S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
S. 3180 A. 5023
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
S E N A T E - A S S E M B L Y
February 10, 2011
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IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sens. DeFRANCISCO, JOHNSON, O'MARA -- read
twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the
Committee on Consumer Protection
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. CUSICK -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M.
of A. GUNTHER, HOOPER, MAGEE, PHEFFER -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to retention of
construction contracts
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 756-c of the general business law, as added by
chapter 127 of the laws of 2002, is amended to read as follows:
S 756-c. Retention. By mutual agreement of the relevant parties an
owner may retain a reasonable amount of the contract sum as retainage[.
A] AND FOR ANY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS, EXCLUDING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS
FINANCED BY A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, SUCH RETAINAGE SHALL BE DEPOS-
ITED IN A SEPARATE INTEREST BEARING ESCROW ACCOUNT WITH A THIRD PARTY
ESCROW AGENT. AS OF THE TIME OF THE DEPOSIT OF THE RETAINAGE, THE
RETAINED FUNDS SHALL BECOME THE SOLE AND SEPARATE PROPERTY OF THE
CONTRACTOR. INTEREST ON THE RETAINED FUNDS SHALL ACCRUE AT AN INTEREST
RATE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE PREVAILING INTEREST RATE PAID ON DEPOSITS BY
THE ESCROW AGENT. ALSO, A contractor or subcontractor may [also] retain
a reasonable amount for retainage so long as the amount does not exceed
the actual percentage [retained] DEPOSITED IN ESCROW by the owner.
[Retainage] THE ESCROWED RETAINAGE shall be released by the [owner]
OWNER'S WRITTEN DIRECTION TO THE ESCROW AGENT TO DELIVER THE ESCROWED
RETAINAGE to the contractor no later than thirty days after the final
approval of the work under a construction contract. In the event that an
owner fails to release THE ESCROWED retainage as required by this arti-
cle, or the contractor or subcontractor fails to release a proportionate
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05175-01-1
S. 3180 2 A. 5023
amount of retainage to the relevant parties WITHIN FIVE DAYS after
receipt of THE ESCROWED retainage from the owner, (I) the owner[,
contractor, or subcontractor, as the case may be, shall be subject to
the payment of interest at the rate of one percent per month on the date
retention was due and owing] SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PAYMENT OF INTER-
EST, IN ADDITION TO THE ESCROW INTEREST, AT THE RATE OF ONE PERCENT PER
MONTH COMMENCING ON THE DATE THE RETAINAGE WAS DUE TO BE RELEASED FROM
ESCROW; AND (II) THE CONTRACTOR OR SUBCONTRACTOR, AS THE CASE MAY BE,
SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PAYMENT OF INTEREST ON THE AMOUNT OF RETAINAGE
IT HOLDS AT THE RATE OF ONE PERCENT PER MONTH COMMENCING ON THE DATE THE
RETAINAGE WAS DUE TO BE RELEASED BY SUCH CONTRACTOR OR SUBCONTRACTOR.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to all
contracts entered into on or after such effective date.