Bill > H1712

This bill proposes to amend Chapter 149 of the General Laws to limit the responsibility of general contractors and subcontractors for indemnity and insurance in construction work. Specifically, it states that any contract or subcontract provision requiring one party to indemnify (protect from loss) or insure the other party, or anyone designated as an indemnitee or additional insured, for injury or damage beyond the proportion caused by the first party's own negligence will be unenforceable and void. The bill clarifies that such provisions will only require indemnification or insurance to the extent that the indemnitor's (the party providing indemnity) negligence, or that of their agents or employees, is a direct cause of the injury or damage. This change does not affect existing laws regarding the liability of joint tortfeasors (parties who share responsibility for a wrongful act) to a plaintiff.