Lowry Seeks Fund To Fix Computer Clocks $15.1 Million Sought To Convert Computer Programs To Recognize The Year 2000

Tue., Dec. 31, 1996

Associated Press

State government computers need to be reprogrammed so they don’t crash or refuse to perform when the calendar turns over to the year 2000. Pricetag to taxpayers: $15.1 million.

Gov. Mike Lowry requested the funds in his new budget proposal, using state and federal dollars and other sources. Industry estimates show that U.S. businesses will spend up to $90 billion to convert their computers.

The problem? When many computer programs were written two decades ago, only two fields were designated for the year - such as 96, rather than 1996.

So when the new century rolls around, and the year designation shows 00, the computers would think it was 1900 and fail to perform its date-related tasks, such as cranking out unemployment and welfare checks.

Experts say some of the state computer systems could fail if the problem isn’t fixed. Eight state agencies, most notably Social and Health Services, Employment Security, and Labor and Industries, would bear the brunt of the problem.

Many of the state systems share data, so failure of one could affect others.

“It’s huge,” says Andy Marcelia, a policy analyst for the state Department of Information Services.

Some agencies already are tackling the problem. It’s a painstaking process of rewriting thousands of lines of computer code.

“There isn’t anything that can take a program and change it for you,” Marcelia said.

Some agencies will use their appropriations to make the changes in-house. Others will hire outside specialists to work on the more complicated systems.

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