Good Samaritan law good news for commercial real estate.

When President Clinton kicked off the federal government sponsored "Y2K Action Week" by signing the Good Samaritan legislation (S. 2392) into law, he effectively ensured that building owners and managers across the nation will be better able to prepare for the impending Year 2000 (Y2K) problem, according to the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International.

BOMA has strongly supported the Good Samaritan initiative, which provides liability protection for Y2K information disseminated in good faith, since it was first announced by the President at a briefing attended this past summer by industry leaders, including BOMA President W.S. (Bill) Garland.

"This legislation encourages two positive movements within real estate," Garland said. "First, it encourages greater communication between building owners, managers and their tenants regarding Y2K preparations being made in the building and in the tenant's space. And perhaps most importantly, it will reinforce to the manufacturers of embedded systems that they can provide information to their customers - namely commercial real estate professionals - on the Y2K compliance status of the countless building systems that could be affected by the millennium bug, such as elevators, HVAC equipment, security and access systems, fire and life safety systems, telecommunications, lighting and power."

As the leading real estate association for exploring Y2K issues, BOMA International has also lent its full support to the Clinton Administration's Y2K Action Week, held October 19 to 23, by directly contacting its full membership of 16,000-plus professionals to encourage participation and assist with their efforts.

Additionally, BOMA is partnering with the General Services Administration (GSA) on the Building Operations Sector of the Administration's Y2K Conversion Council to alert the wider community of actions needed to ensure that building systems continue to function smoothly.

Most recently, BOMA International was commended by members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the U.S. House of Representatives for its proactive, industry-wide Y2K efforts during a hearing at which the association's Secretary/Treasurer, Coffee Colvin, updated the committee on Y2K preparations being made by private sector landlords in commercial office buildings - including those which house government agencies as tenants.

The association also used that opportunity to reiterate its recommendation to move the federal New Year's Day holiday from Friday, December 31, 1999 to Monday, January 2, 2000. This "Moratorium Monday" would give all citizens a continuous 72 hours to remedy any unforeseen January 1, 2000 problems.