§269-10  Commission may compel attendance ofwitnesses, etc.  In all investigations made by the public utilitiescommission, and in all proceedings before it, the commission and eachcommissioner shall have the same powers respecting administering oaths, compellingthe attendance of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence,examining witnesses, and punishing for contempt, as are possessed by circuitcourts.  In case of disobedience by any person to any order of the commissionor of any commissioner, or any subpoena issued by it or the commissioner, or ofthe refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which the witnessmay be questioned lawfully, any circuit court, on application by the commissionor a commissioner, shall compel obedience as in case of disobedience of therequirements of a subpoena issued from a circuit court or a refusal to testifytherein.  No person shall be excused from testifying or from producing anybook, waybill, document, paper, or account in any investigation or inquiry by ahearing before the commission or any commissioner, when ordered to do so, uponthe ground that the testimony or evidence, book, waybill, document, paper, oraccount required of the person may tend to incriminate the person or subject theperson to penalty or forfeiture; but no person shall be prosecuted for anycrime, punished for any crime, or subjected to any criminal penalty or criminalforfeiture for or on account of any act, transaction, matter, or thingconcerning which the person shall under oath have testified or produceddocumentary evidence.  Nothing herein shall be construed as in any mannergiving to any public utility or any person immunity of any kind.  The fees andtraveling expenses of witnesses shall be the same as allowed witnesses in thecircuit courts and shall be paid by the State out of any appropriationavailable for the expenses of the commission.  All meetings and hearings of thecommission shall be public. [L 1913, c 89, §8; RL 1925, §2196; am L 1933, c169, §1; RL 1935, §7948; RL 1945, §4709; RL 1955, §104-9; HRS §269-10; am L1973, c 149, §1(a); gen ch 1985; am L 1991, c 57, §7]