It seems that every night on the news, there are "Year 2000 Reports" or "Y2K Updates" seeking to inform the public about what will happen when, in 8 months, the year 2000 begins. You hear that planes won't fly, stop lights will go black, city water, sewer and safety systems will shut down, and your food will spoil because your icebox won't stay cold! Some of the information out there is very confusing, and sometimes, you don't know whose analysis of the situation is correct. I want to provide a concise, accurate description of what Texas agencies are saying about Y2K, and how they think it will affect the everyday citizen. What follows is information that I have gathered from a variety of sources that I am providing you to hopefully answer some of your questions on the subject. While some are saying they are "heading to the hills", experts have testified that planes will fly, stop lights will work, city water systems will continue to function, and you will still have ice in the freezer. What we do know is that there will be inconveniences of some sort, although we don't exactly know what they will be.
How does this affect, you, the average citizen? What will Y2K mean to you? It really depends on who you talk to. As with all issues, there are extremists on both sides. But I think that it is safer to talk to the people who have been working on this problem in Texas, and are watching and fixing the major systems in this state. The Texas Department of Banking and the Federal Reserve suggest that you have a little extra cash on hand, because January 1 falls on a long weekend. They do not anticipate any disruptions in the banking system. All banks have been under state and federal mandates for the last two years to replace hardware and software that will not function after January 1, 2000, to test their systems, to formulate contingency plans, and to promote customer awareness.
What if you have surgery scheduled and will be in the hospital over January 1, 2000? According to the Texas Hospital Association, you should discuss any concerns you have with your physician and the hospital that you plan to be in. According to an American Hospital Association member survey conducted in mid-1998, more than 3/4 of the respondents had developed a systematic plan of evaluation and action. Almost 90 percent had inventoried existing equipment and 76 percent had surveyed vendors to determine whether equipment is Year 2000 compliant. The Texas Hospital Association is planning a follow-up survey. As a matter of routine planning, hospitals have alternative sources of emergency power for critical service areas of the hospital, including the emergency department, operating rooms and intensive care units.
What about your electricity? What will happen when the clock strikes 12:00? According to the Public Utilities Commission, there will be very little if any impact from Y2K related issues. However, some have suggested that we should look at the Y2K issue like you would any weather emergency. You should always have candles, flashlights and extra batteries on hand in your home to deal with any unexpected power outage, whether it be a storm, or temporary utility failure. The electric utilities have implemented a multi-phase program to deal with Y2K. Texas Utilities, for example, states that it has been addressing the problem since mid-1996 and is confident that the lights won't go out.
Where does the State Legislature fit into this problem? First, through oversight and assurance of proper preparation. A subcommittee chaired by Representative Jim Pitts (Waxahachie) has been designated to review each agency's plan and oversee implementation of that plan. Second, it might seem as if the responsibility lies solely with the state agencies and private companies to solve the complex ramifications of the millennium bug. However, there are certain aspects of this problem which require legislative attention. A major concern is the potential for billions of dollars in litigation and therefore companies not being forthcoming with their Y2K information. I support legislation which has been introduced this session to limit the liability that companies may face for Y2K errors.
HB9 by McCall and SB598 by Duncan would encourage computer manufacturers and sellers to identify and correct potential Year 2000 computer date failures before they occur. In an attempt to minimize a potentially critical economic disruption, legal exemptions from liability to businesses creates incentives for computer manufacturers and sellers to make a good-faith effort to notify their customers and to offer to correct the Y2K problems at a nominal cost. The Senate is expected to vote on this bill this week.
Representative Pitts' bill, HB 40, seeks to limit liability in a claim for damages arising from the Y2K bug. Under his bill, a plaintiff may only recover damages resulting from personal injury or wrongful death, or costs incurred in reprogramming, or testing the computer system. Similar legislation has passed in the United States Congress and many believe will curb the potential windfall of Y2K lawsuits.
I know this is a confusing issue, especially to those of us who have not jumped in with both feet to the computer age! I am attaching to this article, a list of helpful phone numbers, addresses and websites which I think will assist you in becoming educated on this issue. I am interested in your thoughts on this issue. Please contact my office with your comments.