§ 51. Monies of the agency. 1. All monies of the agency, except as otherwise authorized or provided in this article, shall be paid to the commissioner of taxation and finance as agent of the agency, who shall not commingle such monies with any other monies. Such monies shall be deposited in a separate bank account or accounts. The monies in such accounts shall be paid out on checks signed by the commissioner of taxation and finance on requisition of the chairman of the agency or of such other officer or employee or officers or employees as the agency shall authorize to make such requisition. All deposits of such monies shall, if required by the commissioner of taxation and finance or the agency, be secured by obligations of the United States or of the state of a market value equal at all times to the amount of the deposit and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give such security for such deposits.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the agency shall have power, subject to the approval of the commissioner of taxation and finance, to contract with the holders of any of its notes or bonds, as to the custody, collection, securing, investment, and payment of any monies of the agency, of any monies held in trust or otherwise for the payment of notes or bonds, and to carry out such contract. Monies held in trust or otherwise for the payment of notes or bonds or in any way to secure notes or bonds and deposits of such monies may be secured in the same manner as monies of the agency, and all banks and trust companies are authorized to give such security for such deposits.

2. Subject to agreements with noteholders and bondholders and the approval of the comptroller, the agency shall prescribe a system of accounts.

3. The comptroller, or his legally authorized representative, is hereby authorized and empowered from time to time to examine the books and accounts of the agency including its receipts, disbursements, contracts, reserve funds, sinking funds, investments, and any other matters relating to its financial standing. Such an examination shall be conducted by the comptroller at least once in every five years; the comptroller is authorized, however, to accept from the agency, in lieu of such an examination, an external examination of its books and accounts made at the request of the agency.

4. The agency shall submit to the governor, chairman of the senate finance committee, chairman of the assembly ways and means committee and the comptroller, within thirty days of the receipt thereof by the agency, a copy of the report of every external examination of the books and accounts of the agency other than copies of the reports of such examinations made by the comptroller.