HSB 16 (LSB 1264YC (3) 90)

HOUSE FILE _____ 

BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TECHNOLOGY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON SORENSEN)

A BILL FOR

An Act modifying the definitions of essential county purpose and essential corporate purpose to include cybersecurity purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 331.441, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code 2023, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (21)  The acquisition, development, and improvement of county information systems to protect against a cybersecurity event. For purposes of this subparagraph, “cybersecurity event” means an event resulting in unauthorized access to, or the disruption or misuse of, an information system or of nonpublic information stored on an information system. For purposes of this subparagraph, “information system” means a discrete set of electronic information resources organized for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or disposition of electronic nonpublic information, and any specialized system including but not limited to a process controls system, a telephone switching system, or an environmental control system.
    Sec. 2.  Section 384.24, subsection 3, Code 2023, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  y.  The acquisition, development, and improvement of city information systems to protect against a cybersecurity event. For purposes of this paragraph, “cybersecurity event” means an event resulting in unauthorized access to, or the disruption or misuse of, an information system or of nonpublic information stored on an information system. For purposes of this paragraph, “information system” means a discrete set of electronic information resources organized for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or disposition of electronic nonpublic information, and any specialized system including but not limited to a process controls system, a telephone switching system, or an environmental control system.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill amends the definitions of “essential county purpose” and “essential corporate purpose” to include the acquisition, development, and improvement of information systems to protect against a cybersecurity event. The bill defines “cybersecurity event” as an event resulting in unauthorized access to, or the disruption or misuse of, an information system or of nonpublic information stored on an information system, as defined in the bill.
   Under Code chapters 331 and 384, the applicable county or city may generally contract indebtedness and approve the issuance of general obligation bonds to carry out an essential county purpose or essential corporate purpose without approval by voters at an election, while the issuance of general obligation bonds to carry out a general county purpose or general corporate purpose generally requires approval by voters at an election.