Law To Protect Y2K Collaboration Applauded

Industry lobbyists are celebrating the recent Congressional passage of legislation that will help companies cope with the Year 2000 computer problem. Both houses approved a compromise measure that among other things provides protection for firms that voluntarily disclose information about their Y2K activities and bars antitrust suits against companies that exchange Y2K information. The White House says President Clinton will sign the bill. "Passage of this bill couldn't be more timely," comments Jan Amundson, general counsel of the National Assn. of Manufacturers, which led an industry coalition working on behalf of the legislation. "Businesses should be allowed to exchange information about how they are addressing their potential Y2K needs without fear of predatory lawsuits." Y2K refers to the expectation that computers will read 2000 as 1900 at the turn of the century, causing widespread malfunctions.