H.B. No. 1421

	AN ACT
	relating to cybersecurity of voter registration lists and other
	election-related documents, systems, and technology.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Title 16, Election Code, is amended by adding
	Chapter 279 to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 279. CYBERSECURITY OF ELECTION SYSTEMS
	Sec. 279.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
	(1)  "County election officer" means an individual
	employed by a county as an elections administrator, voter
	registrar, county clerk, or other officer with responsibilities
	relating to the administration of elections.
	(2)  "Election data" means information that is created
	or managed in the operation of an election system.
	(3)  "Election system" means a voting system and the
	technology used to support the conduct of an election, including
	the election data processed or produced in the course of conducting
	an election, such as voter registration information, ballot
	information, collected and tabulated votes, election management
	processes and procedures, and other election-related documents and
	election data.
	Sec. 279.002.  ELECTION CYBERSECURITY: SECRETARY OF STATE.
	(a) The secretary of state shall adopt rules defining classes of
	protected election data and establishing best practices for
	identifying and reducing risk to the electronic use, storage, and
	transmission of election data and the security of election systems.
	(b)  The secretary of state shall offer training on best
	practices:
	(1)  on an annual basis, to all appropriate personnel
	in the secretary of state's office; and
	(2)  on request, to county election officers in this
	state.
	(c)  If the secretary of state becomes aware of a breach of
	cybersecurity that impacts election data, the secretary shall
	immediately notify the members of the standing committees of each
	house of the legislature with jurisdiction over elections.
	Sec. 279.003.  ELECTION CYBERSECURITY: COUNTY ELECTION
	OFFICERS. (a) A county election officer shall annually request
	training on cybersecurity from the secretary of state. The
	secretary of state shall pay the costs associated with the training
	with available state funds.
	(b)  A county election officer shall request an assessment of
	the cybersecurity of the county's election system from a provider
	of cybersecurity assessments if the secretary of state recommends
	an assessment and the necessary funds are available.
	(c)  If a county election officer becomes aware of a breach
	of cybersecurity that impacts election data, the officer shall
	immediately notify the secretary of state.
	(d)  To the extent that state funds are available for the
	purpose, a county election officer shall implement cybersecurity
	measures to ensure that all devices with access to election data
	comply to the highest extent possible with rules adopted by the
	secretary of state under Section 279.002.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1421 was passed by the House on April
	16, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 121, Nays 15, 1 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 1421 on May 23, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 115, Nays 23,
	1 present, not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1421 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 21, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
	0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor