HB 1033 & SB 7050-Relating to Information Technology Security
On Monday, March 7th, HB 1033, relating to Information Technology Security, by Rep. Frank Artiles (R-Miami) was amended, read for a third time on the House floor and passed by a vote of 111 yeas to 0 nays.

Once HB 1033 passed through the House early Monday morning, the Senate took up the House version from messages and substituted HB 1033 for its Senate companion, SB 7050. Following this action, a vote was taken and HB 1033 passed through the floor of the Senate unanimously with a vote of 38 yeas to 0 nays.

HB 1033 will put into place procedures to, hopefully, prevent/aide state agencies in the event of a cyber-attack. The bill requires the Agency for State Technology (AST) to establish standards and processes consistent with best practices for both information technology (IT) security and cybersecurity. It also requires AST to develop and publish guidelines and processes for an IT security framework to be used by state agencies. In part, the guidelines and processes must address completing risk assessments administered by a third party, establishing a computer security incident response team (team), and establishing an IT incident reporting process.

The bill requires the information security manager of each state agency to establish a team to respond to a suspected computer security incident. It also requires each state agency head to conduct a risk assessment administered by a third party by July 31, 2017; conduct IT security and cybersecurity training for new employees; ensure that certain personnel understand their roles and responsibilities; develop notification procedures for reporting IT security incidents and breaches; and improve organizational response activities.

The bill also requires the Technology Advisory Council within AST to have at least one member who is a cybersecurity expert.

HB 1033 will now go to Governor Scott’s desk to be signed into law.

AIF supports legislation that will bring our states cyber security measures up to date to protect Floridians and Florida’s businesses from potential cyber-attacks.

HB 1195-Relating to Technology
On Monday, March 7th, HB 1195, relating to Technology, by Rep. James Grant (R-Tampa) was read for a third time on the floor of the House and passed by a vote of 110 yeas to 1 nay.

HB 1195 establishes a chief data officer (CDO) within AST; requires AST to create reporting format for certain data & publish such data in indexed catalog; requires that government entities annually provide indexed list of certain data to AST; provides list requirements. Once the CDO is in place, that position must request and receive data from any state or local government entity, as needed, to establish the interoperability of public data, for the purpose of maintaining and updating the data catalog.

HB 1195 was not considered by the Senate, leaving this bill dead for the 2016 Session.

AIF supports legislative changes that will designate systems and processes to be implemented and operated at an enterprise (statewide or agency grouping) level and provide operational authority and funding to the AST.