Rule 46 - Official Record of Court Proceedings(a)Taking of the Record. The record of court proceedings may be taken by stenographic means or by an electronic recording system, including video conferencing services, approved by the Supreme Court. All transcripts prepared as the official record of court proceedings shall be prepared pursuant to applicable supreme court rules.(b)Security of the Record. The confidentiality of court proceedings and the retention and safekeeping of notes and electronic recordings shall be maintained consistent with standards established by the Supreme Court through its Administrative Office.(c)Court Reporting Personnel. For purposes of this rule and other supreme court rules regarding the official record, "court reporting personnel" shall include:(1) court reporters as defined by the Court Reporters Act (705 ILCS 70/1);(2) court personnel who have fulfilled the training and certification standards promulgated by the Supreme Court and consistent with paragraph (d) of this rule; and(3) certified shorthand reporters hired through an agency or as an independent contractor by a private party or parties to take a stenographic record in court proceedings.(d)Electronic Recording of Court Proceedings.(1) The Supreme Court shall provide for and prescribe the types of electronic recording equipment and video conferencing services that may be used in the circuit courts. Those jurisdictions with electronic recording systems installed are required to properly utilize and staff such equipment in order to produce a reliable verbatim record of the proceedings.(2) Court reporting personnel, including court reporters as defined by the Court Reporters Act (705 ILCS 70/1), must successfully complete training and certification designed to qualify them to operate electronic recording equipment, prepare transcripts from such proceedings, and certify the record on appeal. Such training and certification shall be consistent with standards established by the Supreme Court, through its Administrative Office.(3) Electronic recordings of proceedings shall remain under the control of the court having. custody of them. The chief judges shall provide for the storage and safekeeping of such recordings consistent with the standards referenced in paragraph (b) of this rule.(4) The Administrative Office shall monitor the operation of electronic recording equipment, the security of the electronic recordings, and the training of court reporting personnel to assure that each county is in compliance with this rule.Adopted 12/13/2005, effective immediately; amended May 22, 2020, eff. 5/22/2020 immediately; amended December 23, 2022, eff. 1/1/2023; amended July 18, 2023, eff. 9/18/2023; amended Dec. 7, 2023, eff. 12/7/2023 immediately; amended Sep. 23, 2024, eff. 10/1/2024.