S.B. No. 820
AN ACT
relating to a requirement that a school district adopt a
cybersecurity policy.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 11.175 to read as follows:
Sec. 11.175. DISTRICT CYBERSECURITY. (a) In this section:
(1) "Breach of system security" means an incident in which
student information that is sensitive, protected, or confidential,
as provided by state or federal law, is stolen or copied,
transmitted, viewed, or used by a person unauthorized to engage in
that action.
(2) "Cyber attack" means an attempt to damage,
disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer, computer
network, or computer system.
(3) "Cybersecurity" means the measures taken to
protect a computer, computer network, or computer system against
unauthorized use or access.
(b) Each school district shall adopt a cybersecurity policy
to:
(1) secure district cyberinfrastructure against cyber
attacks and other cybersecurity incidents; and
(2) determine cybersecurity risk and implement
mitigation planning.
(c) A school district's cybersecurity policy may not
conflict with the information security standards for institutions
of higher education adopted by the Department of Information
Resources under Chapters 2054 and 2059, Government Code.
(d) The superintendent of each school district shall
designate a cybersecurity coordinator to serve as a liaison between
the district and the agency in cybersecurity matters.
(e) The district's cybersecurity coordinator shall report
to the agency any cyber attack or other cybersecurity incident
against the district cyberinfrastructure that constitutes a breach
of system security as soon as practicable after the discovery of the
attack or incident.
(f) The district's cybersecurity coordinator shall provide
notice to a parent of or person standing in parental relation to a
student enrolled in the district of an attack or incident for which
a report is required under Subsection (e) involving the student's
information.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 820 passed the Senate on
April 26, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 25, 2019, by the
following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 820 passed the House, with
amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 133,
Nays 10, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor