ARTICLE VII - Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees

All Standing Committee members shall be composed of members of the Association and shall be appointed by the President. In addition to the duties listed below, each committee shall present annually a written report to be published in the Summer issue of the Bay State Reporter. Chairmen shall be appointed by the President from within each committee. Each Chairman shall submit budget requests to the Treasurer by February 15. Each committee shall preserve minutes of its meetings. The plans and goals of each committee shall be submitted to the Executive Board for its March meeting.

(a) Nominations There shall be a Committee on Nominations. For the purpose of expediting the business of the annual meeting, it shall be the duty of this Committee to nominate officers and members of the Executive Board for the action of the membership at the annual meeting. The Committee shall invite to appear before it all members who wish to express their views as to those best qualified for the various offices. The President shall also call for nominations from the floor prior to the election of officers and members of the Executive Board.

(b) Bylaws There shall be a Committee on Bylaws. One such member shall be a Past President of this Association. It shall be the duty of this committee to conduct a continuing review of the Bylaws of the Association and to propose such amendments as, in its judgment, are deemed necessary to coordinate and simplify the Bylaws and to eliminate conflicting and impracticable provisions therein.

(c) Legislation There shall be a Committee on Legislation. It shall be the duty of this Committee to see that members are informed from time to time of matters involving legislation that is under consideration by the Legislature, directly or indirectly affecting shorthand reporters or other matters. Where requested, it shall directly assist in the passage of legislation pertaining to the position of shorthand reporter and perform all such other duties and acts pertaining to such Committee.

(d) Certification There shall be a Committee on Certification. The Chairperson of this Committee shall have been actively and principally engaged as a professional shorthand reporter within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a period of not less than five (5) years, and shall be a Certified Shorthand Reporter.

The Committee shall issue Certificates of Registration to each general member of the Association who has satisfactorily passed the Certified Shorthand Reporter examination. The Committee shall conduct such examinations annually and at such other times and places as it may deem necessary. The Committee shall require proof that the applicant has the knowledge, practical experience and competence necessary to act as a shorthand reporter and shall require a practical demonstration of the applicant's skill. All applicants for registration shall be given at least thirty (30) days' notice of the examination to be conducted by this Committee.

The examination for certification shall consist of testing the reporting ability and general knowledge of the applicant pursuant to the following standards:

• Literary: 170 words per minute
• Jury Charge: 190 words per minute
• Testimony: 210 words per minute

Dictation shall be for five minutes in each section, and a grade of 95% as to each section shall be passing.

The applicant shall transcribe each section immediately following the dictation. Speed and accuracy in transcribing notes will be the basis of the test, as well as correct spelling. Errors shall be defined using the guidelines established by the National Court Reporters Association for its Registered Professional Reporter examination.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing subsections, any general member of the Association in good standing who files an application for a Certificate of Registration with the Committee and who furnishes written proof to the Committee that he has successfully passed the Registered Professional Reporter examination administered by the National Court Reporters Association and who pays the appropriate fee shall, without further examination, be granted and issued such Certificate by this Committee.

The fee schedule will be set by the Committee on Certification with the approval of the Executive Board.

All fees and charges as provided above shall be collected by the Committee and delivered to the Treasurer of the Association for payment into the Association.

Every Certified Shorthand Reporter who continues in the active practice of shorthand reporting and continues to be a member of the Association in good standing shall retain his registration. A certificate expiring under this section shall only be reinstated upon application to this Committee and upon good cause shown.

Any nonmember or student member of MSRA who successfully passes the Certified Shorthand Reporter examination must become a professional member in order for his certificate to be in effect. Applications for professional membership must be submitted to the Association within 60 days after the date of examination.

Certified Shorthand Reporters shall be issued a registration number with each certificate. Registration numbers shall be used on title pages, certification pages and all correspondence with the Association.

Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees may be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board.