Local Government Cybersecurity

Florida Senate
-
2026

CS for SB 576

By
the Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability;
and Senator Harrell

585-02774-26 2026576c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to local government cybersecurity;
3 creating s. 282.31855, F.S.; creating the Local
4 Government Cybersecurity Protection Program within the
5 Florida Digital Service; requiring the grant program
6 to be administered by the Florida Digital Service;
7 providing the purpose of the grant program; requiring
8 the Florida Digital Service to enter into certain
9 data-sharing agreements with local governments for a
10 specified purpose; requiring the Florida Digital
11 Service to administer the grant program based on
12 specified criteria to provide information technology
13 commodities and services to local governments for a
14 specified purpose; requiring the Florida Digital
15 Service to contract for information technology
16 commodities and services and award such commodities
17 and services to local governments; establishing
18 preference for certain counties under the grant
19 program; requiring grants to be annually awarded by a
20 certain date; authorizing the Florida Digital Service
21 to apply for and accept certain funds or grants;
22 providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Section 282.31855, Florida Statutes, is created
27 to read:
28
282.31855

Local Government Cybersecurity Protection

29
Program.—

30
(1)

The Local Government Cybersecurity Protection Program

31
is created within the Florida Digital Service, to be

32
administered by the Florida Digital Service. The purpose of the

33
grant program is to assist eligible local governments in

34
mitigating and defending against cybersecurity threats,

35
including, but not limited to, ransomware incidents.

36
(2)

Under the grant program, the Florida Digital Service

37
shall enter into data-sharing agreements with local governments

38
as necessary to facilitate the collection, analysis, and

39
exchange of security-related information to support the

40
detection, prevention, and response to cybersecurity incidents

41
consistent with s. 282.318.

42
(3)(a)

The Florida Digital Service shall administer the

43
grant program based on objective eligibility and evaluation

44
criteria to provide information technology commodities and

45
services directly to local governments for the purpose of

46
developing and enhancing cybersecurity risk management programs

47
consistent with s. 282.3185.

48
(b)

The Florida Digital Service shall contract for

49
information technology commodities and services and shall award

50
such commodities and services to local governments eligible

51
under the grant program criteria.

52
(c)

In awarding information technology commodities and

53
services, the Florida Digital Service shall give preference to

54
fiscally constrained counties as described in s. 218.67(1).

55
(d)

Grants shall be awarded to eligible local governments

56
by October 1 of each year.

57
(4)

The Florida Digital Service may apply for and accept

58
any funds or grants made available to it by any agency or

59
department of the Federal Government to further the grant

60
program.

61 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.