(a) In expending funds for any project under this chapter, a school district acts as an agent of the state and all sites purchased and improved, all equipment purchased, and all buildings constructed, altered or added to through the expenditure of funds apportioned under this chapter, are declared to be, and are, the property of the state.

(b) The Director of General Services shall file with the county recorder of the county in which any site purchased or improved through the expenditure of funds under this chapter is located a certificate, properly acknowledged, indicating the state’s interest in real property of the district by virtue of this section, without the necessity of particularizing the real property. The recorder shall record and index the certificate in the same manner as abstracts of judgments and the certificate shall constitute constructive notice of the state’s interest in the particular real property affected. The certificate shall, as to any party thereafter acquiring real property or any interest therein in the county from the school district, have the same force, effect and priority as if it had been a judgment lien imposed upon real property which was not exempt from execution. That effect shall commence upon recordation and shall continue until the certificate is discharged or released as provided herein.

(c) Upon request, the Director of General Services shall issue either of the following:

(1) A release of the state’s interest in any real property or a portion thereof that the district has been authorized by the board to dispose of under Section 17039, provided that delivery of such release may be subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the board to protect the state’s interest.

(2) A disclaimer of the state’s interest in any real property or a portion thereof of the district, the disposition of which the board is not required to consent to under the terms of Section 17039, provided that the delivery of such disclaimer may be subject to such conditions as the board deems appropriate to protect the interest of the state, including conditions relating to the amount of consideration to be received from the disposition where the board asserts an interest in the proceeds of such disposition under other provisions of this chapter. The release or disclaimer shall conclusively protect any third party relying upon the same and shall be acknowledged to permit recordation by the county recorder.

(d) Upon payment by the district of all amounts required to be paid by it, or on its behalf, to the state under this chapter, each of the following shall occur:

(1) The Director of General Services shall file with the county recorder a release of any certificate, which release shall be recorded and indexed in the same index as the certificate.

(2) The title to personal property purchased by the school district with funds apportioned under this chapter shall revert thereto without further action by the state.

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 277, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997. Operative January 1, 1998.)