The commissioner or his duly appointed agents shall have authority to inspect books and records, to hear complaints, to administer oaths, to certify to all official acts and to examine under oath in any part of the state witnesses in any matter pertaining to their duties and cause such examination to be reduced to writing. If any person, having been sworn by any of the above officers to tell the truth, shall willfully give false testimony, he shall be guilty of perjury. If the commissioner or any member of the board or any employee or agent shall divulge any information acquired from the private books, documents or papers of any person, firm or corporation while acting or claiming to act under any authorization or designation in respect to confidential or private transactions, property or business of any person, firm or corporation, except in his report to the State Board of Agriculture and Industries or in the report of any agent or employee to the commissioner or when called upon to testify in any court or proceedings at law, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and such employee or agent shall be disqualified from acting in any official capacity in the department.
Last modified: May 3, 2021