Section 8600. Intent and short title

It is the intent of this article,
  which may hereafter be known and cited as  the  "New  York  State  Equal
  Access  to  Justice Act", to create a mechanism authorizing the recovery
  of counsel fees and other reasonable expenses in certain actions against
  the state of  New  York,  similar  to  the  provisions  of  federal  law
  contained  in  28  U.S.C. § 2412(d) and the significant body of case law
  that has evolved thereunder.