Creating a program and fund for court reporter equipment, and making appropriations

This bill creates a court reporter equipment incentive program and associated fund under the control of the Iowa economic development authority. The bill provides that the court reporter equipment incentive program is comprised of two programs, the student grant program and the graduate forgivable loan program. A person is eligible to apply for a grant from the student grant program to purchase court reporter equipment and software if the person is enrolled in a court reporter course at a school in Iowa and demonstrates financial need. A person is eligible to apply for a loan under the graduate forgivable loan program to purchase court reporter equipment and software if the person is newly licensed within one year of graduation from a court reporter program, is a resident of Iowa, and agrees to work as a court reporter for five years after the date of the loan. The bill provides repayment requirements for the graduate forgivable loan program. The bill provides that applicants to the court reporter equipment incentive program who are doing court-related work shall receive priority over applicants who are not. The bill appropriates $80,000 from the general fund for FY 2024-2025 to the court reporter equipment incentive fund.