§ 241. Advisory council on economic information and research. 1. The
commissioner is authorized and directed to appoint the advisory council
on economic information and research, to advise and assist him in an
ongoing review of the state's economic information and research needs.

2. The advisory council on economic information and research shall
advise the commissioner and make recommendations concerning information
available on the economy of the state, its regions and localities, and
the information and research needs of state and local government,
business planners, academic researchers, and others concerned with
economic development in the state. Specifically, the council shall
review and submit recommendations on:

(a) currently available data concerning the economy of New York state
and the demand for such data from both public and private users at the
state and local levels with respect to their scope, quality, detail,
timeliness and accessibility;

(b) state policies and procedures concerning the collection,
maintenance and dissemination of economic data and economic development
data and the assignment of responsibility for such tasks;

(c) the cooperation and collaboration among different agencies and
offices of state government in the collection, analysis and
dissemination of economic data and economic information including, but
not limited to, the nature of consultation about the information to be
collected and the extent to which standardized data and compatible
information systems have been and should be introduced;

(d) the relationship between the state's economic information
collection and maintenance and other public and private information
sources within the state, including especially the capacity of the state
to incorporate data and information provided by other systems;

(e) the capabilities of the state's existing economic information
system in light of the objectives of economic development, changing
federal policies and support for economic information, and changes in
the state's economic structure;

(f) the design, location and maintenance of the statewide economic
information system established pursuant to this article, including the
content and organization of the data, the means for incorporating data
from and providing access to academic, municipal and private sector data
producers within the state, and the means for providing access to data
users within the state;

(g) critical areas of unmet economic research needs and how such needs
can be met, including the need for an economic early-warning system and
of timely and accurate forecasts of occupational supply and demand,
analysis of sub-state regional economies, and analysis of important
industrial sectors in the state;

(h) the need for a state clearinghouse for economic research to
maintain and disseminate research on the economy of the state, its
regions and localities and on economic development programs; and

(i) state policy on charges for economic data and information provided
to the public.

3. (a) The advisory council shall submit an annual report on its
findings and recommendations on or before October first, nineteen
hundred eighty-eight and on or before each October first thereafter to
the governor, the president pro tem and minority leader of the senate,
and the speaker and minority leader of the assembly.

(b) (i) The department shall submit to the director of the budget, the
chairperson of the senate finance committee and the chairperson of the
assembly ways and means committee an evaluation of this program prepared
by an entity independent of the department. Such evaluation shall be
submitted on or before September first, two thousand five and on or
before September first every four years thereafter.

(ii) Between evaluation due dates, the department shall maintain the
necessary records and data required to satisfy such evaluation
requirements and to satisfy information requests received from the
director of the budget, the chairperson of the senate finance committee
and the chairperson of the assembly ways and means committee between
such evaluation due dates.

4. The advisory council shall consist of the commissioner, who shall
serve as chair, the commissioner of labor, and the commissioner of
education, or their designees, one representative designated by the
temporary president of the senate and one representative designated by
the speaker of the assembly and eight members appointed by the
commissioner, who shall have an expertise in economic analysis, planning
or data collection, maintenance and distribution, one representing the
state university of New York, one representing the city university of
New York, one representing independent universities, one representing
the state association of regional planning and development
organizations, one representative of local government interests, one
representative of business and industry interests, one representative of
labor interests, and one representative of private economic research and
forecasting entities. The members shall receive no compensation for
their services but shall be allowed actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties.

5. The council shall coordinate its activities with research being
undertaken by the New York state occupational information coordinating
committee and the legislative commission on skills development and
career education.

6. The commissioner and the commissioner of labor may each appoint
professional staff to assist the council with its duties.

7. The commissioner may request and shall receive from any public
authority, public benefit corporation, department, division, board,
bureau, commission or agency of the state or any political subdivision
thereof, such assistance as will enable the council to properly carry
out its duties hereunder.