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Senate Study Bill 1136

Bill Text

PAG LIN
  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  527A.1  LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
  1  2 OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS – YEAR 2000.
  1  3    1.  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.  The general assembly finds that
  1  4 the ability of financial institutions to continue operations
  1  5 through the transition from the year 1999 to the year 2000 and
  1  6 subsequent years is essential to the economy of this state and
  1  7 the nation.  Financial institutions are subject to both state
  1  8 and federal laws and regulations and are regulated by both
  1  9 state and federal regulatory agencies.  The general assembly
  1 10 also finds that despite compliance with regulatory guidelines
  1 11 and regulations, certain events may occur during the
  1 12 transition from the year 1999 to the year 2000 and subsequent
  1 13 years that may affect operations of financial institutions.
  1 14 It is the intent of the general assembly to limit the
  1 15 liability of financial institutions that may result from year
  1 16 2000 problems in order to ensure that financial institutions
  1 17 continue to operate during and after the transition from the
  1 18 year 1999 to the year 2000.
  1 19    2.  DEFINITIONS.  As used in this chapter, unless the
  1 20 context otherwise requires:
  1 21    a.  "Actual damages" means actual monetary losses
  1 22 proximately caused by a year 2000 problem.
  1 23    b.  "Financial institution" means a bank incorporated under
  1 24 the provisions of any state or federal law, a savings and loan
  1 25 association or savings bank incorporated under the provisions
  1 26 of any state or federal law, a credit union organized under
  1 27 the provisions of any state or federal law, a corporation
  1 28 licensed as an industrial loan company under chapter 536A, and
  1 29 any affiliate of a bank, savings and loan association, savings
  1 30 bank, credit union, or industrial loan company.
  1 31    c.  "Information technology" means technology involved in
  1 32 computer equipment and software, electrical equipment and
  1 33 software, telecommunications equipment and software, and other
  1 34 equipment, software, and systems involved in the processing of
  1 35 data and information.
  2  1    d.  "Year 2000 problem" means an event, circumstance,
  2  2 disruption, or other problem which prevents information
  2  3 technology from accurately processing, calculating, comparing,
  2  4 or sequencing date or time data or information related to
  2  5 either of the following:
  2  6    (1)  From, into, or between the twentieth and twenty-first
  2  7 centuries, or from, into, or between the years 1999 and 2000.
  2  8    (2)  Leap year calculations.
  2  9    "Year 2000 problem" also includes an inability of a
  2 10 financial institution to perform its intended or requested
  2 11 functions because of a problem that is the result of a year
  2 12 2000 problem encountered by a third party including, but not
  2 13 limited to, the failure of a governmental entity to provide
  2 14 data or information, transportation delays, energy failure, or
  2 15 communications failure.
  2 16    3.  TIME FOR COMMENCING ACTION.  An action in connection
  2 17 with a year 2000 problem shall not be filed against a
  2 18 financial institution after June 30, 2001.  An action not
  2 19 timely filed is forever barred.
  2 20    4.  PRIVITY OF CONTRACT.  A financial institution is not
  2 21 liable to persons not in privity of contract with such
  2 22 financial institution for damages resulting from a year 2000
  2 23 problem.
  2 24    5.  LIABILITY FOR ACTUAL DAMAGES.  A financial institution
  2 25 shall only be held liable, if at all, for actual damages
  2 26 incurred by reason of a year 2000 problem.  A financial
  2 27 institution shall not be held liable for projected losses of
  2 28 future income or earnings, loss of future business or
  2 29 employment opportunities, punitive damages, exemplary damages,
  2 30 consequential damages, extraordinary damages, noneconomic
  2 31 damages, or any other relief in excess of actual damages
  2 32 incurred by reason of a year 2000 problem.
  2 33    6.  AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE.  It is an affirmative defense of a
  2 34 financial institution to any claim, action, or proceeding
  2 35 alleging liability arising by reason of a year 2000 problem,
  3  1 that the financial institution has substantially complied with
  3  2 year 2000 regulations, requirements, and guidelines as set
  3  3 forth by such financial institution's primary federal
  3  4 regulator.  
  3  5                           EXPLANATION
  3  6    This bill limits the liability of financial institutions
  3  7 for a claim based upon a year 2000 problem.  The bill states
  3  8 that it is the intent of the general assembly to limit the
  3  9 liability of financial institutions that may result from year
  3 10 2000 problems in order to ensure that financial institutions
  3 11 continue to operate during and after the transition from the
  3 12 year 1999 to the year 2000.
  3 13    The bill defines "year 2000 problem" as an event,
  3 14 circumstance, disruption, or other problem which prevents
  3 15 information technology from accurately processing,
  3 16 calculating, comparing, or sequencing date or time data or
  3 17 information from, into, or between the twentieth and twenty-
  3 18 first centuries, or from, into, or between the years 1999 and
  3 19 2000; or with respect to leap year calculations.  The bill
  3 20 also provides that a year 2000 problem includes an inability
  3 21 of a financial institution to perform its intended or
  3 22 requested functions because of a problem that is the result of
  3 23 a year 2000 problem encountered by a third party including,
  3 24 but not limited to, the failure of a governmental entity to
  3 25 provide data or information, transportation delays, energy
  3 26 failure, or communications failure.
  3 27    The bill provides that an action in connection with a year
  3 28 2000 problem shall not be filed against a financial
  3 29 institution after June 30, 2001, and that an action not timely
  3 30 filed is forever barred.
  3 31    The bill provides that a financial institution is not
  3 32 liable to persons not in privity of contract with such
  3 33 financial institution for damages resulting from a year 2000
  3 34 problem.
  3 35    The bill limits the liability of a financial institution,
  4  1 if there is any liability at all, to actual damages incurred
  4  2 by reason of a year 2000 problem.
  4  3    The bill also establishes that it is an affirmative defense
  4  4 of a financial institution to any claim, action, or proceeding
  4  5 alleging liability arising by reason of a year 2000 problem
  4  6 that the financial institution has substantially complied with
  4  7 year 2000 regulations, requirements, and guidelines as set
  4  8 forth by such financial institution's primary federal
  4  9 regulator.  
  4 10 LSB 2220SC 78
  4 11 mj/jw/5
     

Text: SSB01135                          Text: SSB01137
Text: SSB01100 - SSB01199               Text: SSB Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index

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