IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTIES.

(a) A governmental body may appoint a governmental officer or employee or a private individual to serve as an impartial third party in an alternative dispute resolution procedure. The governmental body's appointment of the impartial third party is subject to the approval of the parties, except:

(1) that when a State Office of Administrative Hearings administrative law judge has issued an order referring a case involving a state agency to an alternative dispute resolution procedure under Section 2003.042(a)(5), the administrative law judge may appoint the impartial third party for the parties if they cannot agree on an impartial third party within a reasonable period; or

(2) for a victim-offender mediation by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as described in Article 56A.602, Code of Criminal Procedure.

(b) A governmental body also may obtain the services of a qualified impartial third party through an agreement with the Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution at The University of Texas School of Law, an alternative dispute resolution system created under Chapter 152, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, another governmental body, or a federal agency or through a pooling agreement with several governmental bodies. The agreements may provide that the using governmental body or the parties will reimburse the furnishing entity, in kind or monetarily, for the full or partial cost of providing the qualified impartial third party.

(c) A state agency may also obtain the services of a qualified third party through an agreement with the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

(d) The impartial third party must possess the qualifications required under Section 154.052, Civil Practice and Remedies Code. The impartial third party is subject to the standards and duties prescribed by Section 154.053, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and has the qualified immunity prescribed by Section 154.055, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, if applicable.