Federal Infrastructure Bill Funds State & Local Cybersecurity.

What’s happening? The federal infrastructure bill has $1billion for state and local cybersecurity. It can be appropriated like this:

• 80% of funds must be sent to local entities by the state
• 25% reserved for rural areas
• There is also a $250 million grant program for rural and municipal utilities
• Both grant programs require a cybersecurity plan be submitted to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for review.

Why is this important? “State and local governments need more resources to prevent cyberattacks that can devastate their ability to carry out day-to-day functions that citizens rely on, from protecting school data to keeping utilities up and running,” – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan

How will this be important? We have states passing laws prohibiting ransoms from being paid when local governmental systems have been locked by ransomware. Cybersecurity is an ongoing funding item.

Route Fifty | Infrastructure Bill Includes $1B for State and Local Cybersecurity