MEETINGS, DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS
Section Rep 105.01 Meetings
Section Rep 105.02 Quorum
Section Rep 105.03 Board Meeting Procedures
Section Rep 105.04 Procedures
Section Rep 105.05 Tentative Decisions
PART Rep 106 APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES
Section Rep 106.01 Committees
CHAPTER Rep 200 PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
PART Rep 201 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Section Rep 201.01 Purpose and Scope
PART REP 202 DEFINITIONS
Section Rep 202.01 Definitions
PART REP 203 PRESIDING OFFICER; WITHDRAWAL AND WAIVER OF RULES
Section Rep 203.01 Presiding Officer; Appointment; Authority
Section Rep 203.02 Withdrawal of Presiding Officer
Section Rep 203.03 Waiver or Suspension of Rules by Presiding Officer
PART REP 204 FILING, FORMAT AND DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
Section Rep 204.01 Date of Issuance or Filing
Section Rep 204.02 Format of Documents
Section Rep 204.03 Delivery of Documents
PART REP 205 TIME PERIODS
Section Rep 205.01 Computation of Time
PART REP 206 MOTIONS AND PLEADINGS
Section Rep 206.01 Motions; Objections
Section Rep 206.02 Pleadings
PART REP 207 NOTICE OF HEARING; APPEARANCES; PRE-HEARING CONFERENCES
Section Rep 207.01 Commencement of Hearing
Section Rep 207.02 Docket Numbers
Section Rep 207.03 Notice of Hearing
Section Rep 207.04 Appearances and Representation
Section Rep 207.05 Prehearing Conference
PART REP 208 ROLES OF BOARD STAFF AND COMPLAINANTS
Section Rep 208.01 Role of Board Staff in Enforcement or Disciplinary Hearings
Section Rep 208.02 Role of Complainants in Enforcement or Disciplinary
Hearings
PART REP 209 INTERVENTION
Section Rep 209.01 Intervention
PART REP 210 POSTPONEMENT REQUESTS AND FAILURE TO ATTEND HEARING
Section Rep 210.01 Postponements
Section Rep 210.02 Failure to Attend Hearing
PART REP 211 REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS
Section Rep 211.01 Voluntary Production of Information
Section Rep 211.02 Motions to Compel Production of Information
Section Rep 211.03 Mandatory Pre-Hearing Disclosure of Witnesses and Exhibits
PART REP 212 RECORD, PROOF, EVIDENCE AND DECISIONS
Section Rep 212.01 Record of the Hearing
Section Rep 212.02 Standard and Burden of Proof
Section Rep 212.03 Testimony; Order of Proceeding
Section Rep 212.04 Evidence
Section Rep 212.05 Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
Section Rep 212.06 Closing the Record
Section Rep 212.07 Reopening the Record
Section Rep 212.08 Decisions
PART REP 213 MOTION FOR REHEARING
Section Rep 213.01 Purpose
Section Rep 213.02 Applicability
Section Rep 213.03 Filing and Content of Motion
Section Rep 213.04 Standard for Granting Motion for Rehearing
Section Rep 213.05 Decision on Motion for Rehearing
PART REP 214 RULEMAKING PUBLIC COMMENT HEARINGS
Section Rep 214.01 Purpose
Section Rep 214.02 Scope
Section Rep 214.03 Notice
Section Rep 214.04 Media Access
Section Rep 214.05 Moderator
Section Rep 214.06 Public Participation
PART REP 215 PETITIONS FOR RULEMAKING
Section Rep 215.01 Petition for Rulemaking
Section Rep 215.02 Disposition of Petition
PART REP 216 DECLARATORY RULINGS
Section Rep 216.01 Petitions
Section Rep 216.02 Action on Petitions
PART REP 217 EXPLANATION AFTER ADOPTION
Section Rep 217.01 Explanation after Adoption
CHAPTER 300 LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS
PART Rep 301 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Section Rep 301.01 Application Process
Section Rep 301.02 Application for Licensure
Section Rep 301.03 Additional Requirements
Section Rep 301.04 Application/Licensure Fees
Section Rep 301.05 Fees
PART Rep 302 QUALIFICATIONS OF APPLICANTS
Section Rep 302.01 Candidate Requirements
Section Rep 302.02 References Required
Section Rep 302.03 Information From References
Section Rep 302.04 Additional References
Section Rep 302.05 Denial of Application
PART Rep 303 EXAMINATIONS
Section Rep 303.01 Examinations
PART Rep 304 CREDENTIALS
Section Rep 304.01 License
Section Rep 304.02 Pocket Cards
Section Rep 304.03 Licensed Court Reporter Seal/Stamp/License Number
CHAPTER Rep 400 CONTINUED STATUS
PART Rep 401 RENEWAL OF LICENSE
Section Rep 401.01 Expirations and Renewals
Section Rep 401.02 Renewal of License
Section Rep 401.03 Renewal Application
Section Rep 401.04 Denial of Renewal
Section Rep 401.05 Reinstatement
Section Rep 401.06 Denial of Reinstatement
PART Rep 402 DISCIPLINARY MATTERS
Section Rep 402.01 Initiation of Disciplinary Action
Section Rep 402.02 Disciplinary Sanctions
Section Rep 402.03 Administrative Fines
Section Rep 402.04 Procedures for Assessing and Collecting Fines
PART Rep 403 CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Section Rep 403.01 Renewal Requirements
Section Rep 403.02 Record Keeping
Section Rep 403.03 Examptions
Section Rep 403.04 Reinstatement
Section Rep 403.05 Waiver of Professional Development Hours Deadline
CHAPTER Rep 500 ETHICAL STANDARDS, PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT, ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND LICENSE SURRENDER
PART Rep 501 ETHICAL STANDARDS
Section Rep 501.01 Purpose and Scope
Section Rep 501.02 Obligation To Obey
Section Rep 501.03 National Court Reporters Association of Code of Ethics as
Binding Ethical Standards
PART Rep 502 VOLUNTARY LICENSE SURRENDER
Section Rep 502.01 Procedure for Surrendering a License
Section Rep 502.02 Effect of Voluntary License Surrender
Section Rep 502.03 Voluntary Surrender When Misconduct Allegations are Pending
Back To TopCHAPTER Rep 100 DEFINITIONS, ORGANIZATION AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
PART Rep 101 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Rep 101.01 Purpose and Scope. The rules of
this title implement the statutory responsibilities of the New Hampshire board
of court reporters
created by RSA 310-A: 161. These provisions regulate but are
not limited to the licensing of court reporters and the practice of court
reporting in the
state of New Hampshire.
PART Rep 102 DEFINITIONS
Rep 102.01 Terms Used. As used in these rules, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Board" means the New Hampshire board of court reporters created by RSA 310-A:161.
(b) "Court reporter" means, “court reporter” as
defined in RSA 310-A:162, II namely " a person who has met the requirements set
forth
in this subdivision and is licensed to engage in shorthand reporting or
voice writing."
(c) "Executive director" means the
board’s staff director, a person with delegated authority to perform
administrative and clerical functions
for the board.
(d) "Machine writing" means machine writing as defined in RSA
310-A:162, III namely “the making of a verbatim record of the spoken
word by
means of the use of phonetic entries into a stenotype machine.”
(e) “Shorthand Reporting” means
shorthand reporting as defined in RSA 310-A:162, V namely “the making by means
of written symbols
or abbreviations in shorthand or machine writing a verbatim
record of the spoken word.”
(f) “Voice reporting” means voice
reporting as defined in RSA 310-A:162, VI namely “the making of a verbatim
record of the spoken
word by means of voice writing.”
(g) “Voice writing” means voice
writing as defined in RSA 310-A:162, VII namely the making of a verbatim record
of the spoken word
by means of an individual repeating the words of the speaker
into a device either capable of digital translation into English text, or a
device capable
of creating a tape or digital recording.”
PART Rep 103 BOARD ORGANIZATION
Rep 103.01 Duties and Responsibilities
The board shall administer the provisions of RSA 310-A:161-181 which include but
are not limited to safeguarding property, to promoting public welfare and
maintaining a high standard of integrity, skills and practice in the profession
of court reporting
in this state.
Rep 103.02 Composition of the
Board. Pursuant to RSA 310-A:163, I the board shall consist of
5 members who meet the eligibility
requirements of RSA 310-A:163 I.
Rep 103.03 The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson. The
chairperson shall preside at all meetings. In the
absence of the chairperson, the
vice-chairperson shall preside.
Rep 103.04 Staff. The board shall designate an executive
director and such other staff members as are necessary to perform the
record-keeping and other statutory functions of the board and to oversee the
board’s day-to-day operations.
Rep 103.05 Organization. Biennially, the board shall elect or
appoint a chairperson, vice-chairperson,
and secretary at the first meeting of the board in a calendar
year.
Rep 103.06 Seal. The seal of the board shall be an
embossed circular seal consisting of 2 concentric circles,
the outer circle having a diameter of 1 7/8
inches and an
inner circle having a diameter of 1 3/8 inches. In the
space between the 2
circles at the
top of the seal there shall be the words “Board of Court Reporters.” At the
bottom of the seal, in the space between the 2 circles, there shall be the words
“State of New Hampshire.” In the
center space there shall be a representation of
the Old Man in the Mountain with a dark red background.
Rep 103.07 Office Hours, Office Location, Mailing Address and Telephone.
(a) The board’s office shall be located at the New Hampshire
Joint Board, 57 Regional Drive, Concord, N.H. and shall be
open to the public
weekdays, excluding holidays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(b) Correspondence shall be addressed to the board’s executive director at:
New Hampshire Joint Board
Concord, N.H. 03301
(c) The board’s telephone number shall be (603)-271-2219.
PART Rep 104 PUBLIC INFORMATION
Rep 104.01 Record of Board Actions. Minutes shall be kept of board meetings and
of
official actions taken by the board. Minutes of board actions which are not
confidential under RSA 91-A:3, II or RSA 91-A:5 shall be
public records and
shall be available for inspection during the board’s ordinary office hours
within 144 hours from the close the meeting or
vote in questions unless the 72
hours availability requirement of RSA 91-A:3, III is applicable.
Rep 104.02 Custodian of Records.
Persons desiring copies of board records shall submit a request which identifies
as particularly
as possible the information being sought and agrees to pay the
actual costs incurred by the board for the documents provided. If records are
requested which contain both public and confidential information, the board
shall delete the confidential information and provide the remaining
information.
Rep 104.03 Roster Distribution Copies of a roster containing
names, addresses, and assigned
numbers of licensed court reporters shall
be furnished upon request. The fee
shall be
$30.00.
PART Rep 105 MEETINGS, DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS
Rep 105.01
Meetings. Regular meetings shall be held at least 3 times each year.
Special meetings shall be called by order of the
chairperson or secretary. Each
member of the board shall be notified in writing of each meeting and such notice
shall contain the place, date,
time, and subject of the meeting. Notice of
meetings shall be posted at the board office and the state house.
Rep 105.02 Quorum. A quorum of the board shall consist of
not less than 3 members and a majority vote by the members present
shall be
necessary to pass a motion unless otherwise specified by law. In the absence of
the chair, vice chair, or secretary, a quorum of the
board shall
designate a pro tempore officer for the officer or officers absent.
Rep 105.03 Board Meeting Procedures. The board shall conduct its meetings in the following order:
(a) Reading of the minutes;
(b) Interviews/meetings;
(c) Reading of communications;
(d) Reading and consideration of applications;
(e) Unfinished business;
(f) New business; and
(g) Adjournment.
Rep 105.04 Procedures. Roberts Rules of Order, 9th edition dated 1990 shall govern the procedures of the board.
Rep 105.05 Tentative Decisions
(a) When necessary to conduct the board’s business in a timely
and efficient manner, the board shall instruct its staff or a committee
of the
board to prepare a draft document, subject to subsequent review and approval by
the board. Such instructions shall be known as
tentative decisions.
(b) Tentative decisions shall not be final actions, and shall
not be binding upon the board. Changes in the form or the substance of a
tentative decision shall be made as often as necessary to produce a final
document, which satisfactorily sets forth the final result the board intends
to
reach. The board’s final decision shall be issued only when the necessary
majority has voted in favor of the final form of the proposed action,
allowing
time for printing or servicing the document in question
PART Rep 106 APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES
Rep 106.01 Committees
(a) A committee shall consist of one or more of board members
who have been directed by the board to investigate and make
recommendations on
matters which could be handled by the full board.
(b) When expressly authorized by the board, the authority of a committee shall include:
(1) The retention of voluntary assistance from qualified non-board members; and
(2) The retention of paid advisors or consultants pursuant to RSA 332:G-3.
Back To TopCHAPTER Rep 200 PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
PART Rep 201 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Rep 201.01 Purpose and Scope.
The board shall conduct various proceedings for the purpose of acquiring
sufficient information to
make fair and reasoned decisions on matters within its
statutory jurisdiction, including decisions on applications for licensure and
complaints filed
against license holders and others in the practice of court
reporting. These rules are intended to secure the just, efficient and accurate
resolution
of all board proceedings.
PART Rep 202 DEFINITIONS
Rep 202.01 Definitions.
(a) “Appearance” means a written notification to the board that a party or a party’s representative intends to actively participate in a hearing.
(b) “Hearing” means
“adjudicative proceeding” as defined by RSA 541-A:1, I, namely, “the procedure
to be followed in contested cases,
as set forth in RSA 541-A:31 through RSA
541-A:36.”
(c )
“Motion” means a request to the presiding
officer for an order or ruling directing some act to be done in favor of the
party making
the motion, including a statement of justification or reasons for
the request.
(d) “Natural person” means a human being.
(e) “Party” means “party” as defined by RSA
541-A:1, XII, namely, “each person or board named or admitted as a party, or
properly
seeking and entitled as a right to be admitted as a party.”
(f) “Person” means “person” as defined by RSA
541-A:1, XIII, namely, “any individual, partnership, corporation, association,
governmental subdivision, or public or private organization of any character
other than a board.”
(g)
“Presiding officer” means presiding
officer as defined in RSA 541-A:1, XIV.
(h) “Proof by a preponderance of the evidence”
means a demonstration by admissible evidence that a fact or legal conclusion is
more probable than not to be true.
PART Rep 203 PRESIDING OFFICER; WITHDRAWAL AND WAIVER OF RULES
Rep 203.01 Presiding Officer; Appointment; Authority
(a) All hearings shall be conducted for the board by a natural person appointed or authorized to serve as a presiding officer.
(b) A presiding officer shall as necessary:
(1) Regulate and control the course of a hearing;
(2) Facilitate an informal resolution acceptable to all parties;
(4) Receive relevant evidence at hearings and exclude irrelevant, immaterial or unduly repetitious evidence;
(5) Rule on
procedural requests, including adjournments or postponements, at the request of
a party or on the presiding officer's
own motion;
(6) Question any witness to develop a complete record;
(7) Cause a complete record of any hearing to be made, as specified in RSA 541-A:31, VI; and
(8) Take any other action consistent with
applicable statutes, rules and case law necessary to conduct the hearing and
complete
the record in a fair and timely manner.
Rep 203.02 Withdrawal of Presiding Officer.
(a) Upon his or her own initiative or upon the
motion of any party, a presiding officer or board official shall, for good cause
withdraw from any hearing.
(b) Good cause shall exist if a presiding officer or board official:
(1) Has
a direct interest in the outcome of a proceeding, including, but not limited to,
a financial or family relationship;
(2) Has made statements or engaged in behavior which objectively demonstrates that he or she has prejudged the facts of a case;
(3) Personally believes that he or she cannot fairly judge the facts of a case.
(c) Mere knowledge of the issues, the parties or any witness shall not constitute good cause for withdrawal.
Rep 203.03 Waiver or
Suspension of Rules by Presiding Officer. The presiding officer, upon his
or her own initiative or upon the
motion of any party, shall suspend or waive
any requirement or limitation imposed by this chapter upon reasonable notice to
affected persons
when the proposed waiver or suspension appears to be lawful,
and would be more likely to promote the fair, accurate and efficient resolution
of issues pending before the board than would adherence to a particular rule or
procedure.
PART Rep 204 FILING, FORMAT AND DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
Rep 204.01 Date of Issuance
or Filing.All documents governed by these rules shall be rebuttably presumed
to have been issued on
the date noted on the document and to have been filed
with the board on the actual date of receipt by the board, as evidenced by a
date
stamp placed on the document by the board in the normal course of business.
Rep 204.02 Format of Documents
(a) All correspondence, pleadings, motions or other documents filed under these rules shall:
(1) Include the title and docket number of the proceeding, if known;
(2) Be typewritten or clearly printed on durable paper 8 1/2 by 11 inches in size;
(3) Be signed by the party or proponent of the document, or, if the party appears by a representative, by the representative; and
(4) Include a
statement certifying that a copy of the document has been delivered to all
parties to the proceeding in compliance
with Rep 204.03.
(b) A party or representative's signature on a document filed with the board shall constitute certification that:
(1) The signer has read the document;
(2) The signer is authorized to file it;
(3) To the best of the signer’s knowledge, information and belief there are good and sufficient grounds to support it; and
(4) The document has not been filed for purposes of delay.
Rep 204.03 Delivery of Documents
(a) Copies of all petitions, motions,
exhibits, memoranda, or other documents filed by any party to a proceeding
governed by these
rules shall be delivered by that party to all other parties to
the proceeding.
(b) All notices, orders, decisions or other
documents issued by the presiding officer or board shall be delivered to all
parties
to the proceeding.
(c) Delivery of all documents relating to a
proceeding shall be made by personal delivery or by depositing a copy of the
document,
by first class mail, postage prepaid, in the United States mail,
addressed to the last address given to the board by the party or if
represented
to the party’s representative.
(d) When a party appears by a representative,
delivery of a document to the party's representative at the address stated on
the
appearance filed by the representative shall constitute delivery to the
party.
PART Rep 205 TIME PERIODS
Rep 205.01 Computation of Time
(a) Unless otherwise specified, all time periods referenced in this chapter shall be calendar days.
(b) Computation of any period of time referred
to in these rules shall begin with the day after the action which sets the time
period in motion,
and shall include the last day of the period so computed.
(c) If the last day of the period so computed
falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, then the time period shall be
extended to include
the first business day following the Saturday, Sunday or
legal holiday.
PART Rep 206 MOTIONS AND PLEADINGS
Rep 206.01 Motions; Objections.
(a) Motions
shall be in written form and filed with the presiding officer, unless made in
response to a matter asserted for the first time at a
hearing or on the basis of
information which was not received in time to prepare a written motion.
(b) Oral motions
and any oral objection to such motions shall be recorded in full in the record
of the hearing. If the presiding officer finds
that the motion requires
additional information in order to be fully and fairly considered, the presiding
officer shall order the moving party to submit
the motion in writing, with
supporting information within 5 days of the order. Objections to such motions
shall be filed within 5 days of the filing
of the motion.
(c) Objections to written motions shall be filed within 30 days of the date of the motion;
(d) Failure by an opposing party to object to a motion shall not in and of itself constitute grounds for granting the motion.
(e) The presiding officer shall rule upon a motion after full consideration of all objections and other factors relevant to the motion.
Rep 206.02 Pleadings.
(a) The only
pleadings permitted shall be petitions, other than for rulemaking, and replies
to petitions. Applications shall not be considered
pleadings.
(b) All petitions shall contain:
(1) The name and address of the petitioner;
(2) The name and address of the petitioner's representative, if any;
(3) A concise statement of the facts that caused the petitioner to request the board to act;
(4) The action that the petitioner wishes the board to take; and
(5) The identification of any statutes, rules, orders, or other authority that entitles the petitioner to request the board to act.
(c) Board replies to petitions shall contain:
(1) The name and address of the petitioner;
(2) The name and address of the representative of the petitioner, if any;
(3) A statement addressing each fact alleged in the petition;
(4) A statement addressing the authority identified by the petitioner;
(5) A concise response to each statement;
(6) The
identification of any statutes, rules, orders, or other authority, not
identified in the petition, having a bearing upon the
subject matter of the
petition; and
(7) The action the board took.
(d) Replies shall be filed within 90 days from the date of the petition.
PART Rep 207 NOTICE OF HEARING; APPEARANCES; PRE-HEARING CONFERENCES
Rep 207.01 Commencement of Hearing. A hearing shall be commenced by an order of the board giving notice to the parties at least
30 days prior to the hearing as required by Rep 207.03.
Rep 207.02 Docket Numbers. A docket number shall be assigned to each matter to be heard which shall appear on the notice of
hearing and all subsequent orders or decisions of the board.
Rep 207.03 Notice of Hearing.
(a) A notice of a hearing issued by the board at least 30 days prior to the hearing shall contain the information required by
RSA 541-A:31, III, namely:
(1) A statement of the time, place and nature of any hearing;
(2) A statement of the legal authority under which a hearing is to be held;
(3) A reference to the particular statutes and rules involved including this chapter;
(4) A short and plain statement of the issues presented;
(5) A statement that each party has the right to have an attorney represent them at their own expense; and
(6) A
statement that each party has the right to have the board provide a licensed
court reporter at the party’s expense and
that any such request shall be
submitted in writing at least 10 days prior to the hearing.
Rep 207.04 Appearances and Representation
(a) A party or the party’s representative shall file an appearance that includes the following information:
(1) A brief identification of the matter;
(2) A statement as to whether or not the representative is an attorney; and
(3) The party or representative's daytime address and telephone number.
Rep
207.05 Prehearing Conference. Any party may request, or the presiding
officer shall schedule on his or her own initiative, a
pre-hearing conference in
accordance with RSA 541-A:31,V to consider:
(a) Offers of settlement;
(b) Simplification of the issues;
(c) Stipulations or admissions as to issues of fact or proof by consent of the parties;
(d) Limitations on the number of witnesses;
(e) Changes to standard procedures desired during the hearing by consent of the parties;
(g) Any other matters which aid in the disposition of the proceeding.
PART Rep 208 ROLES OF BOARD STAFF AND COMPLAINANTS
Rep 208.01 Role of Board Staff
in Enforcement or Disciplinary Hearings. Unless called as witnesses, board
staff as defined in
Rep 102.01 shall have no role in any enforcement or
disciplinary hearing.
Rep 208.02 Role of
Complainants in Enforcement or Disciplinary Hearings. Unless called as a
witness or granted party or intervenor
status, a person who initiates an
adjudicative proceeding by complaining to the board about the conduct of a
person who becomes a party shall
have no role in any enforcement or disciplinary
hearing.
PART Rep 209 INTERVENTION
Rep 209.01 Intervention.
(a) A non-party may intervene in
a matter pending before the board under the provisions of RSA 541-A:32, by
filing a motion
stating facts demonstrating that the non-party's rights or other
substantial interests might be affected by the proceeding or that the non-party
qualifies as an intervenor under any provision of law.
(b) If the presiding officer determines that
such intervention would be in the interests of justice and would not impair the
orderly
and prompt conduct of the hearing, the presiding officer shall grant the
motion for intervention.
(c) Participation by intervenors shall be limited to that which is necessary to protect the interest identified in the petition for intervention.
(d) Petitions for intervention shall be filed any time after commencement of a proceeding, and state:
(1) The petitioner's interest in the subject matter of the hearing;
(2) Whether the petitioner appears in support of the complainant, or the respondent, as well as for his or her own interest;
(3) Why the interests of the parties and the orderly and prompt conduct of the proceeding would not be impaired; and
(4) Any other reasons why the petitioner should be permitted to intervene.
(e) A
person filing a complaint that becomes the subject of a disciplinary hearing
shall be served with the hearing notice and
notified of the right to intervene
in the proceeding.
(f) Once granted leave to intervene, an
intervenor shall take the proceeding as he or she finds it and no portion of the
proceeding
shall be repeated because of the fact of intervention.
Rep 210.01 Postponements.
(a) Any party to a hearing may make an oral or written motion that a hearing be postponed to a later date or time.
(b) If a
postponement is requested by a party to the hearing, it shall be granted if the
presiding officer determines that good
cause has been demonstrated. Good cause
shall include the unavailability of parties, witnesses or attorneys necessary to
conduct the
hearing, the likelihood that a hearing will not be necessary because
the parties have reached a settlement or any other circumstances
that
demonstrate that a postponement would assist in resolving the case fairly.
(c) If the later date, time and place are
known at the time of the hearing that is being postponed, the date, time and
place shall
be stated on the record. If the later date, time and place are not
known at the time of the hearing that is being postponed, the presiding
officer
shall issue a written scheduling order stating the date, time and place of the
postponed hearing as soon as practicable.
Rep 210.02 Failure to Attend Hearing .
(a) If any party to whom notice
has been given in accordance with Rep 207.03 fails to attend a hearing, the
presiding officer
shall declare that party to be in default unless failure to
attend is justified by a showing of good cause.
(b) Good cause shall include accident, illness or other circumstances beyond the control of the licensee.
(c) In the absence of good cause for failure to attend the hearing, the presiding officer shall:
(1) Dismiss the case, if the party with the burden of proof fails to appear;
(2) Hear the testimony and receive the evidence offered by a party, if that party has the burden of proof in the case; or
(3) Grant a postponement of the hearing under the provisions of Rep 210.01.
PART Rep 211 REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS
Rep 211.01 Voluntary Production of Information.
(a) Each party shall attempt in
good faith to completely and timely respond to requests for the voluntary
production of information
or documents relevant to the hearing.
(b) When a dispute between parties arises
concerning a request for the voluntary production of information or documents,
any party may file a motion to compel the production of the requested
information under Rep 211.02.
Rep 211.02 Motions to Compel Production of Information
(a) Any party may make a motion requesting that
the presiding officer order the parties to comply with information requests.
The motion shall be filed at least 15 days before the date scheduled for the
hearing, or as soon as possible after receiving the notice
of hearing.
(b) The moving party’s motion shall:
(1) Set forth in detail those factors which it believes justify its request for information; and
(2) List with specificity the information it is seeking to discover.
(c) When a party has demonstrated that such
requests for information are necessary for a full and fair presentation of the
evidence at the hearing, the presiding officer shall grant the motion.
Rep 211.03 Mandatory
Pre-Hearing Disclosure of Witnesses and Exhibits At least 5 days before the
hearing the parties
shall exchange a list of all witnesses to be called at the
hearing with a brief summary of their testimony, a list of all documents or
exhibits
to be offered as evidence at the hearing, and a copy of each document
or exhibit.
PART Rep 212 RECORD, PROOF, EVIDENCE AND DECISIONS
Rep 212.01 Record of the Hearing.
(a) The board
shall record the hearing by tape recording or other method that will provide a
verbatim record except for a
proceeding on emergency action shall be governed by RSA 541-A:30, III.
(b) If any person requests a transcript of
the taped record, the board shall cause a transcript to be prepared and, upon
receipt
of payment for the cost of the transcription, shall provide copies of
the transcript to the requesting party.
(c) At the request of a party to any
proceeding involving disciplinary action, the record of the proceeding shall be
made
by a licensed court reporter provided by the board at the requesting
party’s expense. A request for a licensed court reporter shall be
filed at
least 10 days prior to the hearing.
Rep 212.02 Standard and Burden
of Proof The party asserting a proposition shall bear the burden of proving
the truth
of the proposition by a preponderance of the evidence.
Rep 212.03 Testimony; Order of Proceeding
(a) Any person
offering testimony, evidence or arguments shall state for the record his or her
name, and role in the proceeding.
If the person is representing another person,
the person being represented shall also be identified.
(b) Testimony shall be offered in the following order:
(1) The party or parties bearing the burden of proof and such witnesses as the party may call;
(2) The party or parties opposing the party who bears the overall burden of proof and such witnesses as the party may call.
Rep 212.04 Evidence
(a) Receipt of evidence shall be governed by the provisions of RSA 541-A:33.
(b) All
documents, materials and objects offered as exhibits shall be admitted into
evidence unless excluded by the presiding
officer as irrelevant, immaterial,
unduly repetitious or legally privileged.
(c) All
objections to the admissibility of evidence shall be stated as early as possible
in the hearing, but not later than the time
when the evidence is offered.
(d) Transcripts
of testimony and documents or other materials, admitted into evidence shall be
public records unless the presiding
officer determines that all or part of a
transcript or document is exempt from disclosure under RSA 91-A:5 or applicable
case law.
Rep 212.05 Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law
(a) Any party may submit proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law to the presiding officer prior to or at the hearing.
(b) Upon request
of any party, or if the presiding officer determines that proposed findings of
fact and conclusions of law
would serve to clarify the issues presented at the
hearing, the presiding officer shall specify a date after the hearing for the
submission
of proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law.
(c) In any case
where proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law are submitted, the
decision shall include rulings
on the proposals.
Rep 212.06 Closing the Record
(a) After the
conclusion of the hearing, the record shall be closed and no other evidence
shall be received into the record,
except as allowed by (b) below and Rep
212.08.
(b) Before the
conclusion of the hearing, a party may request that the record be left open to
allow the filing of specified
evidence not available at the hearing. If the
other parties to the hearing have no objection or if the presiding officer
determines that
such evidence is necessary to a full consideration of the issues
raised at the hearing, the presiding officer shall keep the record open
for the
period of time necessary for the party to file the evidence and for cross
examination on such evidence.
Rep 212.07 Reopening
the Record. At any time prior to the issuance of the decision on the merits,
the presiding officer, on the
presiding officer’s own initiative or on the
motion of any party, shall reopen the record to receive relevant, material and
non-duplicative
testimony, evidence or arguments not previously received, if the
presiding officer determines that such testimony, evidence or arguments
are
necessary to a full and fair consideration of the issues to be decided.
Rep 212.08 Decisions
(a) A board member
shall not participate in making a decision unless he or she personally heard the
testimony in the case,
unless the matter’s disposition does not depend on the
credibility of any witness and the record provides a reasonable basis for
evaluating the testimony.
(b) If a presiding
officer has been delegated the authority to conduct a hearing in the absence of
a majority of the officials
of the board who are to render a final decision, the
presiding officer shall submit to the board a written proposal for decision,
which
shall contain a statement of the reasons for the decision and findings of
fact and rulings of law necessary to the proposed decision.
(c) If a proposal for decision in a matter not
personally heard by the board is adverse to a party to the proceeding other
than
the board itself, the board shall serve a copy of the proposal for decision on
each party to the proceeding and provide an
opportunity to file exceptions and
present briefs and oral arguments to the board.
(d) A proposal for decision shall become a final decision upon its approval by the board.
(e) The board shall keep a decision on file in
its records for at least 5 years following the date of the final decision or the
date of the decision on any appeal, unless the director of the division of
records management and archives of the department of
state sets a different
retention period pursuant to rules adopted under RSA 5:40.
Rep 213.01
Purpose The rules in this part are intended to supplement any statutory
provisions, including RSA 541,
that require or allow a person to request a
rehearing of a decision of the board prior to appealing the decision.
Rep 213.02
Applicability. The rules in this part shall apply whenever any person has a
right under applicable law to
request a rehearing of a decision prior to filing
an appeal of the decision with the court having appellate jurisdiction.
Rep 213.03 Filing and Content of Motion
(a) The motion for rehearing shall be filed within 30 days of the date of the board decision or order.
(b) A motion for rehearing shall:
(1) Identify each error of fact, error of reasoning, or error of law which the moving party wishes to have reconsidered;
(2)
Describe how each error causes the board's decision to be unlawful, unjust or
unreasonable, or illegal in respect to
jurisdiction, authority or observance of
the law, an abuse of discretion, arbitrary, or capricious.
(3) State concisely the factual findings, reasoning or legal conclusion proposed by the moving party; and
(4) Include any argument or memorandum of law the moving party wishes to file.
Rep 213.04
Standard for Granting Motion for Rehearing. A motion for rehearing in a case
subject to appeal under RSA
541 shall be granted if it demonstrates that the
board's decision is unlawful, unjust or unreasonable.
Rep 213.05 Decision on Motion for Rehearing.
The board shall grant or deny a motion for rehearing, or suspend the order
or
decision pending further consideration within 10 days of the filing of the
motion for rehearing.
Rep 214.01
Purpose. The purpose of this part is to provide a uniform procedure for
the conduct of public hearings at
which comment from the general public will be
solicited for evaluation and consideration by the board relative to rulemaking.
Rep 214.02 Scope.
(a) These
rules shall apply to all hearings required by state law to be conducted by the board at which public comment
shall be
solicited, except that they shall not apply to adjudicative hearings.
(b) If any requirement set by these rules
conflicts with an applicable statute such other authority shall
control.
Rep 214.03 Notice.
(a) A public
comment hearing concerning rulemaking shall be commenced by placing notice of
the
hearing in the "Rulemaking Register" so that it shall appear at least 20
days prior to the hearing date.
(b) Notice for rulemaking public comment hearings shall comply with RSA 541-A:6, I.
(c) Nothing in these rules shall prohibit the board from giving greater notice than the minimums set out in this part.
Rep 214.04
Media Access.
(a) Public
comment hearings shall be open to the print and electronic media.
(b) The moderator shall place limits on the activities of the media to avoid disruption in the following ways:
(1)
Limiting the number of media representatives when their presence is disproportionate to the number
of other
citizens present and shall cause other citizens to be excluded;
(2) Limiting the placement of television cameras to certain locations in the hearing room; and
(3) Prohibiting interviews from being conducted within the hearing room during the hearing.
Rep 214.05 Moderator
(a) The hearing shall be presided over by a moderator who shall be the board chairperson or a designee.
(b) The moderator shall:
(1) Call the hearing to order;
(2) Cause a recording of the hearing to be made;
(3) Place limits on the media to avoid disruption as set out in Rep 214.04(b);
(4) Recognize those who wish to be heard and establish the order thereof;
(5) Limit the time for each speaker, as set out in Rep 214.06(b);
(6) Remove or have removed any person who disrupts the hearing;
(7) Adjourn the hearing; and
(8) Provide opportunity for the submission of written comments.
Rep 214.06 Public Participation.
(a) Any
person who wishes to speak on the issue or issues which are the subject of the
hearing shall place his or
her name and address on a speakers' list before the
last speaker on the list has finished speaking. All whose names appear
on the
speakers' list, as provided, shall be afforded reasonable time to speak at the
hearing. Reasonable time shall be
determined considering the number of people
who wish to be heard, the time and the availability of the facility.
(b) The board, through the moderator, shall:
(1) Refuse to recognize a person who refuses to give his or her full name and address;
(2) When a
group or organization wishes to comment, limit the group to nomore than 3 spokespersons,
provided that the members who are present shall be allowed to enter their names
and addresses into the record as supporting the position by the group or
organization;
(3) Revoke recognition of a speaker who speaks or acts in an abusive or disruptive manner; or
(4) Revoke
recognition of a speaker who refuses to keep his or her comments relevant to the issue or issues
which are the subject of the hearing.
(c) Written comments may be submitted any time
from the time notice has been published until the record has been closed
by the
moderator, which shall not be less than 7 calendar days after the hearing.
(d) In the event that the number of speakers who
wish to give oral testimony relevant to the issue or issues involved exceed
that
number which can be heard within a reasonable period of time subject to facility
availability and length of the hearing, the
hearing shall be reconvened pursuant
to RSA 541-A:11, III
to afford such persons the
opportunity to be heard. Speakers may
elect to submit written testimony in lieu
of additional oral hearing.
Rep 215.01 Petition for Rulemaking.
(a) Any
person may request the board to commence a proceeding for the purpose of
adopting, amending, or repealing
a rule by filing a written petition that
contains:
(1) The text of the
proposed rule or a statement of the particular results intended by the
petitioner to flow from the
implementation of the proposed rule;
(3) Any
data or argument the petitioner believes would be useful to the board in
deciding whether to commence a
rulemaking proceeding; and
(4) Name, address, signature of petitioner and date signed.
Rep 215.02 Disposition of Petition.
(a) The
board shall consider all petitions for rulemaking and proceed pursuant to RSA
541-A:4. The board shall request
additional data or argument from the petitioner
or other interested persons to clarify the merits of the petition.
(b) The
board shall grant the petition if the petition is consistent with statute and
case law and will assist the board with
the regulation of the profession.
PART Rep 216 DECLARATORY RULINGS
Rep 216.01 Petitions.
(a) Any person may request a declaratory
ruling from the board on matters within its jurisdiction by filing an original
and
5 copies of a petition pursuant to Rep 206.02 (b).
(b) A petition for declaratory ruling shall set forth the following information:
(1) The exact ruling being requested; and
(2) The statutory and factual basis for ruling, including any supporting
affidavits or memoranda of a law.
Rep 216.02 Action on Petitions
(a) The petitioner shall
provide such further information or participate in such evidentiary or other
proceedings as the
board shall direct after reviewing the petition and any
replies received.
(b) Upon review and consideration, the board shall within 90 days rule on the petition pursuant to Rep 206.02 (d).
PART Rep 217 EXPLANATION AFTER ADOPTION
Rep 217.01 Explanation after Adoption.
(a) Any person may request an explanation
regarding adoption of the rules pursuant to RSA 541-A:11,VII
by
submitting a request to the board.
(b) The
request shall be considered at the next scheduled board meeting and the board
shall issue a response
within 45 days after
consideration.
CHAPTER Rep 300 LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS
PART Rep 301 APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Rep 301.01 Application Process.
(a) Persons wishing to become licensed
as a court reporter in New Hampshire shall submit an application form
provided
by the board which contains the information specified in Rep 301.02, and the
application fee specified in Rep 301.04.
(b) An application, which is not signed
by the applicant, and/or is not accompanied by cash, a valid check or a
valid
credit card for the application fee, shall not be accepted for
processing and shall be returned to the applicant.
(c) If the application is denied, the
applicant shall be provided an opportunity to request a hearing for
reconsideration
pursuant to Rep 206 on the deficiency issues identified by the
board. Any such request shall be made in writing and received by the
board
within 30 days of the receipt of the notification of denial.
(d) Applications about which there has been no communication from the applicant to the board for one year shall be destroyed.
Rep 301.02 Application for Licensure
(a) Each applicant for licensure shall provide, or cause to be provided, the following on a form supplied by the board:
(1) The applicant’s name, including any names previously used;
(2) The applicant’s residence and business addresses and telephone numbers;
(3) The applicant’s date of birth, place of birth and citizenship;
(4) The applicant’s dates of employment, titles of positions, and present address of employer;
(5) Character of employment including types of work performed and degree of responsibility;
(6) Name and present address of someone familiar with each position;
(7) Highest grade
attended including name of institution, years attended, graduation date and
certified
copies of transcripts;
(8) A listing of every state in which the
applicant holds or has ever held registration/certification/licensure
as a court
reporter with corresponding number and date of initial
registration/certification/licensure;
(9) Whether the applicant has ever lost or been
denied registration/ certification/licensure as a court reporter
or disciplined
by this board or another court reporter licensing board in any other state and
if so, an explanation
of the circumstances;
(10) Whether the registration/certification/licensure as a court reporter was issued by examination;
(11) Whether the applicant has ever been convicted
of any felony, any misdemeanor, or a violation and if so,
the name of the court,
the details of the offense and the date of conviction and the sentence
imposed;
(12) The names, complete addresses, occupation and business relationship
with the applicant of 3 references
as specified in Rep 302.02;
(13) The applicant’s signature; and
(14) The application fee as specified in Rep 301.04.
Rep 301.03 Additional Requirements. Applicants for licensure shall provide the following:
(a) A copy of their high school diploma or the equivalent.
(b) A copy of a valid certificate from the National Court Reporters Association or the National
Verbatim Reporters Association demonstrating proficiency in machine shorthand or voice reporting;
and
(c) A valid surety bond for the penal sum of $1,000 with one or more sureties approved by the attorney
general and conditioned that the applicant conform to and not violate any of the duties, terms, conditions,
provisions or requirements of this subdivision.
Rep. 301.04 Application/Licensure Fees.
(a) The application for licensure shall be $300.00.
(b) The wall display certificate fee for licensees shall be $50.00
(c) The biennial renewal fee shall be $200.
(d) The reinstatement fee after 12 months shall be the renewal fee plus 20
percent per month late fee
totaling $680.00.
(e) The fee for verification of licensure or certification shall be $30.00.
(f) The fee for replacement of a lost or mutilated certificate of licensure shall be $50.00.
Rep 301.05 Fees. All fees shall be paid in the form of, cash,
money order, bank draft, check or credit card
payable to "Treasurer, State of New Hampshire" and are
non-refundable
PART Rep 302 QUALIFICATION OF APPLICANTS
Rep 302.01 Candidate Requirements.
(a) Candidates for licensure shall meet the
requirements established by RSA 310-A:167, RSA 310-A:169, and
RSA 310-A:170
before a license shall be granted. The board shall require documentation of the
applicant’s education
and work experience to help determine competency if their
application is unclear, contradictory or incomplete.
(b) Qualifications shall be as follows:
(1) Candidates
shall possess valid Certification from the National Court Reporters
Association or
National Verbatim Reporters Association demonstrating proficiency in machine
shorthand or
voice reporting;
(2) Candidates shall be at least 18 years of age; and
(3) Candidates shall possess a high school education or the equivalent;
(4) Candidates shall be of good moral and professional character, as evidenced by:
a. The answers to questions Rep 301.02 (a) (9) and (11) on the application form;
b. Any verification information as described in Rep 301.03 (b); and
c. The letters of reference required by Rep 302.02.
(c) Standards of practice pursuant to
RSA 310-A:167 shall be in accordance with the rules of professional
conduct set
forth in Rep 501.
(d) The board shall issue licenses to
applicants whose applications for licensure have been received during a
one-year
period following the effective date adoption of RSA 310-A:161-181, and who hold
a valid New Hampshire
certified court reporter certificate
provided the board determines that the
person meets the criteria for applicants for
licensure under RSA 310-A:161 -
181.
Rep 302.02 References Required. Each applicant for
licensure shall provide the board with the names and addresses
of at least 3
individuals, who shall provide references, and are not related to the applicant.
The references shall be individuals
having personal or professional knowledge of
the applicant's character or qualifications as a court reporter.
Rep 302.03 Information from References. Information from references shall
be requested by the board on forms
provided by the board as follows:
(a) Applicant’s name;
(b) Reference’s name and address, relationship to the applicant;
(c) A brief description of the reference’s knowledge of the applicant’s
character or qualifications in the
practice of court reporting; and
(d) Signature of reference and date.
Rep 302.04 Additional References. The board shall require of the
applicant the names and addresses of
additional references if the original
information provided by the references is unclear, incomplete or contradictory.
Rep 302.05 Denial of Application. An application shall be
denied if, after notice and an opportunity for hearing,
there is a finding that:
(a) The applicant, or someone acting on the applicant's behalf,
has submitted false information to the board in
connection with the application;
(b) Evidence of past disciplinary action taken by another
licensing body or a professional society or association,
which indicates the
applicant cannot be relied upon to practice competently, and honestly, or adhere
to the standards of
conduct required by Rep 500;
(c) Evidence of conviction of a felony or misdemeanor which
indicates the applicant cannot be relied upon to practice
competently, and
honestly, or adhere to the ethical standards required by Rep 500;
(d) Evidence of behavior that would violate the ethical standards
of Rep 500, which indicates the applicant cannot
be relied upon to practice
competently, and honestly, or adhere to the ethical standards required by Rep
501.03;
(e) The applicant failed to meet the requirements of Rep 302 and RSA 310-A:167, RSA 310-A:169 and RSA 310-A:170;
(f) The applicant failed to submit the fee required per Rep 301.04 or
(g) The applicant failed to successfully pass the examinations required per Rep 303.01.
PART Rep 303 EXAMINATIONS
Rep 303.01 Examinations All candidates for licensure shall have
successfully passed the National Court Reporters
Association registered
professional reporter or National Verbatim Reporters Association certified voice
reporter examination.
PART Rep 304 CREDENTIALS
Rep 304.01
License. An applicant for licensure as a court reporter, who has
satisfactorily met all the requirements of
RSA 310-A and who has paid all of the
fees, shall be issued a license by the board. The licensee shall be issued a
license
authorizing the practice of court reporting that shall show the full
name of the licensee, shall have a serial number, and shall
be signed by members
of the board.
Rep 304.02 Pocket
Cards. Biennially, the board shall issue a licensure card, numbered to
correspond with the court
reporter’s assigned number to each licensed court
reporter upon renewal of the license. The card shall certify that the court
reporter holds a license in good standing and is authorized to practice as a
court reporter to the date of expiration as shown on the card.
Rep 304.03 Licensed Court Reporter Seal/Stamp/License Number.
(a) The
board shall upon issuance of a license to an applicant as a licensed court
reporter require the licensee to
acquire an impression type seal or rubber stamp
of the design approved by these rules and submit the seal to the board for
approval.
This seal shall bear the licensee's name and number as shown on the
license. This seal shall be affixed on all transcripts, and
reports prepared by
the licensee, and shall indicate the reporting method utilized as defined in RSA
310-A:162.
(b)
The seal shall consist of 2 concentric circles with the outer circle having a
diameter of 1- 9/16 inches
and the inner circle diameter of 15/16 inches. In
the space between the circles, the top shall be the words "Licensed Court
Reporter"
and at the bottom "State of New Hampshire." In the space inside the
inner circle shall be the full name of the licensee and the
license number
written horizontally, and the reporting method utilized.
(c) The
stamping or sealing of any documents by the licensee with the licensee's seal
after the license has expired,
has been suspended, revoked or surrendered
voluntarily shall be a violation of these rules. The stamping or sealing of any
documents
by the licensee not prepared by the licensee personally or under the
licensee’s direct supervision shall be a violation of these rules.
(d) The
board shall upon issuance of a license to an applicant as a licensed court
reporter require that the licensee
shall display their license number on any
transcripts, business cards and other information made available to the public
by the licensee.
CHAPTER Rep 400 CONTINUED STATUS
PART Rep 401 RENEWAL OF LICENSE
Rep 401.01 Expirations and Renewals. Pursuant to RSA
310-A:173, licenses shall
be renewed by written application prior to the expiration date and by payment of
the prescribed
renewal fee. The board shall notify each court reporter one month prior to
expiration of
their license. If properly renewed, a license shall remain in effect
continuously from the date of
issuance, unless suspended or revoked by the board.
Rep 401.02 Renewal of License. Any licensee wishing to renew a license shall submit:
(a) The renewal application supplied by the board;
(b) The fee specified in Rep 301.04.
(c) If the renewal is not received by the date of expiration, a
late fee
of 20 percent per month; and
(d) Proof of completion of the continuing education requirements
of
Rep 403.
Rep 401.03 Renewal Application. The applicant shall supply the following information on the application form for license renewal:
(a) The applicant’s full name;
(b) The applicant’s business address and telephone number;
(c) The applicant’s home address and telephone number;
(d) Documentation that the applicant has complied with the continuing education requirements of Rep 403;
(e) A statement indicating any disciplinary action brought against the applicant;
(f)
A statement indicating whether the applicant has ever been convicted of
any felony, any misdemeanor, or a
violation and if so, the name of the court,
the details of the offense and the date of conviction and the sentence imposed;
(g) A statement indicating that the applicant has adhered to the ethical and professional standards of Rep 500;
(h)
Acknowledgment that the provision of materially false information in the
application knowingly provided is a basis
for denial.
(i)
Acknowledgement that, if the applicant provided false information that
is discovered after the license is renewed,
it is a basis for disciplinary
action by the board.
(j) A
surety bond for the penal sum of $1,000 with one or more sureties approved by
the attorney general and conditioned
that the applicant conform to and not
violate any of the duties, terms, conditions, provisions or requirements of this
subdivision; and
(k) The applicant’s signature and date.
Rep 401.04 Denial of Renewal. Renewal shall be denied if, after notice and an opportunity for hearing, the board finds:
(a) Noncompliance with the continuing education requirements of Rep 403.01;
(b) Any unethical act for which discipline shall be imposed under Rep 500;
(c) Reasons for which an initial application could be denied;
(d) Failure to furnish complete or accurate information on an initial or renewal license application; or
(e) Failure to file a renewal application within 12 months of license expiration.
Rep 401.05
Reinstatement. A court reporter whose license to practice court reporting in
this state has been allowed to
lapse for a period of 12 months or more shall:
(a) File a reinstatement application with the board that shall include at least the following:
(1) The applicant’s full name;
(2) The applicant’s business address and telephone number;
(3) The applicant’s home address and telephone number;
(4) Documentation that the applicant has complied with the continuing education requirements of Rep 403;
(5) A statement indicating any disciplinary action brought against the applicant;
(6) A statement indicating whether
the applicant has ever been convicted of any felony, any misdemeanor, or a
violation and if so, the name of the court, the details of the offense and the
date of conviction and the sentence imposed;
(7) A statement indicating that the applicant has adhered
to the ethical and professio standards
of Rep 500;
(8)
A representation that the applicant
acknowledges that the provision of false information in the application is a
basis
for disciplinary action by the board;
(9) The names,
complete addresses, occupation and business relationship with applicant of 3
references from court reporters
as defined by RSA 310-A:162, II; and
(10) A surety bond for
the penal sum of $1,000 with one or more sureties approved by the attorney
general and
conditioned that the applicant conform to and not violate any of the
duties, terms conditions, provisions or requirements
of this subdivision; and
(11) The applicant’s signature and date.
(b) Applicants shall submit the application and reinstatement fees as specified in Rep 301.04.
Rep
401.06 Denial of Reinstatement. Reinstatement shall be denied if, after
notice and an opportunity for hearing,
the board finds:
(a) Noncompliance with the continuing education requirements of Rep 403.01;
(b) Any unethical act for which discipline shall be imposed under Rep 500;
(c) Reasons for which an initial application could be denied; or
(d) Failure to furnish complete or accurate information on an initial or renewal license application.
PART Rep 402 DISCIPLINARY MATTERS
Rep 402.01 Initiation of Disciplinary Action. The board shall undertake
misconduct investigations,
settlements of misconduct allegations, or disciplinary hearings,
in response to any information which reasonably
suggests that a licensee has engaged in
professional misconduct.
Rep 402.02 Disciplinary Sanctions.
(a) Other than immediate license suspensions authorized by RSA 541-A:30, III
the board shall
impose
disciplinary sanctions only:
(1) After prior notice and an opportunity to be heard; or
(2) Pursuant to a mutually agreed upon settlement or consent decree;
(b) When the board receives notice that a licensee has been subjected to
disciplinary action related
to
professional conduct by the licensing authority of another jurisdiction,
where the license
was not reinstated, the
board shall issue an order directing the licensee to
demonstrate why reciprocal discipline should not be imposed
in New Hampshire.
(c) In a disciplinary proceeding brought on the basis of discipline imposed in another
jurisdiction the licensee shall be subject to any disciplinary sanction
authorized by RSA 310-A:174,
III after considering the presence of aggravating or mitigating
circumstances.
(d) After a finding that misconduct has occurred, the board shall impose one or
more of the
disciplinary sanctions authorized by RSA 310-A:174, III after considering the
presence of
aggravating or mitigating circumstances.
(e) The following shall be considered aggravating circumstances:
(1) The seriousness of the offense;
(2) Prior disciplinary record;
(3) State of mind at the time of the offense;
(4) Lack of willingness to cooperate with the
board; and
(5) Potential harm to public health and safety.
(f) The following shall be considered mitigating circumstances:
(1) Absence of a prior disciplinary record;
(2) State of mind at the time of the offense;
(3) Willingness to cooperate with the board;
(4) Acknowledgment of his or her wrongdoing; and
(5) The purpose of the rule or statute violated.
(f) No hearing date established in a proceeding conducted under Rep 402.02
shall be postponed at the
request of the licensee unless the licensee also
agrees to continue the suspension period if any pending issuance
of the board’s final decision.
(g) Copies of board orders imposing disciplinary sanctions and copies of all
settlement agreements
or consent decrees shall be sent to the licensing body of each state
in which the licensee
is licensed and to
such other entities, organizations, associations, or boards
as are required
to be notified under applicable state
or federal law.
Rep 402.03 Administrative Fines
(a) Adjudicative procedures seeking the assessment of an administrative fine
shall be commenced
against any person subject to such fines or penalties under any provision of RSA
310-A when the
board
possesses evidence indicating that a violation has occurred.
(b) When persons subject to the board’s disciplinary authority are directed to
pay fines in
accordance with Rep 402.02, such fines shall be assessed in accordance
with the factors stated
in Rep
402.02 (e) and the following additional considerations:
(1)The cost of any investigation or hearing conducted by the board; and
(2)The licensee’s ability to pay a fine assessed by the board.
(c) Administrative fines shall not exceed the following amounts:
(1)When no violation of the same type has occurred
during a period of
licensure within the 5 years preceding the board’s notice to the respondent,
the fine assessed shall not exceed $200.00 per day or $1,000.00 per offense
whichever is greater;
(2) When a single disciplinary infraction of the
same type has occurred
during a period of licensure within the 5 years preceding the
board’s notice
to the respondent, the fine assessed shall not exceed $200.00 per day or
$1,500.00 per offense whichever is greater;
(3)When more than one disciplinary infraction of
the same type has occurred
during a period of licensure within the 5 years preceding the board’s notice to
the
respondent, the fine assessed shall not exceed $200.00 per day or $2,000.00
per offense whichever is greater; and
(4)In the case of continuing violations, a
separate fine shall be assessed for each day
the violation continues, but the total amount
of the fine and the respondent’s promptness
and cooperativeness in ceasing the
prohibited conduct in question shall be considered in
assessing the daily
fines.
(5)A single course of continuing conduct shall be
treated as a single
violation for purposes of Rep 402.03 (c), (1), (2) and (3).
Rep 402.04 Procedures for Assessing and Collecting Fines.
(a) Payment of a fine shall be included among the options available for settling
disciplinary allegations,
and shall be included among the types of disciplinary
sanctions imposed after
notice and hearing.
(b) In cases where the board initially intends to limit disciplinary sanctions
to an administrative fine,
the board shall issue a “notice of apparent liability”
describing the alleged offense,
stating the amount of the
assessed fine, and notifying the alleged offender that
he or she shall pay
or compromise the fine by a date certain
or request that an administrative
hearing be held. If a
hearing is requested, the notice of apparent liability
shall be withdrawn and a
notice of hearing shall be
issued. In such hearings, the board’s disciplinary options
shall not be limited
to the assessment of an
administrative fine.
(c) Nonpayment of a fine by a licensee or respondent in contravention of an
order, agreement or
promise
to pay, shall be a separate ground for discipline by the board or a
basis for denying a subsequent license or
renewal application or a basis for judicial action seeking
to collect the fine.
PART Rep 403 CONTINUING EDUCATION
Rep 403.01 Renewal Requirements
(a) Continuing education hours shall be earned pursuant to RSA 310-A:178.
(b) A
renewal application shall not be accepted for filing unless the licensee
indicates on the renewal
application, and under penalty of unsworn
falsification, that he/she has completed the minimum required hours of approved
professional development hours required pursuant to RSA 310-A:178.
Rep 403.02 Record Keeping.
(a)
The responsibility of maintaining records to be used to support credits
claimed shall be the
responsibility of the licensee.
(b) Records required shall contain at least the following documentation:
(1) A current continuing education transcript from the National Court
Reporters Association or
(2) A current continuing education transcript from the
National
Verbatim Reporters Association.
Rep 403.03 Exemptions
(a) A
licensee may be exempt from the continuing education educational requirements
for any of the
following reasons:
(1) A licensee serving on
temporary active duty in the armed forces of the United States for a period
of
time exceeding 120 consecutive days in a year shall be exempt from obtaining the
continuing education
hours required during that year.
(2) Licensees experiencing disability,
illness, or other extenuating
circumstances which would prevent the licensee from completing the
required continuing education hours shall apply in writing to the board
for specific exemption.
(b) Relevant supporting
documentation shall be furnished to the board when necessary for a fair
and informed determination by the board.
Rep 403.04 Waiver of Continuing
Education Deadline. A waiver of continuing education deadlines shall be
granted
provided that a petition to that effect is filed at least 30 days before
the expiration of the biennial renewal period in question or that
late filing is
justified by a showing of good cause. Good cause shall include accident, illness
or other circumstances beyond the
control of the licensee. No waiver petition
shall be granted which does not propose a specific timetable for completing
specific
courses which will meet the petitioner’s continuing education
deficiency.
CHAPTER Rep 500 ETHICAL STANDARDS, PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT,
ADMINISTRATIVE FINES AND LICENSE SURRENDER
PART Rep 501 ETHICAL STANDARDS/PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Rep 501.01 Purpose and Scope
(a) To establish and maintain a high
standard of integrity, skills and practice in the profession of court reporting,
the following ethical standards/rules of professional conduct are adopted in
accordance with RSA 310-A, and shall be binding
upon every person holding a
license issued by the board.
Rep 501.02 Obligation To Obey
(a) The ethical standards set forth
in this part shall bind all licensees, and violation of any such standard shall
result
in disciplinary sanctions. Conduct proscribed by these ethical standards,
when performed by a candidate for licensure as a court
reporter in this state,
or during a prior period of licensure, shall result in denying a license
application.
(b) All persons licensed under RSA
310-A shall be considered to have knowledge of the existence of these ethical
standards/rules of professional conduct, and shall be deemed to be familiar with
their several provisions. Such knowledge shall
encompass the understanding that
the practice of court reporting is a privilege, as opposed to a right, and the
licensee shall be
forthright and candid in the licensee's statements or written
response to the board or its representatives on matters pertaining
to
professional conduct.
Rep 501.03
National Court Reporters Association of Code of Ethics as Binding Ethical
Standards. The ethical standards
binding licensees shall be all provisions
of the National Court Reporters Association Code of Ethics adopted in August
2007
by the National Court Reporters Association, Inc. except as modified in RSA
310-A:180, I, II.
PART Rep 502 VOLUNTARY LICENSE SURRENDER
Rep 502.01 Procedure for Surrendering a License. Any person holding a
license may voluntarily
surrender that license by returning it to the board accompanied by a signed
letter stating that he/she intends
to surrender his/her license.
Rep 502.02 Effect of Voluntary License Surrender.
(a) A licensee who voluntarily surrenders a license shall retain no right or
privilege of a
New
Hampshire license unless such a right or privilege is expressly preserved in the
board order or
settlement agreement authorizing the voluntary surrender. Subject to such
possible preservations, a person
who reapplies for licensure in New Hampshire after a voluntary surrender shall
have the burden of
proving
compliance with all of the requirements then in effect for new
applicants and
professional character requirements.
(b) Non-renewal of a license shall not preclude the board from investigating or
completing a disciplinary proceeding based upon the licensee’s professional
conduct while the
license was still in effect. Nor shall surrender of a license preclude the board
from investigating
disciplinary proceedings not expressly referenced in the voluntary surrender
order or settlement agreement.
Such investigations and proceedings shall be handled in the same
manner as other disciplinary investigations
and proceedings.
Rep 502.03 Voluntary Surrender When Misconduct Allegations are Pending.
(a) A licensee who wishes to surrender his or her license as part of a
settlement of pending
misconduct allegations shall make a written settlement offer to the board before
the close of
the record
in a disciplinary hearing.
(b) Any settlement agreement reached under (a), above, shall include the following concessions:
(1) That the license surrender has occurred in
settlement of pending disciplinary charges;
and
(2)
That the pending disciplinary allegations shall
be fully resolved in any future application
filed by the licensee in New
Hampshire.
(c) The board shall decline to accept a settlement agreement under (a), above,
if the board believes
the licensee has declined to disclose material information concerning the alleged
misconduct or has refused
to stipulate to the truth of specific material facts
concerning the alleged
misconduct which would be necessary
to protect the public interest in the event
the licensee subsequently reapplies for a license.
(d) A licensee’s stipulation of facts shall be exempt from public disclosure to
the extent
permitted
by RSA 91-A and if the public portion of the settlement agreement or surrender document
expressly
states that a separate, confidential stipulation of facts is on file
with the board.
(e) The fact of license surrender and the terms of any settlement agreement
pertaining
thereto
shall be distributed to all relevant licensing authorities and professional
societies in
the same
manner as a final decision containing specific finding of professional
misconduct.
Not an Official Version
The Joint Board makes no warranty, express or implied, as to whether this
document is correct,
complete, up-to-date, or as to any other relative fact.
Independent verification of the contents is essential.