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A.  The committee, for the purposes of conducting the study as provided in this Chapter, is authorized to utilize the personnel, facilities, and services of the legislative auditor, the legislative fiscal officer, and the staffs of the House of Representatives and the Senate.  The committee may request of and utilize such counsel, assistance, personnel, facilities, and advice as may be obtained from any and all public sources and from any and all private sources, including but not necessarily restricted to private research agencies, individuals, and organizations.

B.  The committee is authorized to make, or cause to be made, any studies it may find useful to the purposes of this Chapter through legislative personnel or in cooperation with any public or private agency including universities, colleges, foundations, charitable corporations, and research organizations, and the committee may call upon the members or staffs of any and all existing departments or agencies of the state for data and assistance and all such agencies and departments shall cooperate with the committee.

C.  The legislative auditor, the legislative fiscal officer, or the staff of the House of Representatives or the staff of the Senate, upon direction of the committee, may employ necessary staff and may receive and expend funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the legislature or from any other source, including gifts, donations, and grants of money or services from public or private persons or agencies, for the purpose of such studies as the committee is authorized to undertake.

D.  At the written request of the committee, the head or governing authority of any state department, agency, or other instrumentality shall make available to the committee any officer or employee thereof, selected by the committee in consultation with the agency head, to be assigned to the committee to aid and assist in the carrying out of its functions, duties, and obligations for as long as is deemed necessary by the committee and the compensation and expenses of any such person so assigned shall be borne by and paid out of the funds appropriated to the particular agency from which he was selected.

E.  The committee may receive grants, donations, or gifts of money or services from public or private organizations or from any other sources, to be utilized for the purposes of the committee.

F.  The committee may create or appoint advisory committees or task forces to act in an advisory capacity or to assist in its studies, composed of such representatives of the public and private sectors as it shall deem appropriate.

G.(1)  The committee shall have the power and authority to hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, require the production of books and records, and do all other things necessary to discharge its duties and responsibilities under this Chapter.  Subpoenas shall be served by any agent of the committee, by the sheriff, or by any other officer authorized by law to serve process in this state.

(2)  In the case of failure or refusal of a person to comply with a subpoena issued by the committee, or in the case of the refusal of a witness to testify or answer as to a matter regarding which he may be lawfully interrogated, any district court on the application of the committee may, in term time or in vacation, issue an attachment for the person to compel him to comply with the subpoena and to appear before the committee with the desired documents and to give testimony upon whatever matters are lawfully required.  The court may punish for contempt those disobeying its orders as in the case of disobedience of a subpoena issued by the court or refusal to testify therein.

(3)  Perjury and false swearing before the committee shall be punished in accordance with the laws of the state.

Acts 1997, No. 1045, §1.