(a) Each judge of each circuit court may appoint one (1) or more court reporters as may be authorized by law.

(b) (1) The salaries of the court reporters shall:

(A) Be exempt from the provisions of the Uniform Classification and Compensation Act, § 21-5-201 et seq.;

(B) Not exceed the maximum annual salary rate authorized by the General Assembly in the applicable appropriation act; and

(C) Be determined by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

(2) The salaries, together with other expenses authorized by law for the court reporters to be paid from state funds, shall be paid with moneys appropriated for the salaries and other expenses by the General Assembly from the Court Reporter's Fund.

(3) The total amount of salaries paid to court reporters and other distributions of the Court Reporter's Fund shall not exceed:

(A) The total annual allocation authorized by the General Assembly to the Court Reporter's Fund from the State Administration of Justice Fund as supplemented, if necessary, by any real property transfer tax revenues under § 26-60-112(b)(2); and

(B) Any remaining balances in the Court Reporter's Fund.

(c)

(1) Notwithstanding the exemption provided by § 21-4-203, the circuit judge of the circuit court served by a court reporter shall administer the attendance and leave policies for the court reporter in the manner prescribed for state employees by the Uniform Attendance and Leave Policy Act, § 21-4-201 et seq.

(2) The court reporter shall forward all approved requests for leave to the Administrative Office of the Courts on a regular and timely basis for payroll purposes.

(3) The Administrative Office of the Courts shall prescribe the procedures for obtaining all relevant leave information, including without limitation the forms, method of transmittal, and format for obtaining the leave information.

(d)

(1) Rules for the regulation of the practice of court reporting in this state, including, but not limited to, certification, discipline, and provisions for the retention of court reporter records, shall be the responsibility of the Supreme Court.

(2) Provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall permit the Supreme Court to require that counties or county officials provide space for the storage of court reporter records.