State Auditors Release Follow-up Survey on Y2K Compliance:
States Showing Improvement in Preparation for Y2K

Washington, DC – September 15, 1999: The National State Auditors Association (NSAA) today released results from their June 30, 1999 survey conducted on Y2K readiness of each state. This is the follow-up to a survey conducted 6 months earlier. The intent of this second survey is to demonstrate the improvement states have made in the battle to have their computer systems ready for January 1, 2000. The 6-month time span has shown considerable progress in the States' efforts to respond to the Y2K problem.

The Y2K issue is real and deserves the attention it has received both by the media and the individual state governments. Without the efforts of the states, the public would face the risk of critical services provided by the government being severely disrupted by the Y2K computing problem. Fortunately great strides have been made by the states to reduce this risk.

The following are the key results as identified in the September report:

• 40 states responded to the June survey compared to only 27 on the January survey
• 6 states are close to 100% Y2K compliance for all computer systems
• 13 states are very near 100% Y2K compliance for mission critical systems
• 37 states have standard Y2K compliance methodology for monitoring
  state agencies
• 37 states provided Y2K footnote disclosures in audits or Comprehensive Annual Reports
• All 38 states with a statewide accounting system reported that it was
  Y2K compliant
• 30 of the states have audited Y2K compliance, with some states starting as early as 1995
• All 40 responding states have a governmental body overseeing state agencies Y2K compliance

Although progress has been made, the survey results indicate that substantial work remains. Thomas McTavish, President of the NSAA and Auditor General of Michigan said, "The benefit this report gives to the states is it allows them to see where they are compared to other states. Hopefully this will motivate the individual state legislatures and government agencies to make the Y2K issue a priority in these next few months leading up to the millennium. 100% Y2K compliance is the goal."

Full text of the NSAA Year 2000 State Compliance Efforts Report, Second Edition, is available on the Illinois Auditor General web site at www.state.il.us/auditor.

Contact:
Cornelia Schneider or
Brandon W. Lenoir
(202)624-5451

More Contacts:
Thomas McTavish
Michigan Auditor
General President, NSAA
(517)334-8050

Ernest A. Almonte
Rhode Island Auditor
General Chair,
1998-1999 NSAA Information
Technology Committee
(401)222-2435

William G. Holland
Illinois Auditor
General Chair,
1998-1999 NSAA Performance
Audit Committee
(217)782-3536