Thank you to the folks that sent the petition below that’s been floating around.  Please keep the information flowing.

WAKE UP, NCRA!
FRANK N. SENSE

We, the undersigned, hereby submit the following to NCRA Executive Director XXXXX:

Whereas President-Elect XXXXX gave notification of the disbanding of the NCRA

Strong committee without first receiving a majority vote by the Board of Directors (BOD), which is required under Article VI, Section 6, of the NCRA Constitution and Bylaws; 

Whereas the Strong committee was never asked by the president or president-elect if the Strong committee believed it had completed its charges to:

1. Meet regularly to help organize many grassroots actions and provide a toolbox for members to utilize in educating the public and legal community regarding the importance of utilizing stenographic reporters nationwide;

2. Raise awareness in our external audiences about the dangers and pitfalls of electronic recording usage through articles in state and national newsletters;

3. Work with state affiliates to create materials to be utilized by members of both the state and national associations and distribute to key decision-makers and end users to educate them in a very fact-based way;

4. In concert with NCRA’s Government Relations staff, conduct legislative review and analysis of electronic recording-related legislation in the states and coordinate advocacy response efforts and small rapid response forces in geographic regions. These rapid response forces would be able to have constant contact with state leaders in their region and serve as an early warning system when these electronic recording issues arise;

5. Work with NCRA’s Government Relations staff on analyzing electronic recording legislation and its impact, and to identify courts and levels of freelance jobs that could be specific targets for the introduction of electronic recording;

Whereas the need for an up-to-date toolbox for members to utilize in educating public and legal community regarding the importance of utilizing stenographic reporters nationwide continues to exist, along with the critical need to continue to raise awareness in our external audiences about the dangers and pitfalls of electronic recording usage, most especially in association with the existential risk AI poses to the court reporting, captioning and the justice system;

Whereas the Strong committee has continuously advocated for court reporting and captioning professionals for years by sounding the alarm on serious issues and addressing them rapidly, most specifically relating to AI and its unregulated use in legal proceedings, culminating in the recently published white paper, which could be invalidated by virtue of the committee being disbanded and there being no further updates to keep it current;

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! We demand change. We demand action. We demand that the NCRA Board of Directors and its Executive Director take the concerns of your members seriously and make significant changes to NCRA’s policies and procedures to address members’ concerns when they arise. We demand transparency. We demand regular accountability of funds being expended by virtue of quarterly financial returns being distributed to members.

We have lost confidence in the incoming leadership team at NCRA. Pursuant to NCRA’s Constitution and Bylaws, Article IX, Section 5 – Business at the Annual Convention, a) If any Member or Members shall feel aggrieved by any action or decision of the Board of Directors, such action or decision of the Board of Directors may be appealed to the Voting Members at the annual business meeting by filing with the Executive Director at least thirty (30) days prior to such meeting a written statement of such complaint signed by at least ten (10) Members. The complaint shall set forth the action or decision of the Board of Directors complained of and a brief statement of the reasons for the complaint, together with a motion of the action or decision requested by such Member(s). Such complaint, statement, and motion shall be read by the Executive Director at the annual business meeting. If such motion is passed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Voting Members present and voting at a meeting at which a quorum is present, it shall be binding upon the Board of Directors to act accordingly.

The proposed motion is hereby made to  seek the voluntary resignation of incoming president XXXXX for choosing to disband NCRA Strong at a time when additional advocacy is needed, not less.  XXXXX has failed to provide transparency and disclose information requested by state leaders and the membership regarding his decision. His actions have caused irreparable harm to NCRA and have laid to waste the extensive work of dedicated volunteers, as well as the substantial financial resources expended by the association for the development and adoption of the white paper. It is our opinion that his actions are a breach of his fiduciary responsibility in serving on the BOD. If he does not voluntarily resign, a vote for his removal by the board of directors should be held. 

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Member First and Last Name NCRA ID No.

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Phone Number Personal Email Address

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Signature (electronic or scanned)