Sec. 52.035. AGREEMENTS WITH U.S. GOVERNMENT. (a) The governor may execute agreements on behalf of the state to obtain access to confidential and proprietary information from the secretary of the United States Department of the Interior regarding exploration, development, or production of oil, gas, or other minerals on the outer continental shelf. The governor may agree to waive sovereign immunity and other defenses as prescribed by this section, and may agree to indemnify the United States government from unauthorized disclosure of the information obtained.
(b) The information obtained from the Department of the Interior under an agreement executed under Subsection (a) of this section is confidential and may not be used publicly, opened to public inspection, or disclosed, except that the information may be examined and used by the governor and the commissioner of the General Land Office, or their designees, for the administration of their official duties and to assure a fair and equitable division of federal revenues derived from leasing lands adjacent to the boundaries of this state.
(c) The state waives its right to claim sovereign immunity in any action commenced against the state for unauthorized disclosure of the confidential information obtained from the Department of the Interior under an agreement executed by the governor under Subsection (a) of this section, and waives its right to claim that an employee who revealed privileged information was acting outside the scope of employment by disclosing the information.
(d) The state agrees to hold the United States government harmless from any actions or damages brought as a result of the acts or omissions of the state or its employees in releasing proprietary information obtained under an agreement executed under Subsection (a) of this section.
Added by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 923, Sec. 15, eff. Aug. 26, 1985. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 897, Sec. 25, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Structure Texas Statutes
Subtitle D - Disposition of the Public Domain
Subchapter B. Lease of Public School and Gulf Land
Section 52.011. Area Subject to Lease
Section 52.012. Conditions for Lease
Section 52.013. Determination of Lease Price and Delay Rentals
Section 52.014. Date for Lease and Notice
Section 52.017. Keeping and Opening Bids
Section 52.018. Void Application
Section 52.020. Return of Payments on Rejected Applications
Section 52.023. Lease Provisions for Drilling and Reworking
Section 52.024. Lease Provisions for Shut-in Oil or Gas Royalty and Compensatory Royalty
Section 52.026. Lease Transfer
Section 52.027. Lease Relinquishment
Section 52.028. Suspension of Lease Because of Litigation
Section 52.029. Forfeiture of Rights
Section 52.030. Refund of Lease Money in Certain Situations
Section 52.0301. Suspension of Terms of Lease in Certain Situations
Section 52.031. Extension of Lease by Commissioner
Section 52.032. Regulation of Development and Operations