S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  2063

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            January 15, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  SCHROEDER  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

AN ACT to create a temporary state commission to review  and  report  on
  the  usefulness  of the state authorities and providing for the repeal
  of such provisions upon expiration thereof

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  A temporary state commission created to review and report
on the usefulness of all state authorities, as defined in subdivision  1
of  section  2 of the public authorities law, hereinafter referred to as
the commission, is hereby created to  develop  and  propose  legislation
recommending  which  state  authorities  shall  remain  and  which state
authorities shall be dissolved and/or consolidated, and the  appropriate
state  and  local agencies or offices to assume the various responsibil-
ities and obligations of such authorities.
  S 2. The commission shall consist of fifteen members to  be  appointed
as follows: seven members to be appointed by the governor; three members
to  be appointed by the temporary president of the senate; three members
to be appointed by the  speaker  of  the  assembly;  one  member  to  be
appointed  by the minority leader of the senate; and one to be appointed
by the minority leader of the assembly.  A chair of the commission shall
be appointed by the governor from among his appointees. Vacancies  shall
be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
  S  3.  The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
  S 4. To the maximum extent feasible, the commission shall be  entitled
to  request  and  receive  and  shall  utilize and be provided with such
facilities, resources, and data  of  any  department,  division,  board,
bureau,  commission, or agency of the state or any political subdivision

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD03137-01-9

              

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thereof as it deems necessary or desirable to  carry  out  properly  its
powers and duties hereunder.
  S  5.  The  commission is hereby empowered to subpoena and enforce the
attendance of witnesses, to administer oaths or affirmations and examine
witnesses under oath, to require the production of any books, records or
papers deemed relevant or material, and to perform any  other  functions
that are necessary or appropriate to fulfill its duties and responsibil-
ities,  and  the  governor shall give and grant to the commissioners all
powers and authority that may be given or granted to  persons  appointed
by  the governor for such purpose pursuant to section 6 of the executive
law.
  S 6. The commission shall issue a final report no later than  December
1,  2010,  setting  forth  its  findings and conclusions and making such
recommendations as it shall deem necessary and proper. In addition,  the
commission  shall issue such interim reports as it shall deem necessary,
including an interim report no later than May 15, 2010.
  S 7. The commission shall submit its  report  and  recommendation  for
each state authority. Such recommendation may include, but not be limit-
ed  to;  leaving an authority in its current form, the dissolution of an
authority, consolidation of similar authorities,  and  the  transfer  of
responsibilities and obligations to state agencies.
  S  8.  The commission's report shall include, but shall not be limited
to:
  1. the number of state authorities which are currently in existence;
  2. the name and location of each state authority;
  3. the number of employees, and the salary of each person employed  by
a state authority;
  4. the operating budget of each state authority;
  5. the expenditures of each state authority;
  6. the debts and assets of each state authority;
  7.  the extent to which there is oversight and accountability for each
state authority; and
  8. the public perception of each state authority.
  S 9. Once the commission created in section one of this act is  estab-
lished,  each  state  authority shall submit a letter to such commission
justifying such state authority's existence.
  S 10. This act  shall  take  effect  immediately,  provided  that  the
members  of the commission created by this act shall be appointed within
thirty days of such date; and provided, further,  that  this  act  shall
remain  in  effect  until  one  hundred twenty days after the commission
submits the report required by section six of this act,  at  which  time
this act shall expire and be deemed repealed.