S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9877
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 24, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  TANNOUSIS  --  read once and referred to the
   Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the  public  authorities
   law, in relation to congestion pricing in New York city, and repealing
   certain provisions of the vehicle and traffic law, the public authori-
   ties  law, the public officers law, the tax law, and subpart A of part
   ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws of 2019, amending the vehicle and  traf-
   fic  law  and  the  public  authorities law relating to establishing a
   central business district tolling program in the city of New York  and
   amending  the  public  officers  law  relating  to  confidentiality of
   certain public records, relating thereto (Part A); to amend the public
   authorities law, in relation to the  membership  of  the  metropolitan
   transportation authority (Part B); and to amend the public authorities
   law, in relation to commissioning an independent forensic audit of the
   metropolitan transportation authority; and providing for the repeal of
   such provisions upon the expiration thereof (Part C)
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act enacts into law components of legislation relating
 to the metropolitan transportation authority. Each component  is  wholly
 contained  within  a Part identified as Parts A through C. The effective
 date for each particular provision contained within  such  Part  as  set
 forth  in  the  last  section of such Part. Any provision in any section
 contained within a Part, including the effective date of the Part, which
 makes a reference to a section "of this act", when  used  in  connection
 with that particular component, shall be deemed to mean and refer to the
 corresponding  section  of the Part in which it is found. Section two of
 this act sets forth the general effective date of this act.
 
                                  PART A
 
   Section 1. Article 44-C of the vehicle and traffic law is REPEALED.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15182-02-4
 A. 9877                             2
              

 
   § 2. Subdivision 4 of section 1630 of the vehicle and traffic law,  as
 amended  by section 2 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws
 of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   4.  Charging of tolls, taxes, fees, licenses or permits for the use of
 the highway or any of its parts [or entry into or remaining  within  the
 central  business  district  established by article forty-four-C of this
 chapter], where the imposition thereof is authorized by law.
   § 3. Paragraph (s) of subdivision 9  of  section  553  of  the  public
 authorities law is REPEALED.
   §  4. Subdivision 12-a of section 553 of the public authorities law is
 REPEALED.
   § 5. Section 553-j of the public authorities law is REPEALED.
   § 6. Paragraph (p) of subdivision 2 of section 87 of the public  offi-
 cers  law, as added by section 7 of subpart A  of part ZZZ of chapter 59
 of the laws of 2019, is REPEALED.
   § 7. Section 553-k of the public authorities law is REPEALED.
   § 8. Sections 9, 10, and 11 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59  of
 the  laws  of  2019, amending the vehicle and traffic law and the public
 authorities law relating to establishing  a  central  business  district
 tolling program in the city of New York and amending the public officers
 law relating to confidentiality of certain public records, are REPEALED.
   §  9.  Section  566-a  of  the  public  authorities law, as amended by
 section 12 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws  of  2019,
 is amended to read as follows:
   §  566-a. Tax contract by the state. 1. It is hereby found, determined
 and declared that the authority and the carrying out  of  its  corporate
 purposes  is  in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state
 of New York, for the improvement of their health, welfare  and  prosper-
 ity, and, in the case of some of the said purposes, for the promotion of
 their  traffic,  and  that said purposes are public purposes and, in the
 case of those purposes which consist  of  vehicular  bridges,  vehicular
 tunnels  and approaches thereto [and the central business district toll-
 ing program], the project is an essential part  of  the  public  highway
 system  and  the  authority will be performing an essential governmental
 function in the exercise of the powers conferred by this title, and  the
 state  of New York covenants with the purchasers and with all subsequent
 holders and transferees of bonds issued after  January  first,  nineteen
 hundred  thirty-nine by the authority pursuant to this title, in consid-
 eration of the acceptance of any payment for the bonds that the bonds of
 the authority issued after January first, nineteen  hundred  thirty-nine
 pursuant  to this title and the income therefrom, and all moneys, funds,
 tolls and other revenues pledged to pay or secure the  payment  of  such
 bonds,  shall at all times be free from taxation except for estate taxes
 and taxes on transfers by or in contemplation of death.
   2. Nothing herein shall be construed to repeal or  supersede  any  tax
 exemptions heretofore or hereafter granted by general or other laws.
   §  10.  Subsection  (jjj)  of  section 606 of the tax law, as added by
 section 1 of subpart F of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws of 2019, is
 REPEALED.
   § 11. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
                                  PART B
 
   Section 1. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section
 1263 of the public authorities law, as amended by section 1 of part E of
 chapter 39 of the laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
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   (1) There is hereby created the "metropolitan transportation  authori-
 ty."  The authority shall be a body corporate and politic constituting a
 public  benefit corporation. The authority shall consist of a [chairman]
 CHAIRPERSON, [sixteen] SEVENTEEN other voting members, and two  non-vot-
 ing  and four alternate non-voting members, as described in subparagraph
 two of this paragraph appointed by the governor by and with  the  advice
 and  consent of the senate. Any member appointed to a term commencing on
 or after June thirtieth, two thousand nine shall have experience in  one
 or  more  of the following areas: transportation, public administration,
 business management, finance, accounting, law,  engineering,  land  use,
 urban and regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor
 relations,  or have experience in some other area of activity central to
 the mission of the authority. Four of  the  [sixteen]  SEVENTEEN  voting
 members,  ONE  MEMBER  FROM  EACH  OF  NEW YORK CITY'S FIVE BOROUGHS, AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION 2-202 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF THE CITY  OF  NEW
 YORK,  other  than  the [chairman] CHAIRPERSON shall be appointed on the
 written recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York; and each of
 seven other voting members other than the [chairman]  CHAIRPERSON  shall
 be  appointed  after  selection from a written list of three recommenda-
 tions from the chief executive  officer  of  the  county  in  which  the
 particular  member  is  required to reside pursuant to the provisions of
 this subdivision. Of the members  appointed  on  recommendation  of  the
 chief  executive  officer  of a county, one such member shall be, at the
 time of appointment, a resident of the county of Nassau, one a  resident
 of  the  county of Suffolk, one a resident of the county of Westchester,
 one a resident of the county of Dutchess, one a resident of  the  county
 of  Orange, one a resident of the county of Putnam and one a resident of
 the county of Rockland, provided that the term of any member  who  is  a
 resident  of  a county that has withdrawn from the metropolitan commuter
 transportation   district   pursuant   to   section    twelve    hundred
 seventy-nine-b  of this title shall terminate upon the effective date of
 such county's withdrawal from such district. Of the five voting members,
 other than the [chairman] CHAIRPERSON, appointed by the governor without
 recommendation from any other person, three shall be,  at  the  time  of
 appointment,  residents of the city of New York and two shall be, at the
 time of appointment, residents of such city or of any of  the  aforemen-
 tioned  counties  in  the metropolitan commuter transportation district.
 Provided however, notwithstanding the foregoing  residency  requirement,
 one  of the five voting members appointed by the governor without recom-
 mendation from any other person, other than the [chairman]  CHAIRPERSON,
 may  be  the  director of the New York state division of the budget, and
 provided further that, in the event  of  such  appointment,  the  budget
 director's  membership  in the authority shall be deemed ex-officio. The
 [chairman] CHAIRPERSON and each of the members shall be appointed for  a
 term  of  six  years,  provided however, that the [chairman] CHAIRPERSON
 first appointed shall serve for a term ending June  thirtieth,  nineteen
 hundred  eighty-one,  provided that thirty days after the effective date
 of the chapter of the laws of  two  thousand  nine  which  amended  this
 subparagraph,  the  term  of  the  [chairman]  CHAIRPERSON shall expire;
 provided, further, that such  [chairman]  CHAIRPERSON  may  continue  to
 discharge  the duties of [his or her] THEIR office until the position of
 [chairman] CHAIRPERSON is filled by appointment by the governor upon the
 advice and consent of the senate and the term  of  such  new  [chairman]
 CHAIRPERSON  shall  terminate  June thirtieth, two thousand fifteen. The
 [sixteen] SEVENTEEN other members first appointed shall  serve  for  the
 following terms: The members from the counties of Nassau and Westchester
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 shall  each  serve  for  a  term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred
 eighty-five; the members from the county of Suffolk and from  the  coun-
 ties  of  Dutchess,  Orange,  Putnam and Rockland shall each serve for a
 term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred ninety-two; two of the
 members appointed on recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York
 shall each serve for a term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred
 eighty-four  and, two shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth,
 nineteen hundred eighty-one; two of the members appointed by the  gover-
 nor  without the recommendation of any other person shall each serve for
 a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen  hundred  eighty-two,  two  shall
 each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty and
 one  shall  serve  for  a  term  ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred
 eighty-five.  THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE
 LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR WHICH AMENDED  THIS  SUBPARAGRAPH,  THE
 TERMS  OF  THE  MEMBERS  APPOINTED ON RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR OF THE
 CITY OF NEW YORK SHALL EXPIRE, PROVIDED, THAT SUCH MEMBERS MAY  CONTINUE
 TO  DISCHARGE  THE DUTIES OF THEIR OFFICE UNTIL THE POSITIONS ARE FILLED
 BY APPOINTMENT ON RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY  OF  NEW  YORK
 AND  THE  TERM OF THREE OF SUCH NEW MEMBERS SHALL TERMINATE JUNE THIRTI-
 ETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, AND THE TERM OF TWO OF  SUCH  NEW  MEMBERS
 SHALL  TERMINATE  JUNE THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE. The two non-
 voting and four alternate non-voting members shall serve  until  January
 first,  two  thousand  one.  The  members from the counties of Dutchess,
 Orange, Putnam and Rockland shall cast one collective vote.
   § 1-a. Subparagraph 1 of paragraph (a) of  subdivision  1  of  section
 1263 of the public authorities law, as amended by chapter 68 of the laws
 of 2024, is amended to read as follows:
   (1)  There is hereby created the "metropolitan transportation authori-
 ty."  The authority shall be a body corporate and politic constituting a
 public benefit corporation. The authority  shall  consist  of  a  chair-
 person, [sixteen] SEVENTEEN other voting members, and two non-voting and
 four  alternate  non-voting members, as described in subparagraph two of
 this paragraph appointed by the governor by  and  with  the  advice  and
 consent  of  the senate. Any member appointed to a term commencing on or
 after June thirtieth, two thousand nine shall have experience in one  or
 more  of  the  following  areas:  transportation, public administration,
 business management, finance, accounting, law,  engineering,  land  use,
 urban and regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor
 relations,  or have experience in some other area of activity central to
 the mission of the authority. Four of  the  [sixteen]  SEVENTEEN  voting
 members,  ONE  MEMBER  FROM  EACH  OF  NEW YORK CITY'S FIVE BOROUGHS, AS
 DEFINED IN SECTION 2-202 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF THE CITY  OF  NEW
 YORK,  other  than  the  chairperson  shall  be appointed on the written
 recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York; and each  of  seven
 other voting members other than the chairperson shall be appointed after
 selection  from  a  written list of three recommendations from the chief
 executive officer of the  county  in  which  the  particular  member  is
 required  to  reside  pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision. Of
 the members appointed on recommendation of the chief  executive  officer
 of  a  county,  one  such member shall be, at the time of appointment, a
 resident of the county of Nassau,  one  a  resident  of  the  county  of
 Suffolk,  one a resident of the county of Westchester, one a resident of
 the county of Dutchess, one a resident of the county of  Orange,  one  a
 resident  of  the  county  of Putnam and one a resident of the county of
 Rockland, provided that the term of any member who is a  resident  of  a
 county  that has withdrawn from the metropolitan commuter transportation
 A. 9877                             5
 
 district pursuant to section twelve hundred seventy-nine-b of this title
 shall terminate upon the effective date of such county's withdrawal from
 such district. Of the five voting members, other than  the  chairperson,
 appointed  by the governor without recommendation from any other person,
 three shall be, at the time of appointment, residents of the city of New
 York and two shall be, at the time of  appointment,  residents  of  such
 city or of any of the aforementioned counties in the metropolitan commu-
 ter transportation district. Provided however, notwithstanding the fore-
 going residency requirement, one of the five voting members appointed by
 the  governor  without  recommendation from any other person, other than
 the chairperson, may be the director of the New York state  division  of
 the budget, and provided further that, in the event of such appointment,
 the budget director's membership in the authority shall be deemed ex-of-
 ficio.  Provided  further,  one of the twelve voting members, other than
 the chairperson, appointed by the governor without recommendation by any
 other person, or on the recommendation of the mayor of the city  of  New
 York,  or of the chief executive officer of the counties of Westchester,
 Nassau, or Suffolk shall be a transit dependent individual.  A  "transit
 dependent  individual" shall mean an individual who is limited to public
 transit as their primary mode of transportation because  the  individual
 has a permanent disability, provided that any local or statewide transit
 advocacy  organization may recommend one or more transit dependent indi-
 viduals to be considered for appointment pursuant to this  section.  The
 chairperson and each of the members shall be appointed for a term of six
 years,  provided  however,  that  the  chairperson first appointed shall
 serve for a term ending June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred  eighty-one,
 provided that thirty days after the effective date of the chapter of the
 laws  of  two thousand nine which amended this subparagraph, the term of
 the chairperson shall expire; provided, further, that  such  chairperson
 may  continue to discharge the duties of [his or her] THEIR office until
 the position of chairperson is filled by  appointment  by  the  governor
 upon  the  advice  and  consent  of  the senate and the term of such new
 chairperson shall terminate June thirtieth, two  thousand  fifteen.  The
 [sixteen]  SEVENTEEN  other  members first appointed shall serve for the
 following terms: The members from the counties of Nassau and Westchester
 shall each serve for a term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred
 eighty-five;  the  members from the county of Suffolk and from the coun-
 ties of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland shall  each  serve  for  a
 term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred ninety-two; two of the
 members appointed on recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York
 shall each serve for a term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred
 eighty-four  and, two shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth,
 nineteen hundred eighty-one; two of the members appointed by the  gover-
 nor  without the recommendation of any other person shall each serve for
 a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen  hundred  eighty-two,  two  shall
 each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty and
 one  shall  serve  for  a  term  ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred
 eighty-five. THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF  THE
 LAWS  OF  TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR WHICH AMENDED THIS SUBPARAGRAPH, THE
 TERMS OF THE MEMBERS APPOINTED ON RECOMMENDATION OF  THE  MAYOR  OF  THE
 CITY  OF NEW YORK SHALL EXPIRE, PROVIDED, THAT SUCH MEMBERS MAY CONTINUE
 TO DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THEIR OFFICE UNTIL THE POSITIONS  ARE  FILLED
 BY  APPOINTMENT  ON  RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
 AND THE TERM OF THREE OF SUCH NEW MEMBERS SHALL TERMINATE  JUNE  THIRTI-
 ETH,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX, AND THE TERM OF TWO OF SUCH NEW MEMBERS
 SHALL TERMINATE JUNE THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE. The  two  non-
 A. 9877                             6
 
 voting  and  four alternate non-voting members shall serve until January
 first, two thousand one. The members  from  the  counties  of  Dutchess,
 Orange, Putnam and Rockland shall cast one collective vote.
   §  2.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision 1 of section 1263 of the public
 authorities law, as amended by section 2 of part E of chapter 39 of  the
 laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  There is hereby created the "metropolitan transportation authori-
 ty." The authority shall be a body corporate and politic constituting  a
 public  benefit corporation. The authority shall consist of a [chairman]
 CHAIRPERSON and [sixteen]  SEVENTEEN  other  members  appointed  by  the
 governor  by  and  with the advice and consent of the senate. Any member
 appointed to a term commencing on or after June thirtieth, two  thousand
 nine  shall  have  experience  in  one or more of the following areas of
 expertise:  transportation, public administration, business  management,
 finance,  accounting,  law,  engineering,  land  use, urban and regional
 planning, management of large capital projects, labor relations, or have
 experience in some other area of activity central to the mission of  the
 authority.  [Four]  FIVE  of the [sixteen] SEVENTEEN members, ONE MEMBER
 FROM EACH OF NEW YORK CITY'S FIVE BOROUGHS, AS DEFINED IN SECTION  2-202
 OF  THE  ADMINISTRATIVE  CODE  OF  THE  CITY OF NEW YORK, other than the
 [chairman] CHAIRPERSON shall be appointed on the written  recommendation
 of  the  mayor  of the city of New York; and each of seven other members
 other than the [chairman] CHAIRPERSON shall be appointed after selection
 from a written list of three recommendations from  the  chief  executive
 officer  of  the  county  in  which the particular member is required to
 reside pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision.  Of  the  members
 appointed  on recommendation of the chief executive officer of a county,
 one such member shall be, at the time of appointment, a resident of  the
 county  of  Nassau; one a resident of the county of Suffolk; one a resi-
 dent of the county of Westchester; and one a resident of the  county  of
 Dutchess,  one a resident of the county of Orange, one a resident of the
 county of Putnam and one a resident of the county of Rockland,  provided
 that the term of any member who is a resident of a county that has with-
 drawn from the metropolitan commuter transportation district pursuant to
 section twelve hundred seventy-nine-b of this title shall terminate upon
 the  effective  date  of such county's withdrawal from such district. Of
 the five members, other than the [chairman]  CHAIRPERSON,  appointed  by
 the  governor  without recommendation from any other person, three shall
 be, at the time of appointment, residents of the city of  New  York  and
 two  shall  be, at the time of appointment, residents of such city or of
 any of the aforementioned counties in the metropolitan  commuter  trans-
 portation  district.  Provided  however,  notwithstanding  the foregoing
 residency requirement, one of the five voting members appointed  by  the
 governor  without  recommendation  from any other person, other than the
 [chairman] CHAIRPERSON, may be the director of the New York state  divi-
 sion  of  the  budget,  and  provided further that, in the event of such
 appointment, the budget director's membership in the authority shall  be
 deemed  ex-officio.  The  [chairman] CHAIRPERSON and each of the members
 shall be appointed for a term of six years, provided however,  that  the
 [chairman]  CHAIRPERSON  first  appointed  shall serve for a term ending
 June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-one, provided that  thirty  days
 after the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand nine
 which  amended  this  paragraph,  the term of the [chairman] CHAIRPERSON
 shall expire; provided, further, that such  [chairman]  CHAIRPERSON  may
 continue  to  discharge the duties of [his] THEIR office until the posi-
 tion of [chairman] CHAIRPERSON is filled by appointment by the  governor
 A. 9877                             7

 upon  the  advice  and  consent  of  the senate and the term of such new
 [chairman] CHAIRPERSON shall  terminate  June  thirtieth,  two  thousand
 fifteen.  The  sixteen other members first appointed shall serve for the
 following terms: The members from the counties of Nassau and Westchester
 shall  each  serve  for  a  term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred
 eighty-five; the members from the county of Suffolk and from  the  coun-
 ties  of  Dutchess,  Orange,  Putnam and Rockland shall each serve for a
 term ending June thirtieth, nineteen  hundred  ninety-two;  two  of  the
 members appointed on recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York
 shall  each  serve  for  a  term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred
 eighty-four and, two shall each serve for a term ending June  thirtieth,
 nineteen  hundred eighty-one; two of the members appointed by the gover-
 nor without the recommendation of any other person shall each serve  for
 a  term  ending  June  thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-two, two shall
 each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty and
 one shall serve for a  term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred
 eighty-five.  THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CHAPTER OF THE
 LAWS OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR WHICH AMENDED THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TERMS
 OF THE MEMBERS APPOINTED ON RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR OF THE  CITY  OF
 NEW  YORK  SHALL  EXPIRE,  PROVIDED,  THAT  SUCH MEMBERS MAY CONTINUE TO
 DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF THEIR OFFICE UNTIL THE POSITIONS ARE  FILLED  BY
 APPOINTMENT  ON  RECOMMENDATION OF THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK AND
 THE TERM OF THREE OF SUCH NEW MEMBERS SHALL  TERMINATE  JUNE  THIRTIETH,
 TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-SIX, AND THE TERM OF TWO OF SUCH NEW MEMBERS SHALL
 TERMINATE JUNE THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-NINE. The members from the
 counties of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland shall cast one collec-
 tive vote.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
 if  chapter  68  of  the  laws of 2024 shall not have taken effect on or
 before such date then section one-a of this act shall take effect on the
 same date and in the same manner as such chapter of  the  laws  of  2024
 takes  effect; provided further, however, the amendments to subparagraph
 (1) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of  section  1263  of  the  public
 authorities  law  made  by  sections  one and one-a of this act shall be
 subject to the expiration and reversion of such  paragraph  pursuant  to
 section 3 of chapter 549 of the laws of 1994, as amended, when upon such
 date the provisions of section two of this act shall take effect.
 
                                  PART C
 
   Section  1.  The  public  authorities  law  is amended by adding a new
 section 1265-c to read as follows:
   § 1265-C. INDEPENDENT FORENSIC AUDIT.  1.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER
 PROVISION  OF  LAW, THE AUTHORITY SHALL, WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE EFFEC-
 TIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION AND AT ITS OWN EXPENSE, CONTRACT WITH A CERTI-
 FIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE PROVISION OF AN INDEPENDENT, COMPRE-
 HENSIVE, FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE AUTHORITY. SUCH AUDIT SHALL BE  PERFORMED
 IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  GENERALLY  ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
 SUCH AUDIT SHALL BE INDEPENDENT OF AND IN ADDITION  TO  THE  INDEPENDENT
 AUDIT  OF  THE  AUTHORITY  CONDUCTED  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT
 HUNDRED TWO OF THIS CHAPTER.
   2. THE CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT  PUBLIC  ACCOUNTING  FIRM  PROVIDING  THE
 AUTHORITY'S  INDEPENDENT, COMPREHENSIVE, FORENSIC AUDIT SHALL BE PROHIB-
 ITED FROM PROVIDING AUDIT SERVICES IF THE  LEAD  OR  COORDINATING  AUDIT
 PARTNER  HAVING PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AUDIT, OR THE AUDIT PART-
 NER RESPONSIBLE FOR REVIEWING THE AUDIT, HAS  PERFORMED  AUDIT  SERVICES
 A. 9877                             8
 
 FOR  THE  AUTHORITY  WITHIN  ANY OF THE TEN PREVIOUS FISCAL YEARS OF THE
 AUTHORITY.
   3.  THE  CERTIFIED  INDEPENDENT  ACCOUNTING  FIRM PERFORMING THE AUDIT
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE PROHIBITED FROM PERFORMING ANY NON-AU-
 DIT SERVICES FOR THE AUTHORITY CONTEMPORANEOUSLY WITH SUCH AUDIT.
   4. IT  SHALL  BE  PROHIBITED  FOR  THE  CERTIFIED  INDEPENDENT  PUBLIC
 ACCOUNTING  FIRM  TO  PERFORM FOR THE AUTHORITY ANY AUDIT SERVICE IF THE
 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, COMPTROLLER,  CHIEF  FINANCIAL  OFFICER,  CHIEF
 ACCOUNTING OFFICER OR ANY OTHER PERSON SERVING IN AN EQUIVALENT POSITION
 IN  THE  AUTHORITY WAS AN EMPLOYEE, CONSULTANT OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
 OF SUCH CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM AND PARTICIPATED IN
 ANY CAPACITY IN THE AUDIT OF THE AUTHORITY AT ANY TIME IN THE PAST.
   5. THE CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT  PUBLIC  ACCOUNTING  FIRM  CONTRACTED  TO
 PERFORM  THE INDEPENDENT, COMPREHENSIVE, FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE AUTHORITY
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL, ON OR BEFORE JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
 TWENTY-SIX, REPORT ITS FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO  THE
 GOVERNOR,  THE STATE COMPTROLLER, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,
 THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE CHAIR AND RANKING  MINORITY  MEMBER  OF
 THE  SENATE  FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE CHAIR AND RANKING MINORITY MEMBER OF
 THE ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, THE CHAIRS AND  RANKING  MINORITY
 MEMBERS  OF  THE  SENATE  AND THE ASSEMBLY CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND
 COMMISSIONS COMMITTEES, AND THE CHAIRS AND RANKING MINORITY  MEMBERS  OF
 THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEES.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed upon the delivery of the  report  required  pursuant  to
 subdivision  5  of section 1265-c of the public authorities law as added
 by section one of this act; provided that the  state  comptroller  shall
 notify  the  legislative  bill  drafting commission upon receipt of such
 report in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and  timely
 effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New
 York  in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the
 legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
   § 2. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi-
 sion, section or part of this act shall be  adjudged  by  any  court  of
 competent  jurisdiction  to  be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,
 impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall  be  confined  in
 its  operation  to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section
 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg-
 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of
 the legislature that this act would  have  been  enacted  even  if  such
 invalid provisions had not been included herein.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
 the applicable effective date of Parts A through C of this act shall  be
 as specifically set forth in the last section of such Parts.