N.Y. LEG Law § 60

§ 60. Testimony before legislative committees. A legislative committee\nmay require the attendance of witnesses in this state whom the committee\nmay wish to examine, or may issue a commission for the examination of\nwitnesses who are out of the state or unable to attend the committee or\nexcused from attendance, which commission if directed by the house or\nlegislature by which the committee is appointed may be executed during\nthe recess of the legislature. A commission issued as provided by this\nsection shall be in the form used in the courts of record of this state\nand shall be executed in like manner. Unless otherwise instructed by the\ncommittee appointing them the commissioners shall examine privately\nevery witness attending before them and shall not make public the\nparticulars of such examination. No committee of either house or a joint\ncommittee of both houses shall have the power to take testimony at a\nprivate hearing or at a public hearing unless at least two of its\nmembers are present at such hearing.\n