Year 2000 Problem Bills
This page tracks the following bills.
- S 1518, sponsored by Sen. Bennett.
- S 2000, sponsored by Sen. Bennett.
- HR 4240, Y2K Liability and Antitrust Reform Act of 1998, sponsored by Rep.
Dreier.
- HR 4355 and S 2392, Year 2000 Information Disclosure Act, sponsored by Rep.
Burton and Sen. Bennett.
- HR 4455, Year 2000 Readiness Discloure Act, sponsored by Rep. Dreier and Rep.
Eshoo.
S 1518.
- Sponsors. Sen.
Bob Bennett (R-UT). Cosponsors: none.
- Summary. This is a bill to require publicly traded corporations
to make specific disclosures in their initial offering statements and quarterly reports
regarding the ability of their computer systems to operate after January 1, 2000.
- Status. No action has been taken on this bill.
- Legislative History.
S 2000.
- Sponsor. Sen. Bob
Bennett (R-UT). Cosponsors: none.
- Summary. This is a bill to ensure that businesses, financial
markets, and the Federal Government are taking adequate steps to resolve the year 2000
computer problem.
- Status. No action has been take on this bill.
- Legislative History.
- 4/29/98, S 2000 IS introduced in Senate, and referred to
Committee on Government Affairs.
HR 4240 - Y2K Liability and Antitrust Reform Act.
- Sponsors. Lead sponsor: Rep.
David Dreier (R-CA). Other sponsors: Rep.
Chris Cox (R-CA), English, Ehrlich, Hilliard, Solomon, C. Weldon, Hayworth, Royce.
- Summary. HR 4240 would limit the financial liability for Year 2000 failures of
businesses which first meet certain criteria. The key phrases of the bill state that all
such suits will "be deemed to be based in contract". Then, financial
recovery would be limited to "consequential business loss and costs of repairs or
replacement resulting from the failure." The bill appears to be an attempt to
preclude larger pain and suffering and punitive damage awards.
- Status. No action has been taken on this bill.
- Legislative History.
- 7/16/98, HR 4240 IH introduced in House.
- 7/17/98, Dreier delivers speech in House of Representatives.
HR 4355 and S 2392 - Year 2000 Information Disclosure Act.
- Sponsors.
• HR 4355: Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) and 26
others -- majority Democrats.
• S 2392: Bob Bennett, Chris Dodd, Herb Kohl, Pat Moynihan, and Charles Robb.
- Summary. This is the "administration" bill to limit the
liabilty of businesses that share Y2K information. These bills offer weaker
protections than those contained in the Dreier-Cox (HR 4240) and Dreier-Eshoo (HR 4455)
bills.
- Status. The Senate version of the bill has been approved by the
Senate Judiciary Committee.
- Legislative History.
- 7/30/98, HR 4355 IH and S 2392 IS
introduced in the House and Senate, and referred to Judiciary Committees.
- 9/16/98, John Koskinen endorses S 2392 RS, to be considered by the Senate Judiciary
Committee.
- 9/17/98, S 2392 RS approved and reported by the Senate
Judiciary Committee.
- 9/18/98, Bill Clinton issues statement of support for S 2392 RS.
- 9/28/98, S 2392 passed by the Senate.
- 10/1/98, S 2392 passed by the House. (Story.)
- 10/19/98, S 2392 signed by the Clinton. (Story |
Statement by Bill Clinton.)
HR 4455 - Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure Act.
- Sponsors. Rep. David
Dreier (R-CA), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), and
24 others -- mostly Republicans.
- Summary.
- Status. No action has been taken on this bill.
- Legislative History.
Other Resources.