Sec. 11.071. RECOVERY OF VALUE OF MINERALS AND TIMBER. (a) At least semiannually, the commissioner and the county attorney of each county shall report to the attorney general the name and address of each person who has taken any minerals or other property of value from public land or who has cut, used, destroyed, sold, or otherwise appropriated any timber from public land and shall report any other data within their knowledge. The county attorneys also shall assist the attorney general relating to these matters in any manner he requests.
(b) The attorney general shall file suit in any county in which all or part of the injury occurred or in the county in which the defendant resides to recover the value of the property, or with the consent of the governor, the attorney general may compromise and settle any of these liabilities with or without suit.
(c) The attorney general shall pay all amounts collected or received by him to the permanent funds to which they belong.
(d) From amounts recovered by suit, the attorney general shall receive a fee of 10 percent and the county attorney shall receive a fee of five percent, and from amounts recovered by compromise, the attorney general and county attorney shall each receive one-half of the fees to be taxed against the defendant as costs. No county attorney may receive compensation from cases not reported by him to the attorney general.
(e) Except as otherwise provided by law, no person may use for his benefit or cut or remove any mineral, plant, or anything of value located on land belonging to the permanent school fund without proper authority from the commissioner.
(f) In addition to any other penalties provided by law, a person violating the provisions of Subsection (e) of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each thing of value cut, used, or removed. All civil penalties collected under this subsection shall be credited to the permanent school fund.
Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2352, ch. 871, art. I, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 208, Sec. 9, eff. Aug. 31, 1987.
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