N.Y. Pub. Auth. Law § 915

§ 915. Defense and indemnification. The authority shall not execute\nany of its powers, except as necessary to commence its corporate\nexistence, until it has elected to make the provision of section\neighteen of the public officers law applicable to its employees (as such\nterm is defined in section eighteen of the public officers law) pursuant\nto subdivision two of such section; provided, however, that nothing\ncontained within this section shall be deemed to permit the authority to\nextend the provisions of section eighteen of the public officers law\nupon any independent contractor.\n