The commissioner may accept certain grants and property gifts for the state, and may manage, sell, exchange, dedicate, and rule on real property under this section, subject to stated conditions.
Sec. 31.065. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT GRANTS, GIFTS, DEVISES, TRUSTS, AND BEQUESTS. (a) In the absence of any law to the contrary, the commissioner may, if the commissioner determines it to be in the best interest of the state, accept grants, gifts, devises, or bequests, either absolutely or in trust, of money or real or personal property on behalf of the state. Real property so acquired by the state becomes public free school land unless the person making the grant, gift, devise, or bequest provides that the real property is to be possessed, administered, or used by a particular state agency, board, commission, department, or other particular state entity or provides that it is to be held in some other manner by the state. (b) Under Subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may accept a grant, gift, devise, or bequest even if it is encumbered, restricted, or subject to a beneficial interest of private persons or corporations as long as any current or future use or interest in the grant, gift, devise, or bequest is for the benefit of the state. (c) If the commissioner determines that the real property acquired by the state by grant, gift, devise, or bequest is not suitable for the purpose for which the grant, gift, devise, or bequest was originally made, the commissioner together with the agency, board, commission, department, or other state entity, if any, designated to possess, administer, or use the real property may exchange the real property for real property that is suitable for such purpose. (d) If real property acquired by grant, gift, devise, or bequest is not held as part of the permanent school fund or possessed, administered, or used by a particular state agency, board, commission, department, or other particular state entity, the commissioner may manage that real property or sell or exchange the real property under terms and conditions the commissioner determines to be in the best interest of the state. Real property sold under this subsection must be sold in accordance with Section 31.158. Proceeds of the sale that are not required for the management of real property under this subsection shall be deposited in the Texas farm and ranch lands conservation fund established under Chapter 84, Parks and Wildlife Code. Real property acquired under this subsection may be dedicated by the commissioner to any state agency, board, commission, or department, a political subdivision or other governmental entity of this state, or the federal government, for the benefit and use of the public in exchange for nonmonetary consideration, if the commissioner determines that the exchange is in the best interest of the state. (e) The commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement this section. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 208, Sec. 6, eff. Aug. 31, 1987. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1091, Sec. 10, eff. June 20, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 461 (H.B. 1138), Sec. 1, eff. June 16, 2007. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1182 (H.B. 3632), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 401 (H.B. 1925), Sec. 2, eff. June 10, 2015.