§ 191.053. CONTRACT FOR DISCOVERY AND SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION.

(a) The committee may contract with other state agencies or political subdivisions and with qualified private institutions, corporations, or individuals for the discovery and scientific investigation of sunken or abandoned ships or wrecks of the sea, or any part of the contents of them, or archeological deposits or treasure imbedded in the earth.

(b) The contract shall:

(1) be on a form approved by the attorney general;

(2) specify the location, nature of the activity, and the time period covered by the contract; and

(3) provide for the termination of any right in the investigator or permittee under the contract on the violation of any of the terms of the contract.

(c) The executed contract shall be recorded by the person, firm, or corporation obtaining the contract in the office of the county clerk in the county or counties in which the operations are to be conducted prior to the commencement of the operation.

(d) Title to all objects recovered is retained by the State of Texas unless and until it is released by the committee.