(a) The Attorney General, in their discretion, (1) may make public or private investigations within or outside of this state that the Attorney General deems necessary to determine whether any person has violated or is about to violate the securities law or the commodities law or to aid in the enforcement of these laws or in the prescribing of rules and forms by the Commissioner of Business Oversight under these laws, and (2) may publish information concerning any violation of the securities law or the commodities law.

(b) In making any investigation authorized by subdivision (a), the Attorney General may, for a reasonable time not exceeding 30 days, take possession of the books, records, accounts, and other papers pertaining to the business of any broker-dealer or investment adviser and place a keeper in exclusive charge of them in the place where they are usually kept. During this possession no person shall remove or attempt to remove any of the books, records, accounts, or other papers except pursuant to a court order or with the consent of the Attorney General, but the directors, officers, partners, and employees of the broker-dealer or investment adviser may examine them, and employees shall be permitted to make entries therein reflecting current transactions.

(c) For the purpose of any investigation or proceeding under the securities law or the commodities law, the Attorney General or any officer designated by the Attorney General may administer oaths and affirmations, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, take evidence, and require the production of books, papers, correspondence, memoranda, agreements, or other documents or records that the Attorney General deems relevant or material to the inquiry.

(d) In case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to, any person, the superior court, upon application by the Attorney General, may issue to the person an order requiring the person to appear before the Attorney General, or the officer designated by the Attorney General, there to produce documentary evidence, if so ordered, or to give evidence touching the matter under investigation or in question. Failure to obey the order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt.

(e) No person is excused from attending and testifying or from producing any document or record before the Attorney General, or in obedience to the subpoena of the Attorney General or any officer designated by the Attorney General, or in any proceeding instituted by the Attorney General, on the ground that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of the person may tend to incriminate the person or subject the person to a penalty or forfeiture, but no individual may be prosecuted or subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which the individual is compelled, after validly claiming the individual’s privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, except that an individual testifying is not exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury or contempt committed in testifying.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 143, Sec. 67. (SB 251) Effective January 1, 2020.)