§ 69-j. The New York works task force; governance. 1. The New York works task force shall consist of fifteen members, each of whom shall be appointed by the governor and two of whom shall be appointed upon recommendation of the temporary president of the senate, two of whom shall be appointed upon recommendation of the speaker of the assembly, one of whom shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate and one of whom shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the assembly. At least one of the members appointed by the governor shall represent organized labor. The members appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly shall be non-voting members. Each person appointed to the New York works task force shall have professional experience in any one or more of the following areas: (a) the development, construction, ownership, maintenance, management or finance of infrastructure assets; (b) economic development or project development or finance; or (c) labor relations.

2. The New York works task force shall establish an implementation council comprised of: the director of the division of the budget, the commissioners of the department of economic development, the department of transportation, the office of general services, the department of labor, the department of environmental conservation and the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, the secretary of state, the chancellors of the state university of New York and the city university of New York, the president and chief executive officer of the environmental facilities corporation, and the executive directors of the dormitory authority of the state of New York, the New York power authority, the Long Island power authority, the New York state energy research and development authority, the New York state bridge authority, the metropolitan transportation authority, the New York state thruway authority and the port authority of New York and New Jersey, the director of state operations and such other members as the New York works task force or the governor may determine shall facilitate the purposes of the New York works task force. Each member of the implementation council may designate an individual to attend and participate in New York works task force meetings and deliberations on his or her behalf.

3. Upon recommendation of the nominating party, the governor may replace any member in accordance with the provision contained herein for the appointment of members. Vacancies occurring in the New York works task force shall be filled by using the same appointment procedure established herein.

4. No officer or employee of the state, of any political subdivision of the state, of any governmental entity operating any public school or college or of any other public agency or instrumentality or unit of government which exercises governmental powers under the laws of the state, shall forfeit such office or employment by reason of acceptance of appointment as a member of the New York works task force; nor shall service as such member, representative, officer, employee or agent of the New York works task force be deemed incompatible or in conflict with such office or employment.

5. New York works task force members shall receive no remuneration for their services as members, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties provided, however, that such members are not, at the same time such expenses are incurred, public employees otherwise entitled to such reimbursement.

6. The New York works task force may create such committees as it deems necessary. The first meeting of the New York works task force shall be held within thirty days after all members are initially appointed. At the first meeting of the New York works task force and at the first meeting in each subsequent year, the New York works task force shall elect from among its members a chair and a secretary and such other officers as it shall deem necessary. The New York works task force or any committee thereof may hold meetings by electronic means consistent with article seven of the public officers law.