The Texas Senate Committee on Business and Commerce conducted a hearing of invited testimony last week on Wednesday, May 18th to discuss interim charges on supply chain, cybersecurity, and workforce. While discussing the charge on enhancing Texas’ cybersecurity infrastructure, the committee heard from various individuals representing both public sector state agencies and private sector interested parties. Notable speakers include:
• Amanda Crawford (Executive Director, DIR & CIO, State of Texas)
• Lt. Colonel Jeoff Williams (Dpty Director Law Enforcement Services, DPS)
• Brad Jones (Interim President & CEO, ERCOT)
• Christopher Furlow (President & CEO, Texas Bankers Association)
Topics discussed included the implementation of legislation passed by the 87th Legislature such as HB 1118 and SB 475, cyber training as a method of reducing the probability of breach, the need to protect personal identifying information (PII), cyber liability insurance, and the integration of zero trust protections into state agencies. The full video of the hearing can be found on the Texas Senate website: https://tlcsenate.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?clip_id=16852