S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3792
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 28, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the
   New York state design and construction corporation to meet and conduct
   all  business at a public meeting and making the minutes of such meet-
   ings available to the public
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Subdivision 4 of section 1678-a of the public authorities
 law, as amended by section 1 of part I of chapter  73  of  the  laws  of
 2016, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  General  powers and duties of the corporation. (a) The corporation
 shall have the power to:
   (i) Sue and be sued;
   (ii) Have a seal and alter the same at pleasure;
   (iii) Make and alter by-laws for its organization and internal manage-
 ment and make rules and regulations governing same;
   (iv) Assign such officers and employees from the officers and  employ-
 ees  of  the  authority,  as  it  may require for the performance of its
 duties and, for those officers and employees who are not represented  by
 a  recognized  employee organization, fix and determine their qualifica-
 tions, duties, and compensation;
   (v) Retain or employ counsel, auditors, private financial consultants,
 professional engineers or other technical consultants and other services
 on a contract basis or otherwise, for  the  rendering  of  professional,
 business or technical services and advice;
   (vi) Make and execute contracts and all other instruments necessary or
 convenient  for  the  exercise  of  its  powers and functions under this
 section;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00702-01-1

              

 A. 3792                             2

   (vii) Engage the services of private consultants on a  contract  basis
 for  rendering  professional and technical assistance advice relating to
 covered projects;
   (viii)  Procure  insurance  against  any  loss  in connection with its
 activities, properties and other assets, in such amount  and  from  such
 insurance as it deems desirable; and
   (ix)  Invest  any  funds of the corporation, or any other monies under
 its custody and control not required for immediate use or  disbursement,
 at the discretion of the corporation, in obligations of the state or the
 United  States  government  or obligations the principal and interest of
 which are obligations in which the comptroller of the state  is  author-
 ized  to  invest  pursuant  to section ninety-eight of the state finance
 law.
   (b) THE CORPORATION SHALL BE REQUIRED TO:
   (I) MEET AND CONDUCT ALL BUSINESS AT A PUBLIC MEETING;
   (II) BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLES SIX AND  SEVEN  OF  THIS
 CHAPTER;
   (III)  CONSIDER  AT  ITS  MEETINGS  ONLY ITEMS SET FORTH ON ITS AGENDA
 WHICH SHALL BE PUBLISHED FIVE DAYS IN ADVANCE OF A MEETING ON A  WEBSITE
 ACCESSIBLE BY THE PUBLIC; AND
   (IV)  RECORD  MINUTES OF ALL BUSINESS CONDUCTED AT SAID MEETINGS WHICH
 MINUTES SHALL BE PUBLISHED WITHIN FIVE  DAYS  AFTER  THE  MEETING  ON  A
 WEBSITE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
   (C)  The  corporation may do any and all things necessary to carry out
 and exercise the powers given and granted by this section.
   [(c)] (D) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to the contrary,
 all state entities and their officers shall cooperate  with  the  corpo-
 ration in good faith and may implement the recommendations of the corpo-
 ration.
   §  2.  This act shall take effect immediately, provided, however, that
 the amendments to subdivision 4 of section 1678-a of the public authori-
 ties law made by section one of this act shall not affect the repeal  of
 such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.