1. The Albany Pine Bush preserve commission is hereby established in the department to be a body corporate and public and to consist of eleven voting members who shall be as follows: the commissioner, the commissioner of the state office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, the mayor of the city of Albany, the town supervisors of the towns of Colonie and Guilderland, the chief executive officer of the county of Albany, the state director of the New York field office of the nature conservancy and four members to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The four appointed private citizen members of the commission shall be by training, education, experience or attainment qualified to analyze or interpret or support matters relevant to the protection, maintenance and/or management of the Albany Pine Bush. Each of the seven ex-officio members may designate a representative to attend, in his or her place, meetings of the commission and to act in his or her behalf. The Governor shall designate the chairman. The term of office of the four private citizen members shall be four years. In the event of a vacancy occurring other than by the expiration of a member's term, such vacancy shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.

2. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder. Members and staff of the commission shall be considered state employees for the purposes of sections seventeen and nineteen of the public officers law.