Welcome to the March 2021 Monthly Matters, a resource for state leaders containing an array of ideas, story links, and other materials being shared by NCRA’s Communications Team for use in your membership newsletters and other informational material states distribute.

News from NCRA

Urgent Call to Action

Government Relations update for freelance reporters

H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021 (PRO Act)

NCRA Government Relations would like to raise awareness concerning federal legislation that was introduced on Feb. 4, 2021, by Rep. Bobby Scott (VA-3). The bill,H.R. 842, the Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2021 (PRO Act), seeks to amend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by including provisions that attempt to strengthen workers’ rights to engage in protected activities and seek to improve rights concerning union organizing and collective bargaining. However, the pertinent provision of the bill, as it relates to freelance reporters, captioners, legal videographers, and associated professionals, concerns an amendment to the federal definition of “employee” within the NLRA. 

NCRA Spring Fling 2021 registration open

Shed the winter blues and earn some CEUs at the NCRA Spring Fling 2021 on March 20! The all-day event features sessions on education, financial planning, government relations, NCRA STRONG, and more. Eight sessions will be available, and each session is worth 0.1 CEU.

Support your association – and yourself: Renew your membership now!

Thanks to all of the NCRA members who have already taken the time to renew their NCRA memberships. But if you haven’t yet, it’s not too late! You can still renew and continue to get all the benefits you deserve as a member.

NCRA PROLink coming soon

The NCRA Online Sourcebook is receiving a new look and feel as well as a new name: NCRA PROLink. The new site will offer users enhanced features to facilitate finding court reporters, captioners, legal videographers, scopists, and firms by locale, certification, and services offered, to name a few.

Keep and eye on the clock

Be sure to check out the new countdown clock on NCRA’s website reminding members that when time runs out, any outstanding testing history earned prior to Oct. 1, 2018, to complete certifications before the Exam Retention Policy will be lost.

Bring it home for Monyeen Black

What does love look like to you? Lots of us love our profession. Some of us love to practice. We all do our best to love one another.

News from STRONG

Some clear-cut facts in support of keeping court reporters in courtrooms

When judges were asked to answer questions about retaining court reporters in Pierce County Superior Court in Washington State, a study of 30 counties in the state was conducted and concluded what court reporters across America have known for decades: “there are no recording systems which can take the place of a court reporter currently.”

Reminder, please reach out to NCRA’s GR department (jmoore@ncra.org) and share any examples you might find regarding the use of digital recordings in the courtroom gone bad.

In the News

NCRA member recognized in the news

For the record: Notes from a court reporter on life behind the keyboard

Off the record: Boulder County feeling impact of court reporter layoffs

Court reporting might be the best job you’ve never considered

Court reporters vs. AI

Feature articles

Steno Talk podcast starts this week

A new podcast has the goal of helping the steno students of today’s virtual learning world feel like they have a community and that they are not alone.

My Steno Story …

I will try to make this short! My boyfriend at the time (now fiancé) who was a videographer introduced me to court reporting along with his cousin who was a court reporter.

Graphics

Attached to this email is a compressed file that contains a selection NCRA marketing ads and graphics for use in membership newsletters, an association’s website, or any additional information materials state associations distribute.

Additional Resources

• NCRA State Resources Page – Here you will find resources specific for state association use. Resources include quick links, press release templates, a gallery of stock photos, and more.
• NCRA STRONG Resource Library – Here you will find logos, flyers, letters, and PowerPoint presentations to promote stenographic captioning and court reporting as the best means to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the record.
• NCRA Mental Health Resources Page – Here you will find resources and webinars addressing various mental health issues and links to an array of resources.
• NCRA Press Center – Here you will find resources for members of the media.
• NCRA Information Center -Here you will find resources for states, schools, and members.
• DiscoverSteno Here you will find information about the court reporting and captioning professions and NCRA’s A to Z® Intro to Machine Steno program.
• Promoting the Profession Here you will find resources to help promote the profession including press release templates, flyers, posters, presentations, and more.
• TheJCR.com Use this quick link to get you to the latest news from NCRA and the court reporting and captioning professions.

 

Please be sure to send feedback or suggestions for other types of materials that you think would be useful to include in future Monthly Matters to pr@ncra.org, or contact Annemarie Roketenetz, Director, Communications & Public Relations at aroketenetz@ncra.org.