§251.5. Payments under contract

            A. The department shall promptly pay all obligations arising under public contracts within thirty days of the date the obligations become due and payable under the contract. All progressive stage payments and final payments shall be paid when they, respectively, become due and payable under the contract.

            B.(1) If the department fails to make any final payments after recordation of formal final acceptance and within forty-five days following receipt of a clear lien certificate by the department, the retainage or other payments known by the department to be due and payable shall be released, but the contractor and the contractor's surety shall remain liable for any overpayment by the department to the contractor, stipulated damages for delay in a completion or work necessary to repair latent defects, or in performance of warranty work under the contract.

            (2) If the department fails to make any final payment within one hundred days after its receipt of the clear lien certificate, the department shall be liable for legal interest on the balance due on the contract.

            (3) If the department fails to make final payment as provided or neglects to promptly ascertain the final estimated quantities under the contract in bad faith, then the contractor shall be entitled to attorney fees if a mandamus to perform such acts is necessary for the contractor to receive all monies due and owed the contractor under the contract.

            C. The provisions of this Section shall not be subject to waiver by contract.

            Acts 1997, No. 1112, §1, eff. July 14, 1997; Acts 2015, No. 29, §1, eff. May 29, 2015.