N.Y. Executive Law § 555: Justice center medical review board; organization

§ 555. Justice center medical review board; organization. (a) There

shall be within the justice center a medical review board. The board

shall be composed of up to fifteen members, including specialists in

forensic pathology, psychiatry, internal medicine and addiction medicine

to be appointed by the governor. The governor shall designate one of the

members to serve as chair of the board. Members shall be appointed for

terms of three years, provided, however, that one-third of the members

first appointed shall be appointed for a one year term and one-third for

two year terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original

appointments for the remainder of any unexpired term. Members shall

continue in office after the expiration of their terms until their

successors have been appointed and qualified. The governor may remove

any member of the board whenever in his or her judgment the public

interest may require such removal. In case of such removal, the governor

shall file with the department of state a statement indicating the cause

for such removal. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary,

the chair of the board may appoint committees of five or more members of

the board and delegate in writing to any such committee the authority to

perform the functions, powers and duties of the board pursuant to

section five hundred fifty-six of this article.

(b) The members of the board shall receive no compensation for their

services but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses

incurred in the performance of their duties.

(c) The board shall have an executive secretary and such officers and

employees as the executive director shall assign upon request of the

chair of the board, to assist it in the performance of its duties.

(d) All records of the proceedings and the deliberations of the

justice center medical review board shall not be subject to disclosure

under article thirty-one of the civil practice law and rules.

(e) The board or any committee appointed by the chair of the board

shall meet at the request of its chair or the executive director of the

justice center. Any member of the board who fails to attend three

consecutive meetings of the board or the committee to which such member

is assigned by the chair of the board, unless excused by the chair of

the board, shall be considered to have vacated his or her office unless

otherwise ordered by the governor. The term of any such person appointed

by the governor to fill such vacancy shall be governed by the provisions

of this section.