The commissioner or his duly appointed agents shall have authority to inspect books and records, to hear complaints, to administer oaths, to certify to all official acts and to examine under oath in any part of the state witnesses in any matter pertaining to their duties and cause such examination to be reduced to writing. If any person, having been sworn by any of the above officers to tell the truth, shall willfully give false testimony, he shall be guilty of perjury. If the commissioner or any member of the board or any employee or agent shall divulge any information acquired from the private books, documents or papers of any person, firm or corporation while acting or claiming to act under any authorization or designation in respect to confidential or private transactions, property or business of any person, firm or corporation, except in his report to the State Board of Agriculture and Industries or in the report of any agent or employee to the commissioner or when called upon to testify in any court or proceedings at law, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and such employee or agent shall be disqualified from acting in any official capacity in the department.
Structure Code of Alabama
Chapter 2 - Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.
Article 1 - General Provisions.
Section 2-2-1 - Chief Executive Officer of Department.
Section 2-2-2 - Qualifications of Commissioner.
Section 2-2-4 - Term of Office; Vacancy.
Section 2-2-5 - Salary of Commissioner.
Section 2-2-6 - Inspection of Books; Examination of Witnesses; Divulging Information.
Section 2-2-7 - Annual Report; Publication of Handbooks, Pamphlets, Etc.
Section 2-2-8 - Commissioner's Powers and Duties Generally; Assistance From Other State Agencies.
Section 2-2-8.1 - Promotion of Economic and Industrial Development.
Section 2-2-9 - Delegation of Powers and Duties.
Section 2-2-10 - Assistant to Commissioner.
Section 2-2-11 - Organization of Department; Unclassified Service.
Section 2-2-12 - Legal Counsel for Department.
Section 2-2-13 - Appointment of Assistants and Employees; Employees' Bonds.
Section 2-2-14 - Livestock Theft Investigator.
Section 2-2-14.1 - Appearance Upon Arrest for Misdemeanor Livestock Violations.
Section 2-2-14.2 - Forfeiture of Conveyances and Vehicles Used to Perpetrate Livestock Theft.
Section 2-2-16 - Commissioner to Enforce Laws; Promulgation of Rules and Regulations; Notice.
Section 2-2-17 - Evidence of Rules, Regulations and Notices; Copies Furnished to Probate Judges.
Section 2-2-19 - Regulation of Micro Markets and Vending Machines.