2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 40 - UTILITIES (§§ 40-1-101 — 40-43-104) › PUBLIC UTILITIES (§§ 40-1-101 — 40-17.5-105) › GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE (§§ 40-1-101 — 40-9.8-104) › Article 6 - HEARINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS (§§ 40-6-101 — 40-6-124) › Section 40-6-103 - Administration of oaths - compulsion of testimony - fees

(1)
The commission, each commissioner, the director, and any administrative law judge as to matters referred to such judge have power to administer oaths, certify to all official acts, and issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of records, documents, and testimony in any inquiry, investigation, hearing, or proceeding in any part of the state. No subpoena shall be issued except upon good cause shown. Good cause shown shall consist of an affidavit stating with specificity the testimony, records, or documents sought and the relevance of such testimony, records, or documents to the proceedings of the commission. Each witness who appears by order of the commission, a commissioner, the director, or any administrative law judge shall receive for the witness' attendance the same fees and mileage allowed by law to a witness in civil cases, which amount shall be paid by the party at whose request such witness is subpoenaed. When any witness who has not been required to attend at the request of any party is subpoenaed, the witness' fees and mileage shall be paid from the funds appropriated for the use of the commission in the same manner as other expenses of the commission are paid. Any witness subpoenaed except one whose fees and mileage may be paid from the funds of the commission, at the time of service, may demand the fees to which the witness is entitled for travel to and from the place at which the witness is required to appear, and one day's attendance. If such witness demands such fees at the time of service, and they are not at that time paid or tendered, the witness shall not be required to attend, as directed in the subpoena. All fees and mileage to which any witness is entitled under the provisions of this section may be collected by action therefor instituted by the person to whom such fees are payable. No witness furnished with free transportation shall receive mileage for the distance the witness may have traveled on such free transportation.
(2)
The district court in and for the county or city and county in which any inquiry, investigation, hearing, or proceeding may be held by the commission, or any individual commissioner or administrative law judge, has the power to compel the attendance of witnesses, the giving of testimony, and the production of records or documents as required by any subpoenas issued by the commission, or any individual commissioner, the director, or any administrative law judge. The commission, individual commissioner, or an administrative law judge before whom the testimony is to be given or produced, in case of the failure or refusal of any witness to attend or testify or produce any records or documents required by such subpoena, may report to the district court in and for the county or city and county in which the proceeding is pending, by petition, setting forth that due notice has been given of the time and place of attendance of said witness or the production of said records or documents, that the witness has been subpoenaed in the manner prescribed in this title, and that the witness has failed or refused to attend or produce the records or documents required by the subpoena or has failed or refused to answer questions propounded to the witness in the course of such proceeding; and the commission, individual commissioner, or an administrative law judge may ask for an order of the court compelling the witness to attend and testify or produce or cause to be produced documentary evidence. No person so testifying shall be exempt from prosecution or punishment for any perjury in the first degree committed by such person in this testimony. Nothing in this section shall be construed as in any manner giving to any public utility immunity of any kind.
L. 13: p. 489, § 40. C.L. § 2949. CSA: C. 137, § 40. CRS 53: § 115-6-3. C.R.S. 1963: § 115-6-3. L. 69: p. 940, § 35. L. 72: p. 566, § 40. L. 83: (1) amended, p. 1561, § 1, effective June 1. L. 89: Entire section amended, p. 1528, § 11, effective April 12. L. 2003: Entire section amended, p. 1706, § 20, effective May 14.
For perjury, see part 5 of article 8 of title 18; for fees of witnesses, see §§ 13-33-102 and 13-33-103.