NY Econ Dev L § 241 (2021)
2021 New York Laws COM - Economic Development Law Article 12 - Economic Information and Research 241 - Advisory Council on Economic Information and Research.

§  241.  Advisory council on economic information and research. 1. The commissioner is authorized and directed to appoint the advisory  council on  economic  information  and  research, to advise and assist him in an ongoing review of the state's economic information and research needs.   2. The advisory council on economic  information  and  research  shall advise  the commissioner and make recommendations concerning information available on the economy of the state, its regions and  localities,  and the  information  and  research  needs  of  state  and local government, business planners,  academic  researchers,  and  others  concerned  with economic  development  in  the  state.  Specifically,  the council shall review and submit recommendations on:  (a) currently available data concerning the economy of New York  state and  the  demand for such data from both public and private users at the state and local levels with respect to  their  scope,  quality,  detail, timeliness and accessibility;  (b)   state   policies   and  procedures  concerning  the  collection, maintenance and dissemination of economic data and economic  development data and the assignment of responsibility for such tasks;  (c)  the  cooperation  and  collaboration among different agencies and offices  of  state  government   in   the   collection,   analysis   and dissemination  of  economic data and economic information including, but not limited to, the nature of consultation about the information  to  be collected  and  the  extent  to  which  standardized data and compatible information systems have been and should be introduced;  (d)  the  relationship  between  the  state's   economic   information collection  and  maintenance  and  other  public and private information sources within the state, including especially the capacity of the state to incorporate data and information provided by other systems;  (e) the capabilities of  the  state's  existing  economic  information system  in  light  of  the  objectives of economic development, changing federal policies and support for economic information,  and  changes  in the state's economic structure;  (f)  the  design,  location  and maintenance of the statewide economic information system established pursuant to this article,  including  the content  and  organization of the data, the means for incorporating data from and providing access to academic, municipal and private sector data producers within the state, and the means for providing access  to  data users within the state;  (g) critical areas of unmet economic research needs and how such needs can  be met, including the need for an economic early-warning system and of timely and accurate forecasts  of  occupational  supply  and  demand, analysis  of  sub-state  regional  economies,  and analysis of important industrial sectors in the state;  (h) the need for  a  state  clearinghouse  for  economic  research  to maintain  and  disseminate  research  on  the  economy of the state, its regions and localities and on economic development programs; and  (i) state policy on charges for economic data and information provided to the public.   3. (a) The advisory council shall  submit  an  annual  report  on  its findings  and  recommendations  on  or  before  October  first, nineteen hundred eighty-eight and on or before each October first  thereafter  to the  governor,  the president pro tem and minority leader of the senate, and the speaker and minority leader of the assembly.  (b) (i) The department shall submit to the director of the budget, the chairperson of the senate finance committee and the chairperson  of  the assembly ways and means committee an evaluation of this program prepared by  an  entity  independent  of the department. Such evaluation shall be  submitted on or before September first, two  thousand  five  and  on  or before September first every four years thereafter.  (ii)  Between  evaluation due dates, the department shall maintain the necessary  records  and  data  required  to  satisfy   such   evaluation requirements  and  to  satisfy  information  requests  received from the director of the budget, the chairperson of the senate finance  committee and  the  chairperson  of  the assembly ways and means committee between such evaluation due dates.   4. The advisory council shall consist of the commissioner,  who  shall serve  as  chair,  the  commissioner  of  labor, and the commissioner of education, or their designees,  one  representative  designated  by  the temporary  president  of the senate and one representative designated by the  speaker  of  the  assembly  and  eight  members  appointed  by  the commissioner, who shall have an expertise in economic analysis, planning or  data  collection, maintenance and distribution, one representing the state university of New York, one representing the  city  university  of New  York,  one  representing independent universities, one representing the   state   association   of   regional   planning   and   development organizations,  one  representative  of  local government interests, one representative of business and industry interests, one representative of labor interests, and one representative of private economic research and forecasting entities. The members  shall  receive  no  compensation  for their  services  but  shall  be  allowed  actual  and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.   5. The council shall coordinate its  activities  with  research  being undertaken  by  the New York state occupational information coordinating committee and the  legislative  commission  on  skills  development  and career education.   6.  The  commissioner  and  the commissioner of labor may each appoint professional staff to assist the council with its duties.   7. The commissioner may request and  shall  receive  from  any  public authority,  public  benefit  corporation,  department,  division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or any  political  subdivision thereof,  such  assistance  as will enable the council to properly carry out its duties hereunder.