CONTRACTS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PROPERTY RECOVERABLE BY THE STATE

(a) The comptroller may contract with a person for the receipt of information about a possible claim that the state may be entitled to pursue for the recovery of revenue or other property. (b) In a contract under Subsection (a), the total consideration to be paid by the state: (1) must be contingent on a recovery by the state; (2) may not exceed five percent of the amount of the revenue or the value of the other property that the state recovers as a result of the pursuit of the claim about which the contracting person provided information; and (3) may be limited by agreement not to exceed a specified, absolute dollar amount. (c) Consideration may not be paid by the state under a contract executed under Subsection (a) if, at the time the contract is executed or within three months after the date of execution and by means other than disclosure under the contract, a state employee has knowledge of the claim disclosed under the contract or has knowledge of a cause of action different from that disclosed under the contract but entitling the state to recover the same revenue or other property. An affidavit by a state employee claiming that knowledge under those circumstances is prima facie evidence of the knowledge and circumstances. (d) This section does not apply to or affect property that is recoverable by the state under Chapters 71 through 75, Property Code. (e) If the state recovers property in connection with a contract executed under this section and payment of the contractual consideration is not prohibited by Subsection (c), an amount not to exceed five percent of the amount of revenue or proceeds from the sale of property recovered shall be deposited to the credit of the comptroller's operating fund for payment of the consideration. The balance of the revenue or proceeds from the sale of property recovered shall be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund or to any special fund as required by law.