15-2-201. Powers and duties. (1) It is the duty of the Montana tax appeal board to:

(a) prescribe rules for the tax appeal boards of the different counties in the performance of their duties and for this purpose may schedule meetings of county tax appeal boards, and it is the duty of all invited county tax appeal board members to attend if possible, and the cost of their attendance must be paid from the appropriation of the Montana tax appeal board;

(b) hear appeals from decisions of the county tax appeal boards and assess attorney fees against the department when a taxpayer substantially prevails on the merits of an appeal of the value of class four residential property, as provided in 15-2-306;

(c) hear appeals from decisions of the department in regard to business licenses, property assessments, taxes, except determinations that an employer-employee relationship existed between the taxpayer and individuals subjecting the taxpayer to the requirements of chapter 30, part 25, and penalties.

(2) Oaths to witnesses in any investigation by the Montana tax appeal board may be administered by a member of the board or the member's agent. If a witness does not obey a summons to appear before the board or refuses to testify or answer any material questions or to produce records, books, papers, or documents when required to do so, that failure or refusal must be reported to the attorney general, who shall then institute proceedings in the proper district court to punish the witness for the neglect or refusal. A person who testifies falsely in any material matter under consideration by the board is guilty of perjury and punished accordingly. Witnesses attending must receive the same compensation as witnesses in the district court. The compensation must be charged to the proper appropriation for the board.

(3) The Montana tax appeal board also has the duties of an appeal board relating to other matters as may be provided by law.