Lawmakers moved one step closer to creating a 'cyber command' responsible for state cybersecurity matters with overwhelming approval in the Texas House.

What happened

House Bill 150 from state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, would create the Texas Cyber Command out of The University of Texas at San Antonio. After a House committee review in March, the full body passed the legislation 130-13 on April 16, and it now heads to the Senate for consideration.

The Texas Cyber Command would take over many digital security responsibilities currently held by the Texas Department of Information Resources. The command would also expand cybersecurity training requirements and move Texas into an "operational posture" with a new threat intelligence center, critical incident response unit and digital forensic lab, Capriglione said.

“With the Texas Cyber Command, we are charting a path towards resiliency and putting our governments and communities on the best footing to achieve the mission of preventing, responding and quickly recovering from cyber incidents," Capriglione said during House debate April 15.

Establishing a stand-alone state entity to manage cybersecurity was named a priority for this legislative session by Gov. Greg Abbott, and officials have said it's needed to address mounting criminal and foreign cyber threats against schools, hospitals, public infrastructure and governments. A March executive order from President Donald Trump also calls for local preparedness efforts including investments related to cyber attacks.

In a statement, House Speaker Dustin Burrows credited the body's "overwhelming" mid-April support for emergency legislation including HB 150. He said the Texas Cyber Command would improve the state's ability to respond to attacks from "hostile criminals and foreign actors."

Zooming in

During floor debate April 15, Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, pressed Capriglione on the command's estimated costs—$135.54 million in the coming biennium and nearly $350 million through 2030—as well as the efficiency of launching a new government entity with scores of employees. More than $60 million of the command's initial costs are expected to be covered by the UT system, according to the state and university officials.

Capriglione said he believes having one agency providing a "laser focus" for Texas' cyber defenses, with ties to local governments and the private sector, will be a positive for the state in the long run. He and others have also said the command would benefit from placement at UTSA by leveraging its resources and San Antonio's cybersecurity ecosystem including NSA Texas, the Sixteenth Air Force and private entities.

“By creating the cyber command, what we’re doing is not just creating this in San Antonio. We’re going to have the most resilient, the most secure cyber command in the entire country," he said.

HB 150 also passed with an amendment from Rep. Andy Hopper, R-Decatur, preventing noncitizens from employment or affiliation with the cyber command. Harrison and Hopper were among the 13 House votes against the final bill April 16.