(a) The chair or a member at any time acting as chair of a committee of either house of the General Assembly or joint committee of the two (2) houses of the General Assembly, or his or her designee, when the committee is empowered to issue subpoenas for persons, papers, or records, shall be fully empowered to administer oaths and to take depositions for the purpose for which the committee or joint committee is empowered to issue subpoenas for persons, papers, or records.
(b)
(1) If a person subpoenaed to appear before the Senate, the House of Representatives, or a Senate or House committee or joint interim committee fails to appear or produce subpoenaed material, the fact of the refusal to appear or produce subpoenaed material shall be certified to the circuit court of the county in which the hearing is held.
(2) The circuit court shall punish the person for contempt of the General Assembly under subdivision (b)(1) of this section in the same manner as punishment for contempt is imposed for failure to respond to a subpoena or directive of the circuit court.
(c) A person who is administered the oath and who provides false testimony while under oath is guilty of perjury and subject to the penalties prescribed by law.