Califonia Bill for State of Emergency-- today, California, tomorrow, the world!
<California's Assembly Bill 724, dubbed the "Year 2000 Problem Good
Government Omnibus Act of 1999," is to be voted on today by the state's
Senate Governmental Organization Committee. This bill "covers many of
the same points as an executive order signed by Gov. Gray Davis in
February, but (Assemblyman John Dutra, D-Fremont) said his legislation
expands on the governor's order and will provide legislative validation
for his decree. I also would give the governor the power to declare a
state of emergency. "Dutra called this a critical provision because it
would allow Davis to take advantage of California's position relevant to
the International Dateline. Since this state will be one of the last
areas of the industrial world to enter the new century, the governor
will have several hours to evaluate the effects of the Y2K problem on
other countries and respond accordingly. The bill would also appropriate
$2 million for a public awareness campaign -- something Dutra said is
long past due." Other provisions in this bill include giving the
Department of Information Technology power to "force other state
agencies into compliance," and "pool the state's 10,000 computer
technicians and assign them to Y2K projects in any state agency. In
short, it gives the department's director, Elias Cortez, the power to do
anything necessary to make sure that all state agencies are ready for
2000."
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