The 88th Legislative Session came to an end on May 29. The issues covered in this column relate to change order work, right to repair, experience modifiers, and certificates of merit. Each of these new laws applies to contracts entered into after September 1, 2023.

While the concept of signing a document electronically is nothing new, its prevalence in the construction industry is picking up speed. Industry leaders (and those who wish to become leaders one day) must educate themselves on the concept of e-signatures and the implications they may have on the construction industry. …

A payment bond guarantees payment of subcontractors, laborers, and suppliers on a project. Payment bonds are required on public projects for prime contracts (the contract between the general contractor and governmental entity) greater than $25,000. But they are common on private projects as well, where they not only provide payment …

“Robbing Peter to pay Paul,” that’s a phrase that is all too common in the construction industry. If a contractor or subcontractor gets behind financially, they may use today’s progress payments to pay debts on another earlier project. Chapter 162 of the Texas Property Code is designed to protect Peter. …

No one wants to waive their rights. Contractors certainly don’t. But waiver is a common concept in contract law. Contracting parties can waive rights afforded a contract or statute. That makes waiver an important issue for both parties to a construction contract. This article will briefly cover waiver and best …

The 88th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature commenced on January 10, 2023. The Legislature has 140 days from that date to address the business of the State of Texas. Constitutionally speaking, the only requirement of the Legislature when it meets in regular session is that they have to pass …

We live in a world of contracts. Long, complex contracts to be sure. But living in a world of contracts has enormous benefits.

Consider your doctor’s situation. If there is a dispute regarding the quality of services, it will be handled under the law of negligence. After all, the patient …

For years, infrastructure contractors have dealt with Buy America legislation that required products used on certain projects to contain a designated percentage of iron and steel produced within the United States. Historically, this legislation differed from “Buy American” legislation in that it only applied to iron and steel and did …

When it comes to the laws and regulations surrounding construction, all states differ to a certain extent. For contractors in Texas, an important difference is Sovereign Immunity. This means that in Texas – Governmental entities may be immune from claims, suits, or damages arising from a contract.

The law is …

Under Chapter 2251 of the Texas Government Code, Public contractors enjoy the protections of statutory requirements for prompt payment similar to those provided by the Texas Property Code for contractors on private projects as discussed in last month’s edition. Chapter 2251 recognizes that contractors performing work for governmental entities expect …

Payment for work performed is important to every contractor at every tier. Receiving payment in a timely manner is equally important. Texas law recognizes this and provides contractors a remedy for untimely payment in the form of interest and the right to suspend performance. The Prompt Pay Act in Chapter …

Hot news (pun intended) these days is OSHA’s intent to issue a national standard laying out employer obligations to protect employees against heat injury and illness. This responds to the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting of 344 work-related deaths in U.S. due to environmental heat exposure between 2011 and 2019. …

War, inflation, pandemic, and staffing shortages – just a few of the events causing fragility in our supply chains. Texas contractors are asked to absorb these shocks all while maintaining project budgets and schedules. As with most problems on construction projects, answers are complex, but may be found in the …

In a recent column, my partner Jerry Negrete wrote about dispute resolution provisions that frequently appear in construction contracts. In her column, Jerry briefly addresses mediation, arbitration, and litigation. Building on that introduction, this column will focus on mediation as a process and provide suggestions and recommendations that may assist …

Contracts often include a section titled ‘Dispute Resolution’ that lists terms such as ‘mediation,’ ‘litigation,’ or ‘arbitration.’ While contractors may have heard these terms before, it is my experience that most contractors are not comfortable defining each term, nor do they fully understand how each form of dispute resolution can …