AUTHORITY, POWERS, AND DUTIES OF ATTORNEY GENERAL.

(a) The attorney general may bring an action on behalf of the state or of any of its political subdivisions or tax supported institutions to recover the damages provided for by the federal antitrust laws, Title 15, United States Code, provided that the attorney general shall notify in writing any political subdivision or tax supported institution of his intention to bring any such action on its behalf, and at any time within 30 days thereafter, such political subdivision or tax supported institution may, by formal resolution of its governing body or as otherwise specifically provided by applicable law, withdraw the authority of the attorney general to bring the intended action. In any action brought pursuant to this section on behalf of any political subdivision or tax supported institution of the state, the state shall retain for deposit in the general revenue fund of the State Treasury, out of the proceeds, if any, resulting from such action, an amount equal to the expense incurred by the state in the investigation and prosecution of such action.

(b) In any action brought by the attorney general pursuant to the federal antitrust laws for the recovery of damages by the estate or any of its political subdivisions or tax supported institutions, in addition to his other powers and authority the attorney general may enter into contracts relating to the investigation and the prosecution of such action with any other party who could bring a similar action or who has brought such an action for the recovery of damages and with whom the attorney general finds it advantageous to act jointly, or to share common expenses or to cooperate in any manner relative to such action. In any such action the attorney general may undertake, among other things, either to render legal services as special counsel to, or to obtain the legal services of special counsel from, any department or agency of the United States, any other state or any department or agency thereof, any county, city, public corporation or public district of this state or of any other state, that has brought or intends to bring a similar action for the recovery of damages, or their duly authorized legal representatives in such action.