Power to conduct hearings; secure evidence; witness fees

93.14 Power to conduct hearings; secure evidence; witness fees. (1) The department or any of its authorized agents may, in relation to any matter within the department’s power, conduct hearings, administer oaths, issue subpoenas and take testimony. (2) The witnesses and officers who subpoena them shall be entitled to the fees allowed in courts of record. Such fees shall be audited and paid by the state in the same manner as other expenses of the department are audited and paid. No witness subpoenaed at the instance of any party other than the department shall be entitled to payment of fees by the state, unless the department certifies that the testimony of such witness was material. (3) Any person who shall unlawfully fail to attend as a witness or refuse to testify may be coerced as provided in s. 885.12. (4) A record of all hearings shall be kept in the office of the department. All hearings shall be public. 93.15 Reports to department; inspections. (1) The department may, by general or special order, require persons engaged in business to file with the department, at such time and in such manner as the department may direct, sworn or unsworn reports or sworn or unsworn answers in writing to specific questions, as to any matter which the department may investigate. (2) The department or any of its authorized agents may have access to and may copy any document, or any part thereof, which is in the possession or under the control of any person engaged in business, if such document, or such part thereof, is relevant to any matter which the department may investigate. (3) No person shall refuse or fail to render any report or answer required under this section at such time and in such manner as the department may prescribe. No person shall refuse, neglect or fail to submit, for the purpose of inspection or copying, any document demanded under this section. No person shall willfully make any false entry or statement in any report or answer required or document demanded under this section. No person shall willfully fail to make full and true entries and statements in any report or answer required or document demanded under this section. No person shall, for the purpose of embarrassing the department in the conduct of any investigation, hearing or proceeding, remove out of the state or mutilate or alter any document. No person shall, except through judicial process, resist or obstruct any official or subordinate of the department in the exercise of the official’s or subordinate’s lawful authority. History: 1993 a. 492. A warrantless inspection of a dairy farm under authority of sub. (2) and ss. 93.08 and 97.12 (1) and related administrative rules made without prior notice and without the owner being present was not unconstitutional. Because the administrative rules govern operations, equipment, and processes not typically conducted in residential areas, the rules and statutes sufficiently preclude making warrantless searches of residences. Lundeen v. DATCP, 189 Wis. 2d 255, 525 N.W.2d 758 (Ct. App. 1994).