AI-assisted research summary: The commissioner may recommend certain real estate transactions to the governor, and several notices, comments, evaluations, and timing rules follow.
Sec. 31.1571. GOVERNOR'S REPORT. (a) At any time, the commissioner may make a report to the governor recommending real estate transactions or other actions involving any real property included in the most recent evaluation report and identified as not used or substantially underused. (b) After the commissioner recommends a real estate transaction to the governor under this section, the commissioner shall notify the state agency that owns or controls the real property and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Not later than the 60th day after the date the written recommendation is received, the state agency and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs may file with the governor their comments on or objections to the recommendation. (c) If the commissioner recommends a real estate transaction to the governor involving real property identified as not used or substantially underused and the division's analysis of the highest and best use for the real property is determined to be residential, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall evaluate the property and identify any property suitable for affordable housing. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs shall submit comments concerning any property suitable for affordable housing and any documents supporting the comments to the governor not later than the 60th day after the date it receives the report prepared under this section. (d) Any unused or underused state property may be sold or leased, or an easement over the property may be granted, to the United States for the use and benefit of the United States armed forces if the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, after consultation with appropriate military authorities, determines that the sale, lease, or easement would materially assist the military in accomplishing its mission. A sale, lease, or easement under this subsection must be at market value. The state shall retain all minerals it owns with respect to the land, but it may relinquish the right to use the surface to extract them. (e) Notwithstanding any other law, real property that the commissioner has reported as unused or substantially underused and recommended for a real estate transaction may not be developed, sold, or otherwise disposed of by the state agency that owns or controls the real property before the earlier of: (1) the date the governor rejects a recommended real estate transaction involving the real property; or (2) two years from the date the recommendation is approved, unless extended by the governor. (f) If a state agency that owns or controls real property reported as unused or substantially underused intends to dispose of or change the use of the real property prior to the time provided by Subsection (e), the governor may require a general development plan for future use of the real property or any other information. At any time, the governor may request that the state agency provide its general development plan or any other information to the land office for evaluation and may consult with the commissioner. The plan shall be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the time that the real estate transaction would be approved by operation of law if not disapproved by the governor. The governor may take such plan into consideration in determining whether to reject the commissioner's recommendation. (g) The commissioner may conduct the transaction unless the governor gives the commissioner written notice disapproving the recommendation. The governor must provide written notice of disapproval under this subsection not later than the 90th day after the date the governor receives the commissioner's written recommendation. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 484, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 14.01(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 10, eff. May 27, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1091, Sec. 15, eff. June 20, 2003. Reenacted and amended by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 728 (H.B. 2018), Sec. 14.004, eff. September 1, 2005.