EXECUTIVE ORDER MJF 99-51

EXECUTIVE ORDER MJF 99-51

Year 2000 Transition Team

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. MJF 96-50, issued on October 17, 1996, as amended by Executive Order No. MJF 98-04, issued on January 22, 1998, mandated the state of Louisiana's policy for Year 2000 Compliance by July 1, 1999, to ensure that minimal interruptions occur to state services and/or operations as a result of the transition to Year 2000;

WHEREAS, to facilitate year 2000 readiness within the executive department, the commissioner of administration created the Louisiana Year 2000 Coordination Project Office to assist, coordinate, and encourage the efforts of the individual executive department agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and/or political subdivisions of the state (hereafter "agencies") in addressing the technical and business issues involved in year 2000 preparedness;

WHEREAS, despite the diligent efforts of the agencies to implement year 2000 corrective action and/or preparedness, the risk persists due to the complex nature of the year 2000 challenge that some interruptions and/or disruptions in state services and operations may occur from a malfunction in an agency's own system, from interfacing with a malfunctioning agency or private sector system, or due to the failure of a service provided by the private sector; and

WHEREAS, given the complex nature of the year 2000 challenge and the potential that essential services may be affected by the transition to year 2000, it is in the best interest of the citizens of Louisiana to create a Year 2000 Transition Team to coordinate and oversee the delivery of essential state agency services and operations during the transition;

NOW THEREFORE, I, M.J. "MIKE" FOSTER, JR., Governor of the state of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution and the laws of the state of Louisiana, do hereby order and direct as follows:

SECTION 1: Year 2000 Transition Team

A. The Year 2000 Transition Team (hereafter "Y2K Transition Team") is established within the Military Department, Office of Emergency Preparedness (hereafter "OEP").

B. The Y2K Transition Team shall serve as the primary year 2000 transition agency for the state of Louisiana from the date of issuance of this Order until the potential for year 2000 transition interruptions and/or disruptions has passed.

C. The Y2K Transition Team shall consist of the Louisiana year 2000 Coordination Project Officer and the chief officer, or the chief officer's designee, (hereafter "Agency Member") of each agency, department, board, commission, and/or political subdivision, including all institutions of higher education, in the executive department of the state of Louisiana (hereafter "agency").

D. The adjutant general of Louisiana, or his designee, shall serve as director of the Y2K Transition Team (hereafter "Y2K Transition Team Director").

SECTION 2: Duties of Agency Members

A. Each Agency Member shall be prepared to respond to any situation which might arise as a result of the year 2000 transition.

B. The Y2K Transition Team Director shall designate which Agency Members shall be physically present at OEP's designated Year 2000 Transition Command Center during a specified transition period; all other Agency Members shall be immediately accessible by telephone and pager during that period.

C. Unless an Agency Member receives a written waiver from the Y2K Transition Team Director, each Agency Member shall establish Transition Plans as part of their agency's year 2000 transition contingency planning and submit a copy to the Y2K Transition Team Director by November 30, 1999.

SECTION 3: Transition Plans

A. Unless waived pursuant to subsection 2(C) of this Order, under the direction and supervision of its Agency Member, each agency shall establish Transition Plans as part of its contingency planning.

B. Transition Plans shall fully outline and describe the procedures and mitigation steps the agency has taken to minimize the number of decisions that will need to be made during the year 2000 transition.

C. Transition Plans shall provide complete contact and communication information for agency employee use should any year 2000 problems arise. Transition Plans shall include the following.

1. Communication plans to ensure effective communication among agency employees on site, off site, and/or at home during potential emergency situations, including contingency communication networks for reporting to work during electrical and/or telecommunication outages;

2. Strategies for effective agency communication with the media, general public, and/or private sector businesses; and

3. Safety plans to ensure work-place safety for employees and/or citizens using state facilities.

 SECTION 4: Implementation and Effective Date of Order

A. All departments, commissions, boards, agencies, and officers of the state, or any political subdivision thereof, are authorized and directed to cooperate with Y2K Transition Team in implementing the provisions of this Order.

B. This Order is effective upon signature and shall continue in effect until amended, modified, terminated, or rescinded by the governor, or terminated by operation of law.

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the city of Baton Rouge, on this 10th day of November, 1999.

M.J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.
Governor

ATTEST BY
THE GOVERNOR
Fox McKeithen
Secretary of State