Cybersecurity in the Upcoming 2020 Elections

As the 2020 presidential election draws near, state and local government agencies are making preparations to counter present and future cybersecurity dangers that threaten to undermine our nation’s election process.

Last year, state and local governments suffered 162 ransomware incidents, and these attacks show no signs of letting up, even amid the global health crisis. 

To bolster the nation’s overall safety, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has generated and released its plan for protecting not only the infrastructure of this year’s election but also the infrastructure utilized by campaigns and political parties. 

From disinformation campaigns to phishing attacks, CISA aims to identify and mitigate any security issues that might compromise the integrity of this election year. Some notable points from CISA’s plan include: 

  • Creating public awareness campaigns that discuss cybersecurity threats. 
  • Providing local and state cybersecurity officials, as well as private companies that provide voting equipment, with additional information about security threats. 
  • At the local level, helping to develop incident response and crisis communication plans. 
  • Offering services such as physical security assessments, remote penetration testing, and vulnerability scanning, among others. 
  • Conducting voluntary security assessments.
  • Working with private firms and briefing staffers about the best practices to follow regarding campaigns.
  • Providing the public and elected officials with information concerning foreign influence campaigns. 

Although these measures are being taken, CISA Director Christopher Krebs stated that much of the responsibility of securing the voting infrastructure will fall to the state and local government agencies.

Below you’ll find a list of enacted and pending bills relating to cybersecurity that have been made at the state level. 

State-Level Cybersecurity Bills: Enacted

  1. Alabama | AL S 54 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 98: Insurers and other entities licensed by the Department of Insurance must develop, implement, and maintain an information security program. It also provides for reporting to the Commissioner of Insurance, the confidentiality of provided information, and for civil penalties under certain conditions.
  2. California | CA A 74 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 23: Makes appropriations for the support of state government for the fiscal year and provides that activities performed by the office shall be designed to minimize overlap. It also works in coordination with statewide cybersecurity efforts. 
  3. Florida | FL H 5301 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 2019-118: Requires the designation of a state chief information security officer and creates the Florida Cybersecurity Task Force.    
  4. Florida | FL S 2500 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 115: Makes appropriations, including funds to county supervisors of elections for cybersecurity initiatives. 
  5. Georgia | GA H 30 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 3: Appropriates funds to the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center to enhance cybersecurity technology for private and public industries through unique education, training, research, and practical applications.
  6. Georgia | GA H 31 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 319: Appropriates funds for cybersecurity training and cybersecurity initiatives in schools.
  7. Iowa | IA H 692 – Status: Enacted: Provides for penalties for using voter registration information, including resale or redistribution of the voter registration list without written permission of the state registrar, for purposes other than those permitted.
  8. Louisiana | LA H 74 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 292: Creates the crime of trespass against state computers, provides for elements of the crime, and also provides for criminal penalties.
  9. Mississippi | MS S 2831 – Status: Enacted: Establishes the Insurance Data Security Law and provides the purpose and intent of the act. It also defines certain terms within the act, requiring insurance licenses in the state to develop, implement, and maintain an information security program. The bill further requires certain notification, investigation, and confidentiality in a cybersecurity event.
  10. Montana | MT H.B. 2 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 483: This bill appropriates money to various state agencies for the upcoming biennium, including funding for many relevant cybersecurity programs and technologies, including next-generation antivirus software, cybersecurity staff, cybersecurity student programs, and many more. The State Information Technology Services Division will report to the legislative finance committee quarterly on the Montana Cybersecurity Enhancement Project.
  11. North Dakota | ND S 2110 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 468: Expands the powers and duties of the Information Technology Department to oversee cybersecurity strategy for all executive branch state agencies. This includes institutions under the control of the State Board of Higher Education, counties, cities, school districts, or other political subdivisions.
  12. Nebraska | S.B. 123 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 546: This bill enacts provisions governing the security and integrity of elections, requiring an annual training class on cybersecurity for those who administer elections. Any records of the Secretary of State or county or city clerk related to election information are confidential and not public records. They may be disclosed only under limited circumstances. 
  13. New Jersey | NJ S 2297 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 213: Revises provisions relating to the State Blockchain Initiative Task Force. 
  14. Nevada | NV S 69 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 392: Revises provisions relating to emergencies and cybersecurity.
  15. Nevada | NV S 123 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 546: Revises provisions relating to elections.
  16. Ohio | OH H 166 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 10: This bill provides funding for cybersecurity initiatives, including the establishment of a cyber range. The cyber range will: (1) provide cyber training and education to K-12 students, higher education students, Ohio National Guardsmen, federal employees, and state and local government employees, and (2) provide for emergency preparedness exercises and training for cybersecurity.
  17. Oklahoma | OK S 261 – Status: Enacted, Chap. 163: Relates to the security of election materials, coercion, and election emergencies. The bill also authorizes post-election audits for certain purposes, provides procedures, and specifies the duties of the Secretary of State Election Board and the Secretary of County Election Board. It also specifies requirements relating to office space and arrangements for county election boards while prohibiting the providing of false or misleading information to prevent registration or voting.
  18. Virginia | VA H 5001a – Status: Enacted, Chap. 1: Revises the budget bill; makes appropriations to various state agencies and programs, including cybersecurity programs.
  19. West Virginia | WV H 2452 – Status: Enacted, Act 123: Creates the West Virginia cybersecurity office and removes the requirements of the Chief Technology Officer to oversee the security of government information. Also created the Cybersecurity office  and provides that the Chief Information Security Officer oversees said office and is authorized to create a cybersecurity framework to assist and provide guidance to agencies in cyber risk strategy.

State Level Cybersecurity Bills: Pending

  1. Georgia | GA S 21 – Status: Pending – Carryover: Will require each local board of education to prescribe mandatory instruction concerning cybersecurity every year in every grade, from kindergarten through grade 12. It will also require the State Board of Education to prescribe a minimum course of study in cybersecurity, providing for duties of the State School Superintendent. 
  2. Illinois | IL H 2829 – Status: Pending: Will create the Financial Institution Cybersecurity Act. The bill provides that persons and entities operating under the authority of the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation under the Banking Act, the Insurance Code, the Savings Bank Act, the Credit Union Act, the Corporate Fiduciary Act, and the Residential Mortgage License Act must maintain a cybersecurity program to protect the confidentiality of their information system.
  3. Illinois | IL H 3017 – Status: Pending: Will create the Veterans Cyber Academy Pilot Program Act and provides that the Department of Veterans’ Affairs shall establish and implement a pilot program to provide veterans residing in the state with access to cyber security training, certification, apprenticeships, and additional resources to enter the cyber security field of work. The pilot program shall run from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023. The bill also provides specific requirements to the department in implementing the pilot program.
  4. Michigan | MI H 4348 – Status: Pending: This bill provides executive recommendations for an omnibus bill, including funding for improvement of the state’s cybersecurity framework.
  5. Minnesota | MN H 17 – Status: Pending – Carryover: Appropriates money from the Help America Vote Act account for certain authorized purposes and provides for the purposes of modernizing, securing, and updating the statewide voter registration system and for cybersecurity upgrades as authorized by federal law.

Needless to say, states and their local government agencies are going to be making a considerable effort to keep this election year secure and free of external interference. 

The federal government has made notable progress towards improved cybersecurity with the founding of CISA and other agencies, but much of our digital safety is still in the hands of local government organizations like yours. 

Staying Ahead of the Curve with Cybersecurity

With these new laws turning cybersecurity training into a requirement, it’s important that your organization be outfitted with courses that don’t just meet the educational standards but are also convenient and easily accessible to your employees. 

Since everyone is still working from home, getting your people into the office for training isn’t an option for most employers, which is one of the reasons that our online training solutions are ideal.

We offer current and on-demand courses dedicated to Cyber Security, which you can consume on your schedule.

As an ETS Learner, you also receive access to over 60 state and national affiliations and accreditations courses, the completion certificates, and the option to print course materials when needed.

Let’s all do our part in keeping our organizations, our people, and our elections safe from cyberthreats. 

Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!

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Adapting Your Workplace to the COVID-19 Outbreak

In our previous article, Preparing the Workplace for the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we explained what the novel coronavirus is, the danger it poses, and some steps local government employers could take to prevent COVID-19 infections in their workplace. 

Since then, the pandemic landscape in the USA has shifted significantly. 

The purpose of this article is two-fold: 

  1. To give you an overview of some of the notable regulatory changes that have occurred in response to COVID-19.
  2. To provide valuable tips for your local government on how to respond to potential disruptions in day-to-day operations/services that could occur, given that more cases of COVID-19 are expected to arrive.

State and Local Government Responses to COVID-19

It’s said that 3/4ths of Americans are now living in lockdown with 38 states having issued stay at home orders. 

Over 425 executive actions have been issued in 50 states and American territories, these actions including but not limited to declarations of state emergencies, school closures, and retail and business closures. A few notable actions have been listed below: 

California

  • Executive Order No. N-35-20 — “…Allows local governments more flexibility to utilize the skills of retired employees and reinforces the importance of the delivery of food, medicine, and emergency supplies.”
  • Executive Order N25-20 — “…The order allows local or state legislative bodies to hold meetings via teleconference and to make meetings accessible electronically. The order allows local and state emergency administrators to act quickly to protect public health.”

Louisiana

  • COVID-19 Task Force — “Governor John Bel Edwards (D) has established a COVID-19 task force. The taskforce will lead the state’s planning for different scenarios relating to the spread of coronavirus, offer guidance to the Governor’s Office and the Unified Command Group, and to agencies, local governments, businesses, and organizations.” 

Indiana

  • Executive Order 20-09 — “…Governor Eric Holcomb (R) has issued an order relating to government body meetings, government purchasing, and continuity of government.” 

Nevada

  • Executive Order 006 — “Governor Steve Sisolak (D) issued an order allowing virtual meetings for government bodies.”

Puerto Rico

  • Legislative Action RCC 659 — “Allocates $500,000,000 to various government agencies to finance a portion of the first phase of the Strategic Plan to Reactivate Our Economy, Support Our Merchants, and Protect Our Workers, in response to the emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

How Your Local Government Can Respond as Employers

As mentioned in our previous article, the ways in which your local government agency can mitigate health risks to your employees are numerous. 

Some of the more standard strategies involve encouraging sick employees to stay home, upholding hygienic practices in the workplace, and taking advantage of teleworking options. 

Below are some additional considerations that were brought up both by OSHA’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 and King County’s coronavirus pandemic guide for businesses and organizations

Social-Distancing

The majority of Americans are already practicing social-distancing in public, but there are other ways in which the practice can translate into the workplace beyond maintaining a minimum of 6-feet between yourself and others. 

As an employer, you can take measures to allow telecommuting wherever possible. However, not every individual has the necessary tools for remote work, so taking steps to ensure the availability of the relevant tech and infrastructure for telecommuting could go a long way. 

Depending on the structure of your organization, it may be worth permitting staggered shifts as another method of reducing person-to-person interaction. 

Prepare for Absenteeism 

Local government organizations should anticipate employee absences. These absences may result from an employee getting sick, having to care for a sick family member, or having to watch over children now that many have been dismissed from schools and daycare centers. 

Some employees may have family members who are immunocompromised and thus prefer to stay home lest they bring the disease back from work, while others still may remain home for fear of possible exposure to the virus. 

The loss of an employee who performs an essential function in your organization could bottleneck your day-to-day operations, so to prepare for this possibility, consider cross-training employees to perform these essential roles.

Keep your Workforce Educated on Treatment and Prevention

We shared some advice on this subject in our previous post, but its importance warrants reiteration. 

Your local government organization should be actively encouraging disease prevention behavior such as hand washing, sanitizing surfaces, avoiding the touching of the face, and staying home if feeling sick. 

Establishing Communication Protocol

During this period, it’s more important than ever to uphold high standards of communication in your workforce. 

A failure in communication could become the catalyst for breakdowns within your organization, the growth of false rumors, and even disintegration of trust and morale between team members.  

As an employer, it might be worth asking: 

  • How can you increase awareness of and support employees that are currently experiencing anxiety and fear during this health crisis?
  • What part can you play in the prevention of false rumors and misinformation circulating in your local government organization?
  • What can you and your leadership team do to keep your employees adequately informed regarding the latest health updates about the outbreak?

As a local government organization, it’s vital that you feel capable of handling this crisis to maintain the greater health and welfare of your local communities. We hope that the implementation of these provided strategies will bring you one step closer to that goal.

Adjusting to New Work Circumstances

The modern workplace has been shifting in significant ways for the better part of a decade due to innovations in technology, among other things. 

The current health crisis caused by COVID-19 has accelerated the pace at which organizations of all shapes and sizes have had to adapt to said innovations. 

If your local government agency has been struggling with the transition to remote work, we can assist you with our suite of cost-effective packages

Whether you’re working remotely for the first time or want to operate more efficiently in your current virtual workplace environment, our courses provide everything you need to thrive so that your agency can come out of this crisis in better shape than when it arrived.

Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!

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Women Leaders in Government: Why It Matters and How to Achieve It

Women leaders in Government are critical for helping agencies meet their full potential
Women leaders in Government are critical for helping agencies meet their full potential

According to a Pew Research Center survey on women and leadership, most Americans believe women possess the same key leadership traits as men such as intelligence and capacity for innovation. In fact, some people think women are superior to men in areas of compassion and organization.

Despite this, only 15.4% of chief administrative officers are women, according to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).

If we want to increase the gender parity index and work towards a fair footing for women leaders in Government, then we need to do everything we can to make it more likely women will pursue managerial positions in their local state and county.

Before we can look at how to get more women in office, let’s look at why they’re so beneficial to have in there at all.

What are the Benefits of Women Leaders in Government?

According to a study conducted by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman for the Harvard Business Review, women outperformed men in 15 out of the 16 categories they studied.

This study surveyed 7,280 leaders across some of the most successful and progressive organizations in the world both public and private, government and commercial, domestic and international.

The data confirmed that women are certainly better than men in the categories they’re typically known to excel within, such as “building relationships” and “developing others.”

But surprisingly, women were also rated higher in stereotypically male dominated attributes, such as “taking initiative” and “driving for results.”

Here’s a list of the other categories women excelled in:

  • Practices Self-Development
  • Displays High Integrity and Honesty
  • Inspires and Motivates Others
  • Collaboration and Teamwork
  • Establishes Stretch Goals
  • Champions Change
  • Solves Problems and Analyzes Issues
  • Communicates Powerfully and Prolifically
  • Connects the Group to the Outside World
  • Innovates
  • Technical or Professional Expertise

The only category in which men scored marginally higher was “developed strategic perspective.”

This study clearly demonstrates that women are necessary and essential for a high-functioning Government agency.

Which leaves us with one question…

How Do You Get More Women Leaders in Government?

We’ve seen huge strides in getting women to run and be elected into top Governmental roles as shown in the unprecedented Decade of Women.

But how do we get women involved on the state and local level?

Here are 2 ways to make it happen:

Mentorship Programs

Without a doubt, a strong local Government mentorship program for women is one of the best ways to foster leadership traits and increase women leaders in Government.

Patricia Martel, the city manager of Daly City in California, told Governing Magazine that “One of the most critical things is having a role model…You can’t be who you can’t see.”

A great example of a strong mentoring program for women is the Women’s Leadership Mentoring Program (WLMP) in San Antonio, Texas.

It offers ambitious young women a year-long mentorship with a female city executive and is built upon strategic requirements, offerings, and expectations that enhance the mentoring relationship and leadership development for all participants.

The more cities offering these types of programs, the more we’ll see women leaders in Government.

Women Leadership Programs

Programs that teach young women the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be a strong manager are needed to increase the confidence of women who are interested in becoming a leader in Government.

Evidence shows that women are less self-assured than men, according to the Atlantic in their article titled, “The Confidence Gap.”

Some organizations are taking a bold step to empower young women with valuable managerial skills, such as our New to Management training.

From what to expect, to directing others, difficult conversations, motivating a team, and effective interpersonal skills, our management training materials include video lessons, knowledge checks, and other course materials to help men and women alike improve their management and leadership skills.

This kind of focused, hands-on training will go a long way in developing the talent needed for future agency managers and leaders.

How Can You Become a Woman Leader in Government Today?

If you already work within a Government agency, you can be part of the growing movement for female leadership.

If you want to become the head of your agency, you’re going to need to dedicate yourself to lifelong learning and skill building.

This doesn’t mean you have to go back to school or spend enormous amounts of money on high-priced instructors.

All you need is the right training program to quickly foster the skills required to become a leader in your sector.

Want to know how?

Invest in your education through one of our Government eLearning courses.

ELearning Helps to Quickly Develop Women Leaders in Government

We have over 6,000 online Government training programs designed to help you sharpen your knowledge, learn new skills, and become a stronger leader. You can learn from any device, anywhere. From effective communication to project management, you can fast-track your ability to become the manager or the head of your agency.

Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by starting your free 10-day trial today!

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