Sec. 403.0301. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. (a) The comptroller may:

(1) apply for, register, secure, hold, and protect under the laws of the United States or any state or nation:

(A) a patent for the invention, discovery, or improvement of any process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter;

(B) a copyright for an original work of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression, known or later developed, from which it can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device;

(C) a trademark, service mark, collective mark, or certification mark for a word, name, symbol, device, or slogan that the comptroller uses to identify and distinguish the comptroller's goods and services from other goods and services; or

(D) other evidence of protection or exclusivity issued for intellectual property;

(2) contract with a person for the sale, lease, marketing, or other distribution of the comptroller's intellectual property;

(3) obtain under a contract described in Subdivision (2) a royalty, license right, or other appropriate means of securing reasonable compensation for the development or purchase of the comptroller's intellectual property; and

(4) waive or reduce the amount of compensation secured by contract under Subdivision (3) if the comptroller determines that the waiver or reduction will:

(A) further a goal or mission of the comptroller; and

(B) result in a net benefit to the state.

(b) Intellectual property is excepted from required disclosure under Chapter 552:

(1) beginning on the date the comptroller decides to seek a patent, trademark, service mark, collective mark, certification mark, or other evidence of protection of exclusivity concerning the property; and

(2) ending on the date the comptroller receives a decision about the comptroller's application for a patent, trademark, service mark, collective mark, certification mark, or other evidence of protection of exclusivity concerning the property.

(c) Except as provided by Section 2054.115(c), money paid to the comptroller under this section shall be deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law of this state, the comptroller may award to an employee of the comptroller who conceives, creates, discovers, invents, or develops intellectual property an appropriate amount of equity interest or participation in the research, development, licensing, or exploitation of that property.

(e) The comptroller shall establish intellectual property policies for the comptroller's office that include minimum standards for:

(1) the public disclosure or availability of products, technology, and scientific information, including inventions, discoveries, trade secrets, and computer software;

(2) review by the comptroller's office of products, technology, and scientific information, including consideration of ownership and appropriate legal protection;

(3) the licensing of products, technology, and scientific information;

(4) the identification of ownership and licensing responsibilities for each class of intellectual property; and

(5) royalty participation by inventors and the comptroller's office.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1158, Sec. 12, eff. June 15, 2001.