No officer or employee of this State, or of any political subdivisions or quasi-municipal corporations, or of any public authority, and no person acting or purporting to act on behalf of such officer, employee or public agency or authority, except a public agency or authority created pursuant to agreement or compact with another state, shall, with respect to any public building or construction contract which is about to be or which has been competitively bid, require the bidder to make application to, or furnish financial data to, or to obtain or procure any surety bond or contract of insurance specified in connection with such contract, or specified by any law, ordinance or regulation, from a particular surety or insurance company, agent or broker. No such officer or employee, or person, firm or corporation acting or purporting to act on behalf of such officer or employee, shall negotiate, make application for, obtain or procure any such surety bond or contract of insurance, except contracts of insurance for builder’s risk or owner’s protective liability, which can be obtained or procured by the bidder, contractor or subcontractor. [PL 1975, c. 623, §33 (AMD).]

The same prohibition shall extend to and include any and all construction projects which are wholly or in part financed by federal, state or municipal funds. [PL 1969, c. 504, §40-A (NEW).]

This section shall not apply to any project under design or construction on January 3, 1970, by or on behalf of a public agency or authority if such agency or authority was then engaged in insurance activity with respect to such project that otherwise would be prohibited by this section. [PL 1969, c. 504, §40-A (NEW).]