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    6.    
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: 03/09/2020  
Subject:    H.R. 5823 State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act
Submitted For: LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department: County Administrator  
Referral No.: 2020-05  
Referral Name: H.R. 5823 Cybersecurity Improvement Act
Presenter: Paul Schlesinger Contact: L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

Information
Referral History:
The Legislation Committee is the body that reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on state and federal bills of interest to Contra Costa County for which adopted policy is not established. The 2020 Adopted Federal Legislative Platform does not contain policy regarding cybersecurity though it is a critical concern to all County departments.
Referral Update:
The County's federal advocates from Alcade & Fay provided the following report:

H.R. 5823, the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, was introduced by Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA-2) on February 10th, 2020. Congressman Richmond chairs the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation. Congressman Richmond was joined by a bipartisan group of fourteen original cosponsors, including the ranking Republicans on the full Committee and Subcommittee. There are no California Representatives currently co-sponsoring the legislation. Immediately after its introduction, on February 12, it was marked up and ordered reported from Committee.

The bill, if enacted, will establish a grant program at the Department of Homeland Security for States to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats to state and local information systems. According to the press release, the specific features of the legislation are:
  • Establishes a $400 million DHS grant program that incentivizes States to increase their own cybersecurity funding.
  • Requires DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) develop a strategy to improve the cybersecurity of State, local, tribal, and territorial governments.
  • Requires State, local, tribal, and territorial governments develop comprehensive Cybersecurity Plans to guide use of grant dollars.
  • Establishes a State and Local Cybersecurity Resiliency Committee so State, local, tribal, and territorial governments can advise CISA on their cybersecurity needs.”
In the press release, Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS-2), an original co-sponsor, said, “For too long, our State and local governments have had to fend for themselves as foreign adversaries and cyber criminals have targeted their networks. The State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act will provide long overdue resources and support to State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments across the country whose cyber defenses are outmatched by sophisticated adversaries.”

Attachment A is a fact sheet on the bill, provided by the House Committee on Homeland Security.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors a position of "Support" on H.R. 5823, the "State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act" and directing staff to send the item to the Board at the next available opportunity for their consideration on Consent.
Attachments
Attachment A: Fact Sheet HR 5823

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