Legislative Analysis
Phone: (517) 373-8080
INCREASE COURT REPORTER TRANSCRIPT FEES
http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
House Bill 5046 (H-1) as reported from committee Analysis available at
Sponsor: Rep. Nate Shannon http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Committee: Criminal Justice
Revised 11-9-23
SUMMARY:
House Bill 5046 would amend Chapter 25 (Fees) of the Revised Judicature Act to increase fees
court reporters or recorders may charge for a transcript of a criminal or civil court case and to
add provisions relating to the purchase of supplies and equipment.
Currently, unless a lower rate is agreed upon, the fee court reporters or recorders may charge
for a transcript of a criminal or civil court case is $1.75 per original page and 30 cents per page
for each copy. This fee was established in 1986.
The bill would increase the fee to $3.75 per original page and 90 cents per page for each copy.
The bill would also provide that the minimum charge for a transcript is $50 for the original and
90 cents per page for any copy requested. On January 1, 2030, and on January 1 of every fifth
year after 2030, the state treasurer would have to adjust the amounts described above to reflect
the cumulative annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index and publish the
adjusted amounts. (Presumably those adjusted amounts would then apply under the act, though
there is no explicit mechanism.)
Consumer Price Index would mean the most comprehensive index of consumer prices
available for this state from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of
Labor. (This would appear to mean the Detroit Consumer Price Index, known as the
D-CPI, or the CPI-U to encompass the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn urban area. 1)
In addition, the act currently provides that reporters or recorders are entitled to receive the same
compensation from the county for a transcript ordered by the circuit judge. The bill would
amend this to say that, for a transcript ordered by the circuit judge, reporters or recorders are
entitled to receive from the court funding unit the same compensation for work completed
outside of normal court business hours. During normal court business hours, a reporter or
recorder would have to give first priority to appellate transcripts paid for by the court funding
unit.
The bill would further provide that an official court reporter or recorder must purchase supplies
and equipment necessary for the production of transcripts, such as transcript paper, ink,
binders, software, and hardware used in the production of transcripts. The court funding unit
would have to purchase the supplies and equipment necessary to capture and preserve the
record, such as steno machines, digital audio-video recording equipment, computers, and
digital storage media.
1
https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/news-release/consumerpriceindex_detroit.htm
House Fiscal Agency Page 1 of 2
 [Note: The bill addresses section 2543 of the act, which deals specifically with circuit court
reporters or recorders. Sections 878 and 8631 of the act provide that court reporters and
recorders in probate and district courts, respectively, are entitled to receive “the same fees as
provided [by section 2543] for circuit court reporters or recorders.” The provisions of the bill
concerning fees would thus apply to probate and district courts as well as to the circuit court.
It is unclear whether the provisions concerning the purchase of supplies and equipment are
intended to, or would, apply to probate and district courts in addition to the circuit court.]
Finally, the bill would remove obsolete provisions that allowed for higher fees for transcripts
ordered as part of an expedited case management system for appeals of certain civil cases that
was ended in 2007.
MCL 600.2543
FISCAL IMPACT:
House Bill 5046 would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on local court funding units if
transcripts are ordered by courts. The fiscal impact would depend on the number of requests
for transcripts made by courts. An increase in the per page fee amounts for transcripts would
result in an increase in costs. If transcripts are ordered by any party other than courts, the
requesting parties would be responsible for paying the compensation to the reporter or recorder.
POSITIONS:
Representatives of the following entities testified in support of the bill:
• Michigan Electronic Court Reporters Association (10-10-23, 10-17-23)
• Michigan Association of Counties (10-17-23)
The following entities indicated support for the bill (10-17-23):
• Michigan Association of Freelance Court Reporters
• Michigan Association of Professional Court Reporters
• Michigan District Judges Association
• Negligence Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan
The State Court Administrative Office indicated a neutral position on the bill. (10-10-23)
Legislative Analyst: Rick Yuille
Fiscal Analyst: Robin Risko
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their
deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
House Fiscal Agency HB 5046 (H-1) as reported Page 2 of 2


Statutes affected:
Substitute (H-1): 600.2543
House Introduced Bill: 600.2543
As Passed by the House: 600.2543
As Passed by the Senate: 600.2543
House Concurred Bill: 600.2543
Senate Concurred Bill: 600.2543