State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Bill Considered in House and Senate Committees
The proposed state-funded program would provide grants to cities for critical cybersecurity improvements.
On Feb. 27, the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee heard HF 140 (Rep. Kristin Bahner, DFL-Maple Grove), and laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the committee’s budget bill.
The bill would establish a competitive grant program to allow cities, counties, and the eight largest townships to obtain state funding to enhance cybersecurity infrastructure, including hardware, software, and services. The goal is to help local governments protect sensitive data and critical infrastructure from malicious cyberattacks.
The Senate companion bill, SF 379, was heard a week earlier, on Feb. 20, by the Senate State and Local Government Committee. It also was laid over for possible inclusion in the committee’s budget bill. Sen. Melissa Wiklund (DFL-Bloomington) sponsors the Senate proposal.
Key provisions of the bill
The proposal would:
- Allocate $20 million to Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) to administer the grants.
- Provide grants up to $25,000 for the full cost of an eligible expenditure and up to 75% of expenses beyond that, with a $1 million cap per applicant. Funds eligible for cybersecurity expenses would include:
- General IT services.
- Equipment to secure technology, including control systems, storage, and cloud-based backup solutions.
- Data management and data archiving solutions.
- Secure email hosting and email filtering solutions.
- Firewalls, network hardware, antirvirus and detection, and response software.
- Consulting costs or other professional services needed to implement cybersecurity hardware and software.
Hearing highlights and support
The League of Minnesota Cities testified in support of the bills, emphasizing the urgent need for cybersecurity resources, particularly for small, under-resourced cities that manage critical infrastructure yet lack the tools to defend against cyber threats. The League and the Association of Minnesota Counties also submitted joint written testimony, highlighting the bill’s benefits and the necessity of state resources to support cybersecurity efforts.
Read the League’s joint written testimony on the cybersecurity proposal (pdf).
LMC staff take
With budget constraints expected this session (pending Minnesota Management and Budget’s upcoming forecast released in March), bipartisan bills like SF 379 could receive funding — especially if they help leverage federal cybersecurity funding and maximize non-state dollars for local government.
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