§ 49-0211. State land acquisition advisory council.

1. The council shall consist of seven members: the commissioner of
environmental conservation and the commissioner of parks, recreation and
historic preservation, and the following officials or their designees:
the governor, the majority leader of the senate, the speaker of the
assembly, the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of
the assembly. The governor shall appoint the chair. Persons serving as a
member of the council pursuant to designation shall serve at the
pleasure of the designating authority, without compensation, but shall
be entitled to receive reimbursement of reasonable expenses necessarily
incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to the provisions
of this title.

2. The provisions of section seventy-four of the public officers law
shall be applicable to the members of the council in connection with
their duties under this article. At any time that a member of the
council has or may have a direct or indirect financial interest in or
resulting from the proposed acquisition or decision not to acquire land
or an interest in land, such member shall not participate in any
discussion or deliberation of the council concerning such land or
interest.

3. The advisory council shall:

a. advise and make recommendations to the commissioners regarding
acquisition goals and priorities to ensure a balance of statewide and
regional interests in acquisition;

b. have an opportunity to review and make recommendations regarding
specific parcels proposed by the commissioners for acquisition prior to
the approval by the department or the office of any parcel for
acquisition; and

c. review the annual reporting of the regional advisory committees,
any community preservation project plans developed pursuant to section
six-s of the general municipal law, the department and the office, and
the state land acquisition plan.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of article six of the public
officers law, no records of the advisory council shall be available for
public inspection. Notwithstanding the provisions of article seven of
the public officers law, no meeting or proceeding of the advisory
council shall be open to the public. All proceedings of the advisory
council shall be confidential. Members of the advisory council may
participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar
communications equipment and may exchange information by mail.

5. In carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this article, the
council shall take into account the regional and state land acquisition
priorities and policies.