A group of US senators from both parties have unveiled a revised bill that would help protect companies from legal action over the year 2000 problem. The proposed legislation, nicknamed the Good Samaritan Law, was first publicly introduced by President Clinton in July (CI No 3,453). It is designed to encourage companies to work together on Y2K fixes by guaranteeing that business sharing information, with one another or the public, cannot be held legally liable for any inaccuracies in the information. Essentially, companies could not be sued for the results of any actions based on the information they provide. The new bipartisan bill provides enhanced protection, as it covers virtually any information disseminated by companies. It is expected to gain immediate approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee, before moving in front of the entire Senate. The bill came about as a result of testimony before Congress that there was a great deal of reluctance to share information on Y2K issues for fear of legal repercussions. Among those quick to come out in support of the new bill were the Semiconductor Industry Association and the US Chamber of Commerce.
