(a) The President of the Senate, on the application of the accused, or any of his or her counsel, or of the chair of the committee prosecuting the impeachment, shall issue commissions to take depositions where the witness is unable to attend from sickness or other infirmity or where the witness is without the limits of the state.
(b) Depositions shall be taken in the same manner, and the same notice shall be given, as where depositions are to be taken in the circuit court.