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To: micny who wrote (20536)	7/14/1998 8:23:00 AM
From: Brewmeister	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 31646

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