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The State of West Virginia will soon pass legislation like Nevada's: legal immunity from all Year 2000-related law suits. The threat is $500 million in law suits over lost welfare benefits.
This indicates that they know that their ability to mail out the checks is in question. This means that the modern welfare state is in question.
Time is running out on the grand experiment of the welfare state.
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The state's "technology czar" said Monday he will seek legislation next session to give the state immunity from potential lawsuits stemming from the Year 2000 problem.
Sam Tully, chief technology officer, told members of the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization that it will cost between $7 million and $10 million to correct the computer problem.
However, some studies suggest that West Virginia could be liable for as much as $500 million in suits from state residents who fail to receive state services because of the computer glitches.
Tully said after the meeting that he will seek some sort of legislation to protect the state from class-action lawsuits stemming from such things as welfare checks that could not processed because of the problem. . . .
"The first thing we have to do is keep these money pipes from leaking. Obviously, we have to keep the financial systems going," he said.
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