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Bill

HB 1062

Department of the Environment - Community Water and Sewerage Systems - Cybersecurity Planning and Assessments

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Andrea Harrison

Maryland requires water and sewerage systems to develop cybersecurity plans and undergo vulnerability assessments to protect critical infrastructure from cyber threats.

Second Reading Passed with Amendments
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Bill Summary · HB 1062

Legislative bill overview

HB 1062 requires Maryland's Department of the Environment to establish cybersecurity planning requirements and conduct vulnerability assessments for community water and sewerage systems. The bill mandates that public water utilities develop and implement cybersecurity plans addressing identified risks and standards.

Why is this important

Water infrastructure vulnerabilities pose significant public health and safety risks, as cyber attacks could disrupt water treatment, contaminate supplies, or compromise sewerage operations affecting thousands of residents. Establishing minimum cybersecurity standards helps protect critical infrastructure that communities depend on daily while potentially reducing costly breaches and emergency responses.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs: Smaller municipalities and rural water systems may struggle with funding requirements for cybersecurity upgrades and staffing without state financial assistance
  • Regulatory burden: Prescriptive cybersecurity requirements could create compliance complexity for systems with limited technical expertise
  • Standards specificity: Unclear whether the bill's "standards" align with federal guidance or create potentially duplicative state-level requirements, causing operational confusion

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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