The commissioner may in any investigation or hearing conducted by him take or cause to be taken the deposition of any witness residing within or without this state and may pay the expense thereof out of the current support appropriation of the department. He may pay out of such appropriation to any witness subpoenaed by him the necessary and reasonable traveling expenses of any such witness, to the place of hearing or investigation and return and a per diem of twelve dollars ($12) for each day that such witness is in attendance at or en route to and from such place of hearing or investigation in obedience to such subpoena. The provisions of this section shall not apply to proceedings conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, such proceedings to be governed solely by said chapter.
(Amended by Stats. 1971, Ch. 418.)