Illinois § 45

§ 45.

Subpoena power; confidentiality; witness fees; enforcement; punishment. (a) The Agency, by its Assistant Director or a person designated by the Assistant Director, may, at the Assistant Director's instance or on the written request of another party to an administrative proceeding or investigation administered under this Act or under any other Act administered by the Agency as the successor agency to the Department of Nuclear Safety, subpoena witnesses to attend and give testimony before the hearing officer designated to preside over the proceeding or investigation and subpoena the production of books, papers, or records that the Assistant Director or a person designated by the Assistant Director deems relevant or material to any such administrative proceeding or investigation. (b) Any patient records disclosed pursuant to a properly issued subpoena shall remain confidential and exempt from inspection and copying under the Freedom of Information Act and protected from disclosure under the provisions of Part 21 of Article VIII of the Code of Civil Procedure, with the exception that such patient records shall be admissible in any administrative proceeding before the Agency when necessary to substantiate violations of this Act or any other Act administered by the Agency as the successor agency to the Department of Nuclear Safety and rules thereunder. Prior to admission of such records into evidence or their being made a part of any contested case file, all information indicating the identity of the patient shall be removed and deleted. (c) The fees of witnesses for attendance and travel shall be the same as the fees for witnesses before the circuit court of this State. Those fees shall be paid when the witness is excused from further attendance. When a witness is subpoenaed at the instance of the Agency, those fees shall be paid in the same manner as other administrative expenses of the Agency. When a witness is subpoenaed at the instance of a party to a proceeding other than the Agency, the Agency may require that the cost of service of the subpoena or subpoena duces tecum and the fee of the witness be borne by the party at whose instance the witness is summoned. In such a case, the Agency, in its discretion, may require a deposit to cover the cost of the service and witness fees. A subpoena or subpoena duces tecum issued under this Section may be served in the same manner as a subpoena issued out of a circuit court or may be served by United States registered or certified mail, addressed to the person concerned at the person's last known address, and proof of that mailing shall be sufficient for the purposes of this Section. (d) Any person who, without lawful authority, fails to appear in response to a subpoena or to answer any question or to produce any books, papers, records, or any other documents relevant or material to such administrative proceeding or investigation is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. Each violation shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. In addition to initiating criminal proceedings, the Agency, through the Attorney General, may seek enforcement of any such subpoena by any circuit court of this State. (Source: P.A. 94-104, eff. 7-1-05.)