(a)

(1) The board, or any member of the board, or any hearing officer may administer oaths and take the testimony of persons under oath.

(2) For the purpose of any investigation made by the board or any member of the board in the performance of board duties, the board has the power to issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, papers and other documents pertaining to the subject of its inquiry.

(3) The board is authorized to pay a witness a fee for expenses in attending a hearing pursuant to a subpoena as set forth in title 24, chapter 4; provided, that no fee shall be paid to any incarcerated prisoner where transportation is provided by the sheriff. Section 40-25-106 shall apply to the terms of this subsection (a). The chair or presiding member shall certify the amount of the fees to the fiscal officer of the board and the fiscal officer shall authorize the payments.

(4) If a person refuses to obey a subpoena, the board may petition any circuit or criminal court to request the person to attend, testify and produce evidence. The court may issue an order requiring the person to appear before the board when the court finds that the testimony or other evidence that the person may be able to produce is directly related to a matter with respect to which the board is empowered to make a determination. Failure to obey the order is punishable by the court as contempt or by a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

(b)

(1) In any revocation hearing conducted by the board, or in cases of preliminary hearings, the board is authorized to appoint legal counsel for an indigent individual where necessary in obedience to the requirements of the United States supreme court. For this purpose, the Tennessee supreme court shall prescribe by rule the nature of costs for which reimbursement may be allowed, and the limitations on and conditions for the reimbursement of costs as it deems appropriate in the public interest, subject to this subsection (b). The rules shall also specify the form and content of applications for reimbursement of costs to be filed in accordance with this subsection (b).

(2) The administrative director of the courts shall administer this subsection (b) and rules promulgated under subdivision (b)(1), and shall audit and review all applications for reimbursement of costs. Upon finding payment to be in order, the administrative director of the courts shall process the payment thereof out of money appropriated for that purpose.

(3) Costs incurred by the state in providing legal counsel shall be minimized insofar as is possible and practicable by the appointment by the board of counsel from any legal services group functioning in the county in which the proceedings are held if the group is supported in whole or in part from federal, state, county or municipal moneys.

(c) The board shall also have the powers and perform the duties when requested by the governor of collecting the records, making investigations, and reporting to the governor the facts, circumstances, criminal records, and the social, physical, mental and psychiatric conditions and histories of prisoners under consideration by the governor for pardon or commutation of sentence.

(d)

(1) The board shall identify the types of information necessary to enable the board to properly assess inmates being considered for action by the board and the performance of former inmates under parole supervision, and all other appropriate state and local officials and agencies, including the courts, shall provide assistance as requested.

(2) The board shall, with assistance of the divisions cited in subdivision (d)(1), oversee the development of written procedures and controls to assure the early identification of offenders who become eligible for parole consideration, including those serving sentences in local detention facilities, through such means as the offender-based state correctional information system.

(e)

(1) In order to assure access to complete and adequate records on all inmates under consideration by the board, the board shall assist the department of correction and any other cooperating officials or agencies of the criminal justice system in identifying records needs of each agency in the criminal justice system and in the development of procedures to assure that the records are secured and maintained by the appropriate agencies, including official documentary statements of the circumstances surrounding the commission of a crime, prior criminal history, social history, community background assessments, psychological and health assessments, and other information useful in the evaluation and classification of inmates.

(2) The board shall develop a comprehensive parole summary report form for completion by institutional staff or others mutually agreed by the board and the commissioner who shall assure that the reports required are completed prior to parole hearings.

(f) Notwithstanding other law to the contrary and unless prohibited by federal law in a specific instance, the board shall be granted access to any record or information, public or otherwise, that it deems necessary to carry out its duties, and all officials and agencies, including the commissioners of correction, safety, mental health and substance abuse services and intellectual and developmental disabilities, the director of the Tennessee bureau of investigation, wardens of institutions, courts and other state and local government officials and employees, shall accordingly respond to requests from the board under authority of this section and § 40-28-127. Access shall include, but not be limited to, information, records or reports developed under §§ 4-3-604, 4-6-140, and 4-6-141; §§ 39-12-101, 39-12-103, 39-13-304, 39-16-402, 39-16-403, 39-16-602, 39-16-603, 39-16-606, 39-16-607, 39-17-302, 39-17-303, 40-28-111 [repealed], 40-28-114, 40-28-119, 40-28-120 [repealed] and 40-28-121; §§ 41-1-111, 41-21-107, 41-21-222, 41-21-223 and 41-21-226; and title 41, chapter 21, parts 4 and 7.