CA AB253

Prohibits courts from using remote court reporting to produce records of court proceedings and from spending funds on equipment or software to facilitate remote court reporting.

Defines remote court reporting as use of a stenographic reporter not physically present in the courtroom to produce verbatim records of proceedings transmitted by audiovisual means.

Authorizes Santa Clara Superior Court to conduct a pilot project until December 31, 2020, to test remote court reporting for limited civil, child support, misdemeanor, and infraction cases.

Requires remote court reporting in the pilot project to be performed only by full-time official reporters with at least 5 years of courtroom experience, initially located in court facilities with possible offsite testing after 180 days by mutual agreement.

Mandates the Santa Clara presiding judge appoint a committee to report to the Legislature within 6 months of the pilot project's conclusion, with findings due before the statute's repeal on January 1, 2022.