(a)

(1) In the absence or unavailability of the official court reporter, the circuit judge or circuit judge on assignment as authorized by § 16-10-101 may temporarily employ the services of a substitute court reporter if the temporary employment is essential to prevent a disruption of the business of the circuit court.

(2) The substitute court reporter shall be a court reporter certified by the Certified Court Reporter Examiners Board.

(b)

(1) When a circuit judge or circuit judge on assignment temporarily employs a substitute court reporter, the circuit judge shall certify to the Administrative Office of the Courts, upon forms prepared by the Administrative Office of the Courts, that he or she has temporarily employed the services of a substitute court reporter and that the temporary employment was essential to prevent a disruption of the business of the circuit court.

(2) The circuit judge or circuit judge on assignment shall further furnish to the Administrative Office of the Courts the name, address, and Social Security number of the substitute court reporter and the number of days the substitute court reporter was temporarily employed, plus any other information concerning the employment requested by the Administrative Office of the Courts.

(c)

(1) The Administrative Office of the Courts may pay the substitute court reporter for the court reporting services furnished to the circuit judge from funds specifically appropriated for that purpose.

(2) The substitute court reporter shall be paid at the rate of one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175) per day.

(3) The substitute court reporter is entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred for meals, lodging, and transportation costs for attending court under § 16-13-505.

(d) If a trial court administrator employed under § 16-13-3302 and also certified under subsection (a) of this section is appointed to act temporarily as a substitute court reporter, he or she is not entitled to be paid an additional salary but is entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred for meals, lodging, and transportation costs when attending court away from his or her official station, under § 16-13-505.

(e) In any one (1) fiscal year, however, the Administrative Office of the Courts shall not pay for the services of a substitute court reporter or substitute court reporters for any one (1) circuit judge or circuit judge on assignment in excess of thirty (30) working days, unless approved and ordered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

(f) This subchapter does not preclude or prohibit any circuit judge from obtaining payment for the services of a substitute court reporter from the county or counties composing the circuit judge's judicial district rather than from the Administrative Office of the Courts.