Joint Rules #
“(a) It shall be the duty of the committees of reference of the House and Senate, the Capital Development Committee, and the Joint Technology Committee to keep themselves advised of the activities, functions, problems, new developments, and budgets of the principal departments, divisions, sections, offices, agencies and specified operations and programs of the executive department and the judicial department of state government, and of instrumentalities of state government, which are within the subject-matter jurisdiction of each committee. The chair of a committee shall, from time to time, invite the principal personnel of the respective departments, divisions, sections, offices, agencies, operations, programs, and instrumentalities under the committee’s jurisdiction to appear before the committee to keep members so advised. Such personnel shall also furnish the committee with additional information as may be requested” (Joint Rule 25).
“(a) (1) The General Assembly or either house thereof may vest in any committee of the General Assembly or of either house thereof, a subcommittee, an interim committee, or a committee created by statute or by resolution, if all of the members are members of the General Assembly, the power to subpoena witnesses, to take testimony under oath, and to assemble records, documents, and other evidence by subpoena duces tecum or otherwise.
“(2) When the General Assembly is not in session, the Legislative Council may vest in any committee as described in (a) (1) above, the power to subpoena witnesses, to take testimony under oath, and to assemble records, documents, and other evidence by subpoena duces tecum or otherwise. The power to subpoena vested under this paragraph (2) shall continue until revoked by the General Assembly or the Legislative Council” (Joint Rule 33).
