§ 2409-a. Advisory council. 1. There is hereby established in the department the cancer detection and education program advisory council, for the purpose of advising the commissioner with regards to providing information to consumers, patients, and health care providers relating, but not limited to, breast, cervical, prostate, testicular and ovarian cancer, including signs and symptoms, risk factors, the benefits of prevention and early detection, guideline concordant cancer screening and disease management, options for diagnostic testing and treatment, new technologies, and survivorship.

2. The advisory council shall: (a) make recommendations to the department regarding the promotion and implementation of programs under sections twenty-four hundred six and twenty-four hundred nine of this title; and (b) prior to the department providing grants from the New York State prostate and testicular cancer research and education fund, created pursuant to section ninety-five-e of the state finance law, advise the department on various components of the department's solicitation to distribute such funds, including but not limited to, the potential uses of the funds, the entities that may be eligible to apply for the funds, the recommended contract deliverables for entities receiving the funds, the recommended geographic distribution of the funds, and the recommended award amounts.

3. The commissioner shall appoint twenty-one voting members, which shall include representation of health care professionals, consumers, patients, one voting member who shall be a person who has or has had prostate or testicular cancer, one voting member who shall be a person who has or has had breast, cervical or ovarian cancer and other appropriate interests reflective of the diversity of the state, with expertise in breast, cervical, prostate, testicular and/or ovarian cancer. The commissioner shall appoint one member as a chairperson. The members of the council shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in performance of their duties.

4. A majority of the appointed voting membership of the board shall constitute quorum.

5. The advisory council shall meet at least twice a year, at the request of the department.