1. (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. (1) finds that:

      1. (A) the land is surveyed, unsold, permanent school fund land according to the records of the land office;
      2. (B) the land is not patentable under the law in effect before January 1, 2002; and

      3. (C) the person claiming title to the land:

         1. (i) holds the land under color of title;
         2. (ii) holds the land under a chain of title that originated on or before January 1, 1952;
         3. (iii) acquired the land without actual knowledge that title to the land was vested in the State of Texas;
         4. (iv) has a deed to the land recorded in the appropriate county; and
         5. (v) has paid all taxes assessed on the land and any interest and penalties associated with any period of tax delinquency; and
   2. (2) unanimously approves the release of the state's interest.

2. (b) This section does not apply to:

   1. (1) beach land, submerged or filled land, or islands; or
   2. (2) land that has been determined to be state-owned by judicial decree.

3. (c) This section may not be used to:

   1. (1) resolve boundary disputes; or
   2. (2) change the mineral reservation in an existing patent.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 310, Sec. 1, eff. Nov. 6, 2001.