N.Y. Economic Development Law § 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.