Changes To California’s Mechanic’s Lien Laws:

Effective January 1, 2012 and July 1, 2012

Hanson Bridgett LLP

Agenda/Topics1. Senate Bill 293

• Background• Significant Changes Effective Jan. 1, 2012

– Prompt Payment Statutes– Retention – Notice Requirements For Payment Bond Claims

2. Senate Bills 189 & 190• Background• Significant Changes Effective July 1, 2012

– Technical Changes:• Recodification• Terminology

– Substantive Changes:• Preliminary Notice Requirements• Completion Equivalents• Notices of Completion• Release/Payment Bonds• Waivers & Releases

SB 293 Background

• Purpose: "With California's economy and cash flow continuing to tighten, it is important for contractors to keep close controls on payments, moneys owed, as well as potential disputes.” With this concern in mind, the legislature enacted SB 293 to adjust the rights and time periods governing payment and claims for payment between owners, contractors and subcontractors.

• Changes took effect on January 1, 2012.

• This new law will remain in effect only until January 1, 2016 and, as of that date, is repealed unless subsequent legislation deletes the sunset provision or extends the law.

Significant Changes

• Prompt Payment Statutes

• Retention

• Notice Requirements for Payment Bond Claims

Prompt Payment Statutes(Private & Public Works)

Pre-Jan. 1, 2012• B. & P. §7108.5 (Private/Public) –

Contractors and subcontractors required to pay the amount owed to their subcontractors within 10 days after receipt of each progress payment.

• P.C.C. §10262 &10262.5 (Public) – Contractors and subcontractors required to pay the amount owed to their subcontractors within 10 days after receipt of each progress payment

Effective Jan. 1, 2012• B. & P. §7108.5 –Now requires

such payments be made no later than 7 days after receipt of each progress payment.

• P.C.C. §10262 & 10262.5 – Now requires such payments be made no later than 7 days after receipt of each progress payment.

Note – Compliance avoids possible disciplinary action and assessment of prompt payment penalties.

Retention Limits(Public Works)

Pre-Jan. 1, 2012• No statutory cap on retention.

Public entities customarily withheld 10% of the contract price as retention proceeds until final completion and acceptance of the project.

Effective Jan. 1, 2012• P.C.C. §7201 - Prohibits public

entities, their contractors and subcontractors from withholding more than 5% of the contract price as retention.

• Exceptions:– Retention may exceed 5% for projects

deemed to be “substantially complex.” No definition for “substantially complex.”

– Retention may exceed 5% if, at or prior to the time of bid, contractor notifies sub that a bond is required and sub fails to furnish a performance and payment bond.

Payment Bond Notice Requirements(Public Works)

Pre-Jan. 1, 2012• C.C. §3252 – If claimant fails to

serve a 20-day preliminary notice, claimant may still make claim against contractor’s payment bond if claimant served notice on the surety and bond principal within 15 days after recordation of a N.O.C. or, within 75 days of the project’s completion if there is no N.O.C.

Effective Jan. 1, 2012• C.C. §3252 – The 15/75 fall-back

notice is now only available to lower-tier subs provided that the GC did not make all undisputed progress payments to the first-tier sub (i.e., sub with a direct contractual relationship with the GC).

** The legislative intent is to prevent lower-tier subcontractors from asserting surprise claims against payment bonds after progress payments have been made to the direct subcontractors.

Note – This same rule applies to private works effective July 1, 2012. Also, the new statute seems to bolster the argument that a fist-tier subcontractor on a public works project does not need to serve a preliminary notice for bond rights.

SB 189 & 190 Background

• Purpose: Enacted to “reorganize, clarify and re-codify these statutes…modernize terminology and eliminate inconsistencies in language.”

• Although the majority of the changes are technical, there are substantive changes.

• Changes take effect on July 1, 2012.

Significant Technical Change: Recodification

PRE-JULY 1, 2012• C.C . §§ 3082-3268 –

Codified California’s mechanic's lien laws.

EFFECTIVE July 1, 2012• C.C. §§ 3082-3268 were

repealed.

• C.C. §§ 8000-9566 - Codify California’s mechanic’s lien laws. Organized into 3 categories:

1. Works of improvement generally (§§8000 –

8154);2. Private works of improvement

(§§8160-8848); and3. Public works of improvement

(§§9000-9566)

Significant Technical Changes:Terminology

Pre-July 1, 2012• C.C. §§ 3097/3098 –

“Preliminary 20-Day Notice”

• C.C. § 3090 – “Materialman”

• C.C. § 3095 – “Original Contractor”

• C.C. § 3103 - “Stop Notice”

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2012• C.C. § 8034 – “Preliminary

Notice”

• C.C. § 8028 – “Material Supplier”

• C.C. § 8018 – “Direct Contractor”

• C.C. § 8044 - “Stop Payment Notice”

Significant Substantive Changes

• Preliminary Notices • Completion Equivalents• Notices of Completion• Release/Payment Bonds• Waivers & Releases

Preliminary Notice(Private Works)

Pre-July 1, 2012C.C. §3097(b) - Except the contractor…all persons who have a direct contract with the owner…shall, as a necessary prerequisite to the validity of any claim of lien, claim on a payment bond…cause to be given to the construction lender…a written preliminary notice as prescribed by this section.

EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2012C.C. §8200(e)(2) - A claimant with a direct contractual relationship with an owner or reputed owner is required to give preliminary notice only to the construction lender.

** The public works preliminary notice requirements are set forth in C.C. §§9300-9306. No substantive changes to former C.C. §3098.

Preliminary Notice(Private Works)

• BOTTOM LINE: serve preliminary notice on construction lender– Address can be determined by construction

loan or deed of trust (section 8108(d))

Completion EquivalentsPre-July 1, 2012C.C. § 3086 - Completion" included: (a) The occupation or use of a work of improvement by the owner accompanied by cessation of labor. (b) The acceptance by the owner of the work of improvement. (c) A cessation of labor for 60 days, or a cessation of labor for 30 days if the owner files for record a notice of cessation.

If the work is subject to acceptance by any public entity, completion is the date of such acceptance; provided, however, that, except as to contracts awarded under the State Contract Act, a cessation of labor on any public work for a continuous period of 30 days shall be a completion thereof.

EFFECTIVE July 1, 2012 • C.C. § 8180 (private) “Completion”

no longer includes acceptance by the owner.

** Private work that is subject to acceptance by a public entity is still “complete” upon such acceptance.

• C.C. §9200 (public) – Acceptance still constitutes completion. However, cessation must be for a continuous period of 60 days to result in “completion.”

Notice of Completion

Pre-July 1, 2012

C.C. § 3093 - The notice of completion shall be recorded within 10 days after completion.

EFFECTIVE July 1, 2012

C.C. § 8182 (Private) - An owner may record a notice of completion on or within 15 days after the date of completion of a work of improvement.

C.C. § 9204 (Public) – A public entity may record a notice of completion on or within 15 days after the date of completion of the work of improvement.

Notice of Notice of Completion (for private works only)

• Important Note:– To be effective, notice must be given to all

subs who served preliminary notices (section 8190)

Release/Payment BondsPre-July 1, 2012• C.C. § 3143 – Mechanic’s lien

release bond shall be “in a penal sum equal to 11/2 times the amount of the claim…”

• C.C. §3171 (private)- If the owner, construction lender or any original contractor or subcontractor disputes the validity of any stop notice, he may file a release bond.

• C.C. § 3096/3171 – Private work payment bonds and stop notice release bonds must be executed by good and sufficient sureties.

EFFECTIVE July 1, 2012• C.C. § 8424 – Mechanic’s lien

release bond shall be “in an amount equal to 125 percent of the amount of the claim of lien...”

• C.C. § 8510 (private) – A person may obtain release of funds withheld pursuant to a stop payment notice by giving the person withholding the funds a release bond.

• C.C. § 8510/8606 – The bond shall be given by an “admitted

surety insurer.”

Waivers & Releases Cont’dPre-July 1, 2012• C.C. § 3262 - Location of

all four waiver and release forms.

EFFECTIVE July 1, 2012• C.C. § 8132: Conditional Upon

Progress. Minor substantive change that requires the claimant to identify, by date and amount, all previously executed conditional releases that have not been paid.

• C.C. § 8134: Unconditional Upon Progress. No substantive change.

• C.C. § 8136: Conditional Upon Final. Minor substantive change requiring identification of claimant’s customer.

• C.C. § 8138: Unconditional Upon Final. No substantive change.