Year 2000 Wire/House Judiciary Committee Looks Forward to Year 2000
HARRISBURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10,
1998--The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Thomas P. Gannon
(R-Delaware), received testimony Friday from government and private industry
experts on the looming year 2000 computer crisis.
The committee heard testimony on two bills aimed at limiting the
commonwealth's legal liability from computer failures related to the year
2000.
"We examined the magnitude of the year 2000 problem, possible
consequences, and current efforts underway to find an effective solution,"
Gannon, sponsor of House Bill 2273, said. "Predicted impacts of the Y2K or
year 2000 issue range from sparking an economic recession to automobiles that
won't start once the vehicle's computer registers the date 2000. It could
potentially affect the state's pension plans, motor licensing, insurance
payments, and numerous other programs and agencies."
Many computer systems are currently unable to process the date January
1, 2000. Since the inception of the computer, programmers used a standard
method of entering dates into hardware and software programs assuming that
all dates would fall in the 20th century. Unless corrected, computers will
read the year 2000 as actually 1900.
"Fortunately, Pennsylvania is a leader in addressing the year 2000
computer glitch," Gannon said. "The commonwealth's efforts have been
unsurpassed while operating with limited resources. The Pennsylvania Office
of Technology, under Governor Ridge, has set stringent deadlines and met
them, done successful testing, and we will be ready for the year 2000.
"The hearing allowed the members of the Judiciary Committee to receive
an up-date on the state's progress and we have been impressed with the
efforts to date," Gannon said. "However, we learned that no matter how much
the state accomplishes in meeting this challenge there will be outside
systems that won't recognize the year 2000 and have the potential to affect
the commonwealth's computers.
"My legislation will protect the state, local governments, and their
contractors from being subject to a lawsuit when the complaint is the result
of the computer malfunction," Gannon said. "Based upon today's testimony, the
committee will likely amend the legislation to include a standard of care
provision.
"A standard of care will protect the state agencies, local governments,
and contractors who have made a good faith effort to correct their computer
problems," Gannon said. "It is not my intent that this measure be used to
protect public officials, employees, and contractors who have neglected to
address the issue."
The legislation states immunity will expire on December 2005 providing a
window of five years for Pennsylvania's governments to make their computer
dating systems compatible in the 21st century.
"Meeting the challenge of the year 2000 is no longer a matter of
technology," Gannon said. "We have the tools to correct our computers. It is
simply a matter of leadership and committing the resources. Pennsylvania has
become the example and is leading the way."
CONTACT:
The House Judiciary Committee
Rep. Thomas Gannon
161st District
610/461-5543
717/783-6430
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