(1) The department of revenue shall:

     (a) Require individuals, partnerships, companies, associations and corporations to furnish information as to their capital, funded debts, investments, value of property, earnings, taxes and all other facts called for on these subjects so that the department may determine the taxable value of any property or any other fact it may consider necessary to carry out any duties now or hereafter imposed upon it, or may ascertain the relative burdens borne by all kinds and classes of property within the state, and for these purposes their records, books, accounts, papers and memoranda shall be subject to production and inspection, investigation and examination by the department, or any employee thereof designated by the department for such purpose, and any or all real and/or personal property in this state shall be subject to visitation, investigation, examination and/or listing at any and all times by the department or by any employee thereof designated by the department.

     (b) Summon witnesses to appear and testify on the subject of capital, funded debts, investments, value of property, earnings, taxes, and all other facts called for on these subjects, or upon any matter deemed material to the proper assessment of property, or to the investigation of the system of taxation, or the expenditure of public funds for state, county, district and municipal purposes: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, No person shall be required to testify outside of the county in which the taxpayer's residence, office or principal place of business, as the case may be, is located. Such summons shall be served in like manner as a subpoena issued out of the superior court and be served by the sheriff of the proper county, and such service certified by him or her to the department without compensation therefor. Persons appearing before the department in obedience to a summons shall in the discretion of the department receive the same compensation as witnesses in the superior court.

     (c) Thoroughly investigate all complaints which may be made to it of illegal, unjust or excessive taxation, and shall endeavor to ascertain to what extent and in what manner, if at all, the present system is inequal or oppressive.

     (2) Any member of the department or any employee thereof designated for that purpose may administer oaths to witnesses.

     (3)(a) In case any witness shall fail to obey the summons to appear, or refuse to testify, or shall fail or refuse to comply with any of the provisions of subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this section, such person, for each separate or repeated offense, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not less than fifty dollars, nor more than five thousand dollars.

     (b) Any person who shall testify falsely is guilty of perjury and shall be punished under chapter 9A.72 RCW.

[2003 c 53 § 407; 1973 c 95 § 8; 1961 c 15 § 84.08.050. Prior: 1939 c 206 § 5, part; 1935 c 127 § 1, part; 1921 c 7 §§ 50, 53; 1907 c 220 § 1, part; 1905 c 115 § 2, part; RRS § 11091 (second), part.]

NOTES:

     Intent -- Effective date -- 2003 c 53: See notes following RCW 2.48.180.