SR0718LRB103 37721 ECR 67848 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, For half a century, the Illinois Court Reporters 
3Association (ILCRA) has been the preeminent association in 
4Illinois to provide continual training to Certified Shorthand 
5Reporters (CSRs), also known as court reporters, on 
6professionalism, neutrality, confidentiality, and ethics for 
7the benefit of all litigants, defendants, and the people of 
8this State; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Illinois court reporters are licensed CSRs who 
10diligently serve as Guardians of the Record, safeguarding 
11litigants' personal, private, confidential, and proprietary 
12information so that such information is not improperly 
13released to the public; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Using advanced technology, court reporters write 
15in shorthand, a simultaneous verbatim report of the spoken 
16word, in pretrial depositions and hearings, trials, 
17arbitrations, and sworn statements, which are the critical 
18foundation to the pursuit of justice in every legal 
19proceeding; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Illinois shorthand reporters and real-time 
21captioners provide Communication Access Realtime Translation 
22(CART) by captioning for attorneys, litigants, and jurors in 
 
 
SR0718- 2 -LRB103 37721 ECR 67848 r

1legal proceedings, at business meetings, at educational 
2classes and lectures, at sporting events, and at arts 
3performances for many Illinoisans who are deaf or 
4hard-of-hearing, have auditory processing disabilities, or for 
5whom English is not their first language; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Court reporters and captioners preserve history 
7for all Americans by translating spoken word into readable, 
8searchable, storable, and usable text and electronic media; 
9and
 
10    WHEREAS, Illinois CSRs are licensed by the State as the 
11services provided by shorthand reporters and court reporters 
12have long been declared to affect the public health, safety, 
13and welfare of the people of Illinois; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL 
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare February 3 
16through February 10, 2024 as Court Reporting and Captioning 
17Week in the State of Illinois.