(a) Whenever any employee, department, or other person actively interested in a matter before the board and for which a hearing will be or has been held, requests that the board prepare a transcript, the board may establish reasonable fees for the preparation, production, and dissemination of that transcript.
(b) The fee established by the board pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not exceed the prevailing rate or cost for a transcript, but shall in no event exceed the actual cost of preparation, production, and dissemination of a transcript.