Local Government Cyber Security

The Local Government Cybersecurity Protection Program was moved from being administered by the University of South Florida to the Florida Digital Service.

The deadline for awarding grants to local governments was changed from October 1 to December 1 of each year.

Administrative expense limits were removed from the text, and the reporting requirements were updated to reflect the new administering agency.

The entity administering the cybersecurity grant program changed from Florida State University to the Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida.

A new requirement was added prohibiting grants from being awarded to the same local government for more than two consecutive fiscal years.

New language clarifies that local governments are responsible for all costs associated with purchasing information technology commodities and services under the program.

The program title changed from 'Florida State University Cybersecurity Protection Program' to 'Local Government Cybersecurity Protection Program' to reflect its new focus on local governments.

New requirements mandate that Florida State University enter into data-sharing agreements with local governments and the Florida Digital Service to enable the collection and exchange of security-related information.

The program structure changed from providing direct access to university software to administering a grant program that awards information technology commodities and services based on objective criteria.

A new deadline was established requiring grants to be awarded to eligible local governments by October 1 of each year.

Preference for fiscally constrained counties was retained but is now explicitly tied to the awarding of information technology commodities and services within the new grant framework.