N.Y. JUD Law § 33

§ 33. Expense of certain criminal prosecutions to be borne by the\nstate. The expenses of an investigation or prosecution in any county of\na matter or charge connected with, growing out of or relating to a\ncontract or contracts between the state, or any department, board,\ncommission or officer thereof, and any individual, firm or corporation,\nif such prosecution or investigation shall have been ordered, directed,\nor recommended by the governor, the legislature, a joint committee of\nboth houses of the legislature or a committee of either house, shall be\nborne by the state. Such expenses shall be paid in the first instance by\nthe county, as the expenses of other criminal investigations or\nprosecutions therein, but the county shall be reimbursed therefor out of\nmoneys appropriated for such purpose. Payments by the state under this\nsection shall be made from the treasury on the audit and warrant of the\ncomptroller to the order of the treasurer of the proper county, upon his\ncertified statement of the items of expenses paid by the county on\naccount of such investigations or prosecutions, accompanied by the\nwritten approval of the attorney-general thereon. Such payments may be\nmade at any time during the pendency of any such investigation or\nprosecution, for expenses accrued and paid by the county to the date of\nthe account, but not oftener than once in three months.\n