(a) To provide shorthand reporting services to low-income litigants in civil cases, who are unable to otherwise afford those services, funds generated by fees received by the board pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 8031 in excess of funds needed to support the board’s operating budget for the fiscal year in which a transfer described below is made shall be used by the board for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a Transcript Reimbursement Fund. The Transcript Reimbursement Fund shall be funded by a transfer of funds from the Court Reporters’ Fund in the amount of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) annually. The board is authorized to transfer funds in increments of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for a total of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000). Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, a transfer to the Transcript Reimbursement Fund in excess of the fund balance established at the beginning of each fiscal year shall not be made by the board if the transfer will result in the reduction of the balance of the Court Reporters’ Fund to an amount less than six months’ operating budget.

(b) Refunds and unexpended funds that are anticipated to remain in the Transcript Reimbursement Fund at the end of the fiscal year shall be considered by the board in establishing the fee assessment pursuant to Section 8031 so that the assessment shall maintain the level of funding for the Transcript Reimbursement Fund, as specified in subdivision (a), in the following fiscal year.

(c) The Transcript Reimbursement Fund is hereby created in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, moneys in the Transcript Reimbursement Fund are continuously appropriated for the purposes of this chapter.

(d) (1) Applicants who have been reimbursed pursuant to this chapter for services provided to litigants and who are awarded court costs or attorney’s fees by judgment or by settlement agreement shall refund the full amount of that reimbursement to the fund within 90 days of receipt of the award or settlement.

(2) An applicant appearing pro se who has been reimbursed for services provided to litigants under this chapter shall refund the full amount reimbursed if a court orders the applicant’s fee waiver withdrawn or denied retroactively pursuant to Section 68636 of the Government Code, within 90 days of the court’s order withdrawing or denying the fee waiver.

(e) Subject to the limitations of this chapter, the board shall maintain the fund at a level that is sufficient to pay all qualified claims. To accomplish this objective, the board shall utilize all refunds, unexpended funds, fees, and any other moneys received by the board.

(f) Notwithstanding Section 16346 of the Government Code, all unencumbered funds remaining in the Transcript Reimbursement Fund as of January 1, 2024, shall be transferred to the Court Reporters’ Fund.

(g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2024, and as of that date is repealed.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 463, Sec. 7. (AB 1520) Effective January 1, 2020. Repealed as of January 1, 2024, by its own provisions.)