(a) (1) This section shall apply with respect to all contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2012, between a public entity and an original contractor, between an original contractor and a subcontractor, and between all subcontractors thereunder, relating to the construction of any public work of improvement.

(2) Under no circumstances shall any provision of this section be construed to limit the ability of any public entity to withhold 150 percent of the value of any disputed amount of work from the final payment, as provided for in subdivision (c) of Section 7107. In the event of a good faith dispute, nothing in this section shall be construed to require a public entity to pay for work that is not approved or accepted in accordance with the proper plans or specifications.

(3) For purposes of this section, “public entity” means the state, including every state agency, office, department, division, bureau, board, or commission, the California State University, the University of California, a city, county, city and county, including charter cities and charter counties, district, special district, public authority, political subdivision, public corporation, or nonprofit transit corporation wholly owned by a public agency and formed to carry out the purposes of the public agency.

(b) (1) The retention proceeds withheld from any payment by a public entity from the original contractor, by the original contractor from any subcontractor, and by a subcontractor from any subcontractor thereunder shall not exceed 5 percent of the payment. In no event shall the total retention proceeds withheld exceed 5 percent of the contract price. In a contract between the original contractor and a subcontractor, and in a contract between a subcontractor and any subcontractor thereunder, the percentage of the retention proceeds withheld shall not exceed the percentage specified in the contract between the public entity and the original contractor.

(2) This subdivision shall not apply if the contractor provides written notice to the subcontractor, pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 4108, prior to, or at, the time that the bid is requested, that bonds shall be required, and the subcontractor subsequently is unable or refuses to furnish to the contractor a performance and payment bond issued by an admitted surety insurer.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, the retention proceeds withheld from any payment by an awarding entity set forth in paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 10106, from the original contractor, by the original contractor from any subcontractor, and by a subcontractor from any subcontractor thereunder, may exceed 5 percent on specific projects where the director of the department has made a finding prior to the bid that the project is substantially complex and therefore requires a higher retention amount than 5 percent and the department includes in the bid documents details explaining the basis for the finding and the actual retention amount. In a contract between the original contractor and a subcontractor, and in a contract between a subcontractor and any subcontractor thereunder, the percentage of the retention proceeds withheld shall not exceed the percentage specified in the contract between the department and the original contractor.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision, the retention proceeds withheld from any payment by the awarding entity of a city, county, city and county, including charter cities and charter counties, district, special district, public authority, political subdivision, public corporation, or nonprofit transit corporation wholly owned by a public agency and formed to carry out the purposes of the public agency, from the original contractor, by the original contractor from any subcontractor, and by a subcontractor from any subcontractor thereunder, may exceed 5 percent on specific projects where the governing body of the public entity or designee, including, but not limited to, a general manager or other director of an appropriate department, has approved a finding, on a project by project basis, during a properly noticed and normally scheduled public hearing and prior to bid that the project is substantially complex and therefore requires a higher retention amount than 5 percent and the awarding entity includes in the bid documents details explaining the basis for the finding and the actual retention amount. In a contract between the original contractor and a subcontractor, and in a contract between a subcontractor and any subcontractor thereunder, the percentage of the retention proceeds withheld shall not exceed the percentage specified in the contract between the department and the original contractor.

(5) Any finding by a public entity that a project is substantially complex shall include a description of the specific project and why it is a unique project that is not regularly, customarily, or routinely performed by the agency or licensed contractors.

(c) A party identified in subdivision (a) shall not require any other party to waive any provision of this section.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2023, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2023, deletes or extends that date.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 37, Sec. 1. (AB 92) Effective January 1, 2023. Repealed as of January 1, 2023, by its own provisions.)