(1) In the discharge of any duty herein imposed, the joint committee or any personnel under its authority and its subcommittees shall have the authority to examine and inspect all properties, equipment, facilities, files, records, and accounts of any state office, department, institution, board, committee, commission, agency, or local government, and to administer oaths, issue subpoenas, compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of any papers, books, accounts, documents, and testimony, and to cause the deposition of witnesses, either residing within or without the state, to be taken in the manner prescribed by laws for taking depositions in civil actions in the superior courts.
(2) The authority in this section extends to accessing any confidential records needed to discharge the joint committee's performance audit duties. However, access to confidential records for the purpose of conducting performance audits does not change their confidential nature, and any existing confidentiality requirements shall remain in force and be similarly respected by the joint committee and its staff.