N.Y. MHR Law § 2

§ 2. Definitions. As used in this chapter the following terms shall\nmean or include:\n 1. "Charter." A state statute or a local law which establishes or\ncontinues a specific county, city or village as a municipal corporation\nor body politic and includes the fundamental provisions defining,\nextending or limiting its corporate powers or affecting the framework of\nits government.\n 2. "Charter amendment." A new charter or any change in an existing\ncharter presented as such under authority of this chapter or any state\nstatute or charter. A charter amendment may be of any extent and may\ndeal with any number of subjects.\n 3. "Clerk." The clerk of the board of supervisors of a county, the\nclerk of a city, town or village or, if there be no officer so\ndesignated, an officer exercising corresponding duties.\n 4. "Elective chief executive officer." The chief executive officer of\na county elected on a county-wide basis or if there be none the chairman\nof the board of supervisors, the mayor of a city or village or the\nsupervisor of a town, where such officer is vested with power to approve\nor veto local laws or ordinances.\n 5. "General law." A state statute which in terms and in effect applies\nalike to all counties, all counties other than those wholly included\nwithin a city, all cities, all towns or all villages.\n 6. "Law." A state statute, charter or local law.\n 7. "Legislative body." The board of supervisors, board of aldermen,\ncommon council, council, commission, town board, board of trustees or\nother elective governing board or body now or hereafter vested by state\nstatute, charter or other law with jurisdiction to initiate and adopt\nlocal laws or ordinances, whether or not such local laws or ordinances\nrequire the approval of the elective chief executive officer or other\nofficial or body to become effective.\n 8. "Local government." A county, city, town or village.\n 9. "Local law." A law (a) adopted pursuant to this chapter or to other\nauthorization of a state statute or charter by the legislative body of a\nlocal government, or (b) proposed by a charter commission or by\npetition, and ratified by popular vote, as provided in article four of\nthis chapter or as provided in a state statute, charter or local law;\nbut shall not mean or include an ordinance, resolution or other similar\nact of the legislative body or of any other board or body.\n 10. "New charter." A charter which supersedes or repeals an existing\ncharter in its entirety or in the manner provided in subdivision four or\nsubdivision five of section thirty-six of this chapter.\n 11. "Public corporation." A municipal corporation, a district\ncorporation or a public benefit corporation as defined in section three\nof the general corporation law.\n 12. "Special law." A state statute which in terms and in effect\napplies to one or more, but not all, counties, counties other than those\nwholly included within a city, cities, towns or villages.\n