Works of improvement: liens.

(1) Existing law provides that all persons and laborers of every class, except for an original contractor, performing labor upon, bestowing skill or other necessary services on, furnishing materials or leasing equipment to be used or consumed in, or furnishing appliances, teams, or power contributing to, a public work of improvement may serve a stop notice upon the public entity responsible for the public work, as specified. Existing law imposes a duty on a public entity to withhold money or bonds due or to become due to the original contractor in an amount sufficient to answer the claim stated in the stop notice and to provide for the public entity's reasonable cost of any litigation on…