State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act of 2021
Bill: H.R.5960 | Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe (D-CO)
Policy area: Emergency Management

Summary:
State and Local Government Cybersecurity Act of 2021
This bill provides for collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as corporations, associations, and the general public, regarding cybersecurity.
The bill expands DHS responsibilities through grants and cooperative agreements, including provision of assistance and education related to cyber threat indicators, defensive measures, cybersecurity risks or vulnerabilities, and incident response and management.
The bill requires the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center, upon request, to coordinate with entities such as the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center to engage in specified activities, including to (1) conduct exercises with state, local, tribal, or territorial government entities; (2) provide operational and technical cybersecurity training to such entities; and (3) promote cybersecurity education and awareness.

To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for engagements 
 with State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``State and Local Government 
Cybersecurity Act of 2021''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE HOMELAND SECURITY ACT OF 2002.

    Subtitle A of title XXII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 
U.S.C. 651 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 2201 (6 U.S.C. 651), by adding at the end 
        the following:
            ``(7) SLTT entity.--The term `SLTT entity' means a domestic 
        government entity that is a State government, local government, 
        Tribal government, territorial government, or any subdivision 
        thereof.''; and
            (2) in section 2209 (6 U.S.C. 659)--
                    (A) in subsection (c)(6), by inserting 
                ``operational and'' before ``timely'';
                    (B) in subsection (d)(1)(E), by inserting ``, 
                including an entity that collaborates with election 
                officials,'' after ``governments''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(p) Coordination on Cybersecurity for SLTT Entities.--
            ``(1) Coordination.--The Center shall, upon request and to 
        the extent practicable, and in coordination as appropriate with 
        Federal and non-Federal entities, such as the Multi-State 
        Information Sharing and Analysis Center--
                    ``(A) conduct exercises with SLTT entities;
                    ``(B) provide operational and technical 
                cybersecurity training to SLTT entities to address 
                cybersecurity risks or incidents, with or without 
                reimbursement, related to--
                            ``(i) cyber threat indicators;
                            ``(ii) defensive measures;
                            ``(iii) cybersecurity risks;
                            ``(iv) vulnerabilities; and
                            ``(v) incident response and management;
                    ``(C) in order to increase situational awareness 
                and help prevent incidents, assist SLTT entities in 
                sharing, in real time, with the Federal Government, as 
                well as among SLTT entities, actionable--
                            ``(i) cyber threat indicators;
                            ``(ii) defensive measures;
                            ``(iii) information about cybersecurity 
                        risks or vulnerabilities; and
                            ``(iv) information about incidents;
                    ``(D) provide SLTT entities notifications 
                containing specific incident and malware information 
                that may affect them or their residents;
                    ``(E) provide to, and periodically update, SLTT 
                entities via an easily accessible platform and other 
                means--
                            ``(i) information about tools;
                            ``(ii) information about products;
                            ``(iii) resources;
                            ``(iv) policies;
                            ``(v) guidelines;
                            ``(vi) controls; and
                            ``(vii) other cybersecurity standards and 
                        best practices and procedures related to 
                        information security;
                    ``(F) work with senior SLTT entity officials, 
                including chief information officers and senior 
                election officials and through national associations, 
                to coordinate the effective implementation by SLTT 
                entities of tools, products, resources, policies, 
                guidelines, controls, and standards and best practices 
                and procedures related to information security to 
                secure the information systems, including election 
                systems, of SLTT entities;
                    ``(G) provide operational and technical assistance 
                to SLTT entities to implement tools, products, 
                resources, policies, guidelines, controls, and 
                standards and best practices and procedures on 
                information security;
                    ``(H) assist SLTT entities in developing policies 
                and procedures for coordinating vulnerability 
                disclosures consistent with international and national 
                standards in the information technology industry; and
                    ``(I) promote cybersecurity education and awareness 
                through engagements with Federal agencies and non-
                Federal entities.
    ``(q) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this subsection, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 
of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
Representatives a report on the services and capabilities that the 
Agency directly and indirectly provides to SLTT entities.''.
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