Bill > HF140

This bill establishes a new state-funded cybersecurity grant program designed to help counties and cities that lack resources to benefit from existing federal and state cybersecurity plans. The program creates a dedicated grant account with an initial appropriation of $20 million, allowing local governments to apply for grants to fund various cybersecurity improvements. Eligible expenditures include technology services, equipment for securing operational systems, data storage and backup solutions, email and web security tools, antivirus software, networking hardware, and related consulting services. Counties and cities can receive an initial grant of up to $25,000 for a single expenditure, with the possibility of supplemental grants covering up to 75% of costs above that amount, not to exceed $1 million total per jurisdiction. The commissioner will review applications based on criteria such as reducing overall risk, protecting critical infrastructure, and demonstrating local need, while ensuring equitable distribution across geographic regions. Grant recipients must agree to annual reporting and accountability standards, and the commissioner is required to submit a detailed report to legislative committees annually, describing each grant awarded, its amount, and intended use. The program aims to improve cybersecurity capabilities for smaller local governments with limited resources.

Government Affairs

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0140&ssn=0&y=2025