WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SB 239

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

2025 Regular Session

Maryland repeals state mandate requiring local governments to develop cybersecurity preparedness plans and undergo readiness assessments, eliminating compliance requirements but reducing oversight accountability.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 167
#a
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 239

Legislative bill overview

SB 239 repeals Maryland's requirement for local governments to develop and maintain cybersecurity preparedness and response plans, along with the associated assessment framework that evaluated local cybersecurity readiness. The bill eliminates a state mandate that previously obligated municipalities and counties to document their cyber incident response capabilities and preparedness measures.

Why is this important

Local cybersecurity planning directly affects public safety, data protection, and government service continuity during cyber incidents. Repealing this requirement removes accountability mechanisms for ensuring communities can respond to ransomware attacks, data breaches, and other cyber threats that increasingly target municipal infrastructure, emergency services, and citizen records.

Potential points of contention

  • Public safety implications: Eliminating mandatory cybersecurity planning could leave some municipalities unprepared for cyber incidents, particularly smaller jurisdictions with limited IT resources
  • Data protection concerns: Without assessment requirements, there is no statewide oversight ensuring local governments protect sensitive citizen information and critical infrastructure
  • Burden reduction vs. preparedness trade-off: While the repeal removes compliance costs and administrative burden for local governments, it sacrifices measurable accountability for cyber readiness across the state

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

Sign in to ask a question.