(a) The department may lease a rest area to a person engaging in sales, services, or other commercial activities that serve the needs of the traveling public.
(b) The department shall require the person to maintain the rest area in a proper manner and repair promptly any damage to the rest area caused by the person or a customer of the person, or pay to the state all expenses incurred by the department in repairing the damage.
(c) The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.
(d) Section 94.002, Human Resources Code, does not apply to a lease authorized under this section.