SECTION 1.  Section 29 of Chapter 149 of the Massachusetts General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition is hereby amended by inserting after the word “price,” in line 9 the following:-

“or in the case of any county, city, town, district or other political subdivision for contracts more than two thousand but under ten thousand said county, city, town, district or other political subdivision may include in bid packages that they will accept a certified check for not less than half of the total contract price in lieu of a payment bond, said check to be deposited in a separate interest bearing account to be returned with interest to the contractor after completion of the project and having provided proof that all payments for subs and materials have been made in full, if payment has not been made in full funds shall be used to make said payments,”