* § 83-i. Legislative commission on the development of rural\nresources.
1.The legislature hereby finds and declares that the\neconomic and social well-being of the people of the state is clearly\nrelated to the state's rural resources. The rural economy and\nenvironment contribute greatly to the quality and maintenance of life in\nNew York state. Rural areas offer an important alternative to urban\nliving. Agriculture, forestry, mineral extractions, tourism and\nrecreation in rural areas constitute much of New York's agricultural\nbase. New York's indispensable rural resources are decentralized,\ndiverse and unique, and their enhancement and protection require special\nattention in view of their special characterization and needs. The\nlegislature further finds that a commission is ne
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* § 83-i. Legislative commission on the development of rural\nresources. 1. The legislature hereby finds and declares that the\neconomic and social well-being of the people of the state is clearly\nrelated to the state's rural resources. The rural economy and\nenvironment contribute greatly to the quality and maintenance of life in\nNew York state. Rural areas offer an important alternative to urban\nliving. Agriculture, forestry, mineral extractions, tourism and\nrecreation in rural areas constitute much of New York's agricultural\nbase. New York's indispensable rural resources are decentralized,\ndiverse and unique, and their enhancement and protection require special\nattention in view of their special characterization and needs. The\nlegislature further finds that a commission is necessary to review and\nreassess state policies and programs and their impact upon rural\nresources and to make recommendations thereon to promote the enhancement\nand protection of such resources.\n 2. A legislative commission on the development of rural resources is\nhereby established (a) to examine the impact of rural resources upon the\nstate's economy; (b) to review existing laws and regulations as they\npertain to rural resources; (c) to assess the effect of state policies\ngenerally on rural areas; (d) to reassess the effectiveness of programs\nspecifically addressed to rural resource needs and problems, such as\nagricultural districting, agricultural product promotion, maintenance of\nagricultural land, forest management, tax exemptions for agricultural\nand forest land, oil and gas regulation, and tourism and recreation; and\n(e) to make such recommendations to the legislature for action as it\ndetermines necessary for the enhancement and protection of the state's\nrural resources.\n 3. The commission shall consist of ten members to be appointed as\nfollows: three members of the senate shall be appointed by the temporary\npresident of the senate; three members of the assembly shall be\nappointed by the speaker of the assembly; two members of the senate\nshall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and two members\nof the assembly shall be appointed by the minority leader of the\nassembly. From among the members as appointed, a senate chairman and an\nassembly chairman shall be appointed jointly by the temporary president\nof the senate and the speaker of the assembly. Any vacancy that occurs\nin the chairmanships or other membership of the commission shall be\nfilled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made. No\nmember, officer, or employee of the commission shall be disqualified\nfrom holding any other public office or employment, nor shall he forfeit\nany such office or employment by reason of his appointment hereunder,\nnotwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or local law,\nordinance, or city charter.\n 4. The commission may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel as\nit may deem necessary for the performance of the commission's functions\nand fix their compensation within the amount appropriated therefor. The\ncommission may hold public and private hearings, and otherwise have all\nof the powers of a legislative committee under this chapter. The members\nof the commission shall receive no compensation for their services,\nexcept as provided pursuant to section five-a of this chapter, but shall\nbe allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the\nperformance of their duties hereunder.\n 5. Employees of the commission shall be considered to be employees of\nthe legislature for all purposes.\n 6. The commission may request and shall receive from any court,\ndepartment, division, board, or bureau, commission, or agency of the\nstate such assistance and data as will enable the commission properly to\ncarry out its powers and duties hereunder.\n 7. The commission is hereby authorized and empowered to make and sign\nany agreements, and to do and perform any acts that may be necessary,\ndesirable or proper to carry out the purpose and objectives of this\nsection.\n * NB Repealed June 30, 2026\n