(a) If a person who is required to pay to any department of the state government an occupation, excise, gross receipts, franchise, license, or privilege tax or fee, or another tax or amount imposed under Subtitle A, Title 4, Labor Code, contends that the tax or fee is unlawful or that the department may not legally demand or collect the tax or fee, the person shall pay the amount claimed by the state, and if the person intends to bring suit under this subchapter, the person must submit with the payment a protest.
(b) The protest must be in writing and must state fully and in detail each reason for recovering the payment.
(c) The protest payment must be made within the period set out in Section 403.076 or 403.077 for the filing of a refund claim.