§ 2824. Role and responsibilities of board members. 1. Board members of state and local authorities shall (a) execute direct oversight of the authority's chief executive and other management in the effective and ethical management of the authority; (b) understand, review and monitor the implementation of fundamental financial and management controls and operational decisions of the authority; (c) establish policies regarding the payment of salary, compensation and reimbursements to, and establish rules for the time and attendance of, the chief executive and management; (d) adopt a code of ethics applicable to each officer, director and employee that, at a minimum, includes the standards established in section seventy-four of the public officers law; (e) establish written policies and procedures on personnel including policies protecting employees from retaliation for disclosing information concerning acts of wrongdoing, misconduct, malfeasance, or other inappropriate behavior by an employee or board member of the authority, investments, travel, the acquisition of real property and the disposition of real and personal property and the procurement of goods and services; (f) adopt a defense and indemnification policy and disclose such plan to any and all prospective board members; (g) perform each of their duties as board members, including but not limited to those imposed by this section, in good faith and with that degree of diligence, care and skill which an ordinarily prudent person in like position would use under similar circumstances, and may take into consideration the views and policies of any elected official or body, or other person and ultimately apply independent judgment in the best interest of the authority, its mission and the public; (h) at the time that each member takes and subscribes his or her oath of office, or within sixty days after the effective date of this paragraph if the member has already taken and subscribed his or her oath of office, execute an acknowledgment, in the form prescribed by the authorities budget office after consultation with the attorney general, in which the board member acknowledges that he or she understands his or her role, and fiduciary responsibilities as set forth in paragraph (g) of this subdivision, and acknowledges that he or she understands his or her duty of loyalty and care to the organization and commitment to the authority's mission and the public interest.
2. Individuals appointed to the board of a public authority shall participate in state approved training regarding their legal, fiduciary, financial and ethical responsibilities as directors of an authority within one year of appointment to a board. Board members shall participate in such continuing training as may be required to remain informed of best practices, regulatory and statutory changes relating to the effective oversight of the management and financial activities of public authorities and to adhere to the highest standards of responsible governance.
3. No chair who is also the chief executive officer shall participate in determining the level of compensation or reimbursement, or time and attendance rules for the position of chief executive officer.
4. Board members of each state and local authority, or subsidiary thereof, shall establish an audit committee to be comprised of not less than three independent members, who shall constitute a majority on the committee, and who shall possess the necessary skills to understand the duties and functions of the audit committee; provided, however, that in the event that a board has less than three independent members, the board may appoint non-independent members to the audit committee, provided that the independent members must constitute a majority of the members of the audit committee. The committee shall recommend to the board the hiring of a certified independent accounting firm for such authority, establish the compensation to be paid to the accounting firm and provide direct oversight of the performance of the independent audit performed by the accounting firm hired for such purposes.
5. Notwithstanding any provision of any general, special or local law, municipal charter or ordinance to the contrary, no board of a state or local authority shall, directly or indirectly, including through any subsidiary, extend or maintain credit, arrange for the extension of credit, or renew an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any officer, board member or employee (or equivalent thereof) of the authority.
6. Members of the audit committee shall be familiar with corporate financial and accounting practices.
7. Board members of each state and local authority, or subsidiary thereof, shall establish a governance committee to be comprised of not less than three independent members, who shall constitute a majority on the committee, and who shall possess the necessary skills to understand the duties and functions of the governance committee; provided, however, that in the event that a board has less than three independent members, the board may appoint non-independent members to the governance committee, provided that the independent members must constitute a majority of the members of the governance committee. It shall be the responsibility of the members of the governance committee to keep the board informed of current best governance practices; to review corporate governance trends; to recommend updates to the authority's corporate governance principles; to advise appointing authorities on the skills and experiences required of potential board members; to examine ethical and conflict of interest issues; to perform board self-evaluations; and to recommend by-laws which include rules and procedures for conduct of board business.
8. Board members of each state and local authority, or subsidiary thereof which issues debt, shall establish a finance committee to be comprised of not less than three independent members, who shall constitute a majority on the committee, and who shall possess the necessary skills to understand the duties and functions of the committee; provided, however, that in the event that a board has less than three independent members, the board may appoint non-independent members to the finance committee, provided that the independent members must constitute a majority of the members of the finance committee. It shall be the responsibility of the members of the finance committee to review proposals for the issuance of debt by the authority and its subsidiaries and make recommendations.
