In the event that the department shall carry out a project paid for by the beneficiaries, as provided by various parts in this article, the department may, if such procedure shall be found to be just and reasonable, require that the state be reimbursed for costs which may have been paid from state appropriations. This reimbursement may cover costs and expenses incurred prior to the time the project funds could be made available for salaries and expenses for regular employees of any state department who may have devoted all or a part of their time to that particular project, except this is not intended to apply to the salaries of the members of the department engaged only in general administrative work in connection with the project.
New York Legal Code