(a) When a contract calls for one party to reimburse the other party for the federal manufacturer's excise tax levied by Part III of Subchapter A of Chapter 32 of the United States Internal Revenue Code, whether as a separate item or as part of the price, there shall exist for the party making the reimbursement a contractual right relating to the timing of that payment which can be invoked at the option of such party as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section.
(b) The party making the reimbursement shall not be required to tender payment for such taxes more than one business day prior to the time that the other party is required to remit such taxes to the United States Internal Revenue Service.
(c) Should a party choose to exercise the option provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section, the other party may demand security for the payment of the taxes in proportion to the amount such taxes represent compared to the security demanded on the contract as a whole. Such party, however, may not change the other payment terms of the contract without a valid business reason other than to exercise the option as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section except to require the payment of such taxes under such option to be made by electronic transfer of funds.
(d) The party exercising the option set out in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section shall notify the other party in writing of the intent to exercise such payment option and the effective date of the exercise which shall be no earlier than 30 days after the notice of intent is received or the beginning of the next federal tax quarter, whichever is later.
(e) This Code section shall apply to all contracts now in effect which have no expiration date and are continuing contracts and to all other contracts entered into or renewed after July 1, 1993. Any contract in force and effect on July 1, 1993, which, by its own terms will terminate on a date subsequent thereto, shall be governed by the law as it existed prior to July 1, 1993.
(f) The option set out in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section shall not be construed to impair the obligations arising under any contract executed prior to July 1, 1993. Should the option set out in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section be exercised, it shall not relieve such party of the obligation to make the reimbursement as provided for in the contract but shall affect only the timing of when that reimbursement must be tendered.