[§103D-713]  Defense of a
governmental body.  (a)  No contract of less than $1,000,000 that is
entered into on or after July 1, 2007, by any governmental body, and is
exclusively for services that may only lawfully be provided by a person
licensed under chapter 464, may require the contractor to defend the
governmental body, or its officers, employees, or agents, from any liability,
damage, loss, or claim, action, or proceeding arising out of the contractor's
performance under the contract.



(b)  Subsection (a) notwithstanding, the
contract may require the contractor providing the services to indemnify and
hold harmless the governmental body and its officers, employees, and agents
from and against any liability, damage, loss, cost, and expense, including reasonable
attorneys' fees, and all claims, suits, and demands therefor arising out of or
resulting from the negligent, reckless, intentional, or wrongful acts, errors,
or omissions of the contractor, the contractor's employees, officers, agents,
or subcontractors in the performance of the contract or the contractor's
professional services, and the provisions may remain in full force and effect
notwithstanding the expiration or early termination of the contract.



(c)  No person licensed under chapter 464 that
has agreed in any contract to defend a governmental body, including those
contracts entered into before or after July 1, 2007, shall be required to
defend the governmental body in a lawsuit filed more than ten years beyond the
substantial completion of the project, except that this subsection shall not
apply to any lawsuit that has been filed prior to July 1, 2007.



(d)  As used in this section,
"person" means any person, partnership, corporation, or other entity
conducting business in the State. [L 2007, c 246, §2]



 



Note



 



  Saving, severability, etc.  L 2007, c 246, §§3 to 5.