§ 122-a. Independent audit of annual financial statements. 1. The chairmen and ranking minority members of the senate finance committee and the assembly ways and means committee, in order to ensure that the provisions of this section and paragraph b of subdivision nine of section eight of this chapter are complied with, shall function as an audit committee for the purposes of receiving the results of each independent audit prepared pursuant to section eight of this chapter.

2. The comptroller, the director of the budget, the state treasurer, the commissioner of taxation and finance, and any other state officer or employee shall make available upon request to such independent certified public accountant all books and records relevant to such independent audit.

3. The cost of the audit shall be paid out of amounts appropriated for such purpose.

4. The scope of any audit performed pursuant to this section shall be an audit of all of the basic financial statements and all of the supporting schedules required by generally accepted accounting principles to be included in a comprehensive annual financial report.

5. Each member of the audit committee shall be entitled to designate a representative to attend meetings of such committee in his place, and to vote or otherwise act on his behalf in his absence. Notice of such designation shall be furnished in writing to such committee by the designating member. A representative shall serve at the pleasure of the designating member during the member's term of office. A representative shall not be authorized to delegate any of his duties or functions to any other person.