The legislation does not mandate significant
increases in expenditures by the state or local
governments, but rather leaves it up to each
entity to potentially implement the plan,
according to Lee.
This Maryland bill follows a 2019 North Dakota
law that added the same provisions and power
to its state Information Technology department.
The main point of this bill is to simply draw
up guidance and advice for those around the
state to be able to help prepare themselves
brace for potential attacks, Lee told Capital
News Service.
During a Senate Education, Health, and
Environmental Affairs Committee hearing on
Jan. 14, Lee compared this plan to having a fire
extinguisher for protection and to prevent a
possibly worse situation.
“Today we have to prepare for and respond to
digital fires ... upfront rather than scrambling on
the back end,” Lee said during the hearing.
Senate committee members responded
favorably toward the bill, but looked to
generate tighter language to define the tasks
this bill sets forward.
Delegate Ned Carey, D-Anne Arundel, has cross-
filed this bill in the House — along with three
co-sponsors — and said he believes it should
receive bipartisan support due to the well-
known threat that professional hackers pose.
“The bill is intended to help,” Carey said.
“We’re going to work hard to make sure this
bill succeeds.”
Carey’s legislation, House bill 235, was heard
by the Health and Government Operations
Committee on Tuesday afternoon.