In carrying out its duties and responsibilities, the commission shall have all of the following powers:

(a) To meet at any time and place as it may deem proper.

(b) As a body or, on the authorization of the commission, as a subcommittee composed of one or more members, to hold hearings at any time and place as it may deem proper.

(c) To issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, records, papers, accounts, reports, and documents.

(d) To administer oaths.

(e) To employ, pursuant to laws and regulations governing state civil service, a secretary and any clerical, legal, and technical assistants as may appear necessary.

(f) To contract with any other agencies, public or private, as it deems necessary, for the rendition and affording of any services, facilities, studies and reports to the commission as will best assist it to carry out its duties and responsibilities.

(g) To cooperate with and to secure the cooperation of county, city, city and county, and other local law enforcement agencies in investigating any matter within the scope of its duties and responsibilities, and to direct the sheriff of any county or any marshal to serve subpoenas, orders, and other process.

(h) To certify to the superior court of any county in which proceedings are held, the facts concerning the disobedience or resistance, by any person, of any lawful order, or the refusal of any person to respond to a subpoena, to take the oath or affirmation as a witness, or to be examined, or the misconduct of any person during a hearing; and to receive the assistance of the court in enforcing orders and process, in the manner prescribed by Article 12 (commencing with Section 11455.10) of Chapter 4.5 of Part 1 of Division 3.

(i) To cooperate with every department, agency, or instrumentality in the state government; and to secure directly from every department, agency, or instrumentality full cooperation, access to its records, and access to any information, suggestions, estimates, data, and statistics it may have available.

(j) To authorize its agents and employees to absent themselves from the state where necessary for the performance of their duties.

(k) To do any and all other things necessary or convenient to enable it fully and adequately to perform its duties and to exercise the powers expressly granted it, notwithstanding any authority expressly granted to any officer or employee of the executive branch of state government.

(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 938, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 1996. Operative July 1, 1997, by Sec. 98 of Ch. 938.)