Section 2350-T. Defense and indemnification

The agency shall not execute
  any of  its  powers  except  as  necessary  to  commence  its  corporate
  existence,  until  it  has  elected  to  make  the  provision of section
  eighteen of the public officers law applicable to its employees (as such
  term is defined in section eighteen of the public officers law) pursuant
  to subdivision two of such  section;  provided,  however,  that  nothing
  contained  within  this  section shall be deemed to permit the agency to
  extend the provisions of section eighteen of  the  public  officers  law
  upon any independent contractor.