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Bill

HB 209

State Finance and Procurement - Local Cybersecurity Preparedness and Response Plan and Assessment - Repeal

2025 Regular Session

HB 209 repeals Maryland's requirement that local governments develop cybersecurity preparedness plans and submit assessments, eliminating mandatory cyber defense accountability measures.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 166
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Bill Summary · HB 209

Legislative bill overview

HB 209 repeals Maryland's requirement for local governments to develop and maintain cybersecurity preparedness and response plans, along with associated assessment protocols. The bill eliminates statutory obligations that previously mandated localities to create formal cybersecurity strategies and submit periodic evaluations to the state.

Why is this important

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in local government systems pose real risks to essential services, from water treatment to emergency response. Repealing planning and assessment requirements reduces accountability mechanisms that could identify gaps in local cyber defenses, potentially leaving critical infrastructure and citizen data less protected against evolving cyber threats.

Potential points of contention

  • Infrastructure vulnerability: Eliminating mandatory cybersecurity planning may leave local systems unprepared for ransomware attacks and data breaches that increasingly target municipal governments
  • Compliance burden vs. public safety trade-off: While the repeal removes regulatory overhead on local budgets and administrative capacity, it sacrifices standardized baseline protections across jurisdictions
  • Accountability gap: Without assessment requirements, there's no systematic statewide visibility into local cybersecurity posture or mechanism to direct state resources to the most vulnerable areas

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

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