(a) "governmental entity" shall mean the state, any state agency, as that term is defined in section two-a of the state finance law, municipal corporation, commission appointed pursuant to law, school district, district corporation, board of education, board of cooperative educational services, soil conservation district, and public benefit corporation; and

(b) "construction contract" shall mean any contract to which a governmental entity may be a direct or indirect party which involves the design, construction, reconstruction, improvement, rehabilitation, maintenance, repair, furnishing, equipping of or otherwise providing for any building, facility or physical structure of any kind. 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, of section one hundred three of the general municipal law, of section one hundred thirty-five of the state finance law, of section one hundred fifty-one of the public housing law, or of any other general, special or local law or administrative code, in entering into any construction contract, a governmental entity which is to be a direct or indirect party to such contract may require that any contractors and subcontractors have, prior to entering into such contract, apprenticeship agreements appropriate for the type and scope of work to be performed, that have been registered with, and approved by, the commissioner pursuant to the requirements found in this article. Whenever utilizing this requirement, the governmental entity may, in addition to whatever considerations are required by law, consider the degree to which career opportunities in apprenticeship training programs approved by the commissioner may be provided.