Section 44-0111. Greenway heritage conservancy for the Hudson river valley

1.   It   is   hereby   found,   determined   and  declared  that  the
  reestablishment of the greenway  heritage  conservancy  for  the  Hudson
  river  valley  and  the carrying out of its corporate purposes is in all
  respects for the benefit of the people of the state of New York, for the
  preservation and enhancement of the natural and  historic  resources  of
  the  Hudson  river  valley  and  in  furtherance  of  their  welfare and
  prosperity, and is a public purpose, in that  the  conservancy  will  be
  performing  an  essential  governmental  function in the exercise of the
  powers conferred upon it by this title and the conservancy shall not  be
  required  to  pay  taxes  or  assessments  upon any of the real property
  interests or rights acquired by it or under its jurisdiction or control,
  or upon its activities in the operation and maintenance of such property
  interests or rights or use of  any  moneys,  revenues  or  other  income
  received  by  the  conservancy.  All  contributions  of real or personal
  property interests or rights made to the conservancy  whether  by  gift,
  devise  or bequest shall to the extent deductible for federal income tax
  purposes, be deductible for purposes  of  the  tax  law  to  the  extent
  provided therein.
    2.  The  heritage  task  force  for  the Hudson river valley is hereby
  reestablished in the executive department to be  the  greenway  heritage
  conservancy  for  the  Hudson  river valley a body corporate and politic
  constituting a public benefit corporation and to  consist  of  seventeen
  voting  members  and  nine  non-voting members. All voting members shall
  reside within the greenway and may designate representatives to  act  in
  their  stead.  The  governor  shall appoint three voting members, one of
  whom shall  also  be  the  chairperson.  Two  voting  members  shall  be
  appointed  by  the temporary president of the senate; two voting members
  shall be appointed by the speaker of the  assembly;  one  voting  member
  shall  be  appointed  by  the  minority leader of the senate; one voting
  member shall be appointed by the minority leader  of  the  assembly  and
  eight  voting members shall be appointed by the council. A member of the
  council may not be appointed to be a voting member of  the  conservancy.
  The  commissioner  and  the  commissioners  of  the state departments of
  transportation, agriculture and markets and economic development and the
  offices of parks,  recreation  and  historic  preservation  and  general
  services,  the  secretary  of  state,  the  chairman of the state senate
  committee on environmental conservation and the chairman  of  the  state
  assembly  committee  on  environmental  conservation,  or  such members'
  designated representatives, shall be nonvoting,  ex-officio  members  of
  the  conservancy.  The term of office of voting members commencing as of
  the effective date of this section shall be four years except that  five
  of  the  first  voting  members appointed pursuant to this section shall
  have a two-year term and that another five of the first  voting  members
  appointed  pursuant  to  this section shall have a three-year term. Each
  member appointed to such task force by the commissioner before enactment
  of this section, shall continue in  office  until  a  quorum  of  voting
  members  has  been appointed. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the
  office of any member, such vacancy shall be filled for  the  balance  of
  the  unexpired  term,  if applicable, in the same manner as the original
  appointment.
    3. The  conservancy  shall  actively  seek  qualified  candidates  for
  membership and shall recommend such candidates to the governor.