Sec. 11.084.  SCHOOL LAND BOARD APPROVAL OF PATENT FOR INTEREST IN LAND RELEASED BY STATE.  (a)  The School Land Board may approve a tract of land for patenting to release all or part of the state's interest in land, excluding mineral rights, if the board:
(1)  finds that:
(A)  the land is surveyed, unsold, permanent school fund land according to the records of the land office;
(B)  the land is not patentable under the law in effect before January 1, 2002;  and
(C)  the person claiming title to the land:
(i)  holds the land under color of title;
(ii)  holds the land under a chain of title that originated on or before January 1, 1952;
(iii)  acquired the land without actual knowledge that title to the land was vested in the State of Texas;
(iv)  has a deed to the land recorded in the appropriate county;  and
(v)  has paid all taxes assessed on the land and any interest and penalties associated with any period of tax delinquency;  and
(2)  unanimously approves the release of the state's interest.
(b)  This section does not apply to:
(1)  beach land, submerged or filled land, or islands;  or
(2)  land that has been determined to be state-owned by judicial decree.
(c)  This section may not be used to:
(1)  resolve boundary disputes;  or
(2)  change the mineral reservation in an existing patent.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 310, Sec. 1, eff. Nov. 6, 2001.