§ 44-0111. Greenway heritage conservancy for the Hudson river valley.

1. It is hereby found, determined and declared that the
reestablishment of the greenway heritage conservancy for the Hudson
river valley 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
preservation and enhancement of the natural and historic resources of
the Hudson river valley and in furtherance of their welfare and
prosperity, and is a public purpose, in that the conservancy will be
performing an essential governmental function in the exercise of the
powers conferred upon it by this title and the conservancy shall not be
required to pay taxes or assessments upon any of the real property
interests or rights acquired by it or under its jurisdiction or control,
or upon its activities in the operation and maintenance of such property
interests or rights or use of any moneys, revenues or other income
received by the conservancy. All contributions of real or personal
property interests or rights made to the conservancy whether by gift,
devise or bequest shall to the extent deductible for federal income tax
purposes, be deductible for purposes of the tax law to the extent
provided therein.

2. The heritage task force for the Hudson river valley is hereby
reestablished in the executive department to be the greenway heritage
conservancy for the Hudson river valley a body corporate and politic
constituting a public benefit corporation and to consist of seventeen
voting members and nine non-voting members. All voting members shall
reside within the greenway and may designate representatives to act in
their stead. The governor shall appoint three voting members, one of
whom shall also be the chairperson. Two voting members shall be
appointed by the temporary president of the senate; two voting members
shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; one voting member
shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; one voting
member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly and
eight voting members shall be appointed by the council. A member of the
council may not be appointed to be a voting member of the conservancy.
The commissioner and the commissioners of the state departments of
transportation, agriculture and markets and economic development and the
offices of parks, recreation and historic preservation and general
services, the secretary of state, the chairman of the state senate
committee on environmental conservation and the chairman of the state
assembly committee on environmental conservation, or such members'
designated representatives, shall be nonvoting, ex-officio members of
the conservancy. The term of office of voting members commencing as of
the effective date of this section shall be four years except that five
of the first voting members appointed pursuant to this section shall
have a two-year term and that another five of the first voting members
appointed pursuant to this section shall have a three-year term. Each
member appointed to such task force by the commissioner before enactment
of this section, shall continue in office until a quorum of voting
members has been appointed. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the
office of any member, such vacancy shall be filled for the balance of
the unexpired term, if applicable, in the same manner as the original
appointment.

3. The conservancy shall actively seek qualified candidates for
membership and shall recommend such candidates to the governor.