H.B. No. 1679
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the General Land Office's determination as to the
  existence of vacant public school land.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.176(a), Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  To purchase or lease land claimed to be vacant, a person
  must file a vacancy application on a form prescribed by the
  commissioner. A completed application must include:
               (1)  a description of the land claimed to be vacant that
  is sufficient to locate the land on the ground;
               (2)  a written statement indicating whether the
  applicant seeks to purchase the land claimed to be vacant or obtain
  a mineral lease on the land or both purchase the land and obtain a
  mineral lease on the land;
               (3)  a list, in a format prescribed by the
  commissioner, containing the name and last known mailing address of
  each necessary party whose name appears in the records described by
  Section 51.172(4)(C);
               (4)  an affidavit executed by the applicant affirming
  that the applicant conducted a diligent search of all the records
  described by Section 51.172(4)(C) in preparing the list required by
  Subdivision (3);
               (5)  if applicable, a statement of the basis for and
  documentary proof for an assertion of good-faith-claimant status;
               (6)  at the applicant's discretion:
                     (A)  a survey report, including:
                           (i)  the field notes describing the land and
  the lines and corners surveyed; and
                           (ii)  a plat depicting the results of the
  survey; or
                     (B)  an abstract of title to any land that adjoins
  the land claimed to be vacant; and
               (7)  any other information required by the
  commissioner.
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.180(b), Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  If the applicant fails to provide sufficient evidence,
  as determined by the commissioner, the commissioner shall, not
  later than the 30th day after the application commencement date,
  appoint an attorney ad litem to:
               (1)  identify all necessary parties; and
               (2)  represent the interests of any necessary party
  [identified under Section 51.176(a)(3)] that has not been located.
         SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a vacancy application filed on or after the effective date of
  this Act. A vacancy application filed before the effective date of
  this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the
  effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
  that purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1679 was passed by the House on April
  27, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 133, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1679 was passed by the Senate on May
  22, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor