2020 -- H 7954

========

LC005180

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - SECRETARY OF STATE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Shanley, and Mendez

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2020

     Referred To: House Corporations

     (Secretary of State)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Section 17-6-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-6 entitled "Secretary of

2

State" is hereby amended to read as follows:

3

     17-6-1. General powers and duties.

4

     (a) The secretary of state shall have those functions, powers, and duties relating to elections

5

that may be provided by this title or any other law not inconsistent with this chapter. The secretary

6

of state shall maintain a central roster of all elected and appointed officers of the state, including

7

for each officer the nature of the officer's tenure and the date of expiration of the officer's term of

8

office. The secretary of state shall maintain a central register of all persons registered to vote in the

9

several cities and towns and shall add, amend, delete, and cancel any names appearing on the

10

register as certified to the secretary by the several local boards and by the state board.

11

     (b) The secretary of state may compile and publish a complete edition of the election law

12

that the secretary shall make available to all election officials and candidates upon request and

13

without charge. The secretary of state shall receive and file certificates of election results as

14

provided by this title.

15

     (c) Notwithstanding any provisions of the general laws to the contrary, the office of the

16

secretary of state shall have the authority to submit and approve the specifications used by the

17

department of administration in procuring voting systems, voting system-related services, and

18

accessible voting equipment on behalf of the state.

19

     (d) The secretary of state, with the assistance of the board of elections shall conduct a

 

1

cybersecurity assessment of election systems and facilities. The cybersecurity assessment shall

2

include an assessment of the voter registration system, voting equipment, mechanisms to transmit

3

election results, electronic poll books, and security of facilities.

4

     SECTION 2. Chapter 17-6 of the General Laws entitled "Secretary of State" is hereby

5

amended by adding thereto the following sections:

6

     17-6-1.4. Election systems cybersecurity review board.

7

     (a) The secretary of state shall establish an election systems cybersecurity review board.

8

The review board shall be comprised of the secretary of state, or designee, executive director of the

9

board of elections, or designee, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns,

10

or designee, a representative from the Rhode Island National Guard, a representative from the

11

Rhode Island state police, and a representative from the Rhode Island division of information

12

technology.

13

     (b) The secretary of state, or designee, shall serve as chairperson of the review board.

14

     (c) It shall be the duty of the election systems cybersecurity review board to review the

15

assessments conducted by the board of elections and department of state and also to procure a third-

16

party assessment of the elections systems. The review board will provide a security analysis of the

17

election systems and election facilities and shall issue a report based on its assessment with any

18

recommendations to improve the cybersecurity of the elections systems and election facilities.

19

     (d) The secretary of state shall adopt rules and regulations defining classes of protected

20

election data and establish best practices for identifying and reducing risk to the electronic use,

21

storage, and transmission of election data and the security of election systems.

22

     (e) The cybersecurity review board shall issue a report no later than two (2) months prior

23

to a statewide primary election provided in ยง 17-15-1.

24

     17-6-14. Cybersecurity training for local boards of canvassers.

25

     The secretary of state shall offer training annually regarding cybersecurity best practices

26

to local boards of canvassers.

27

     SECTION 3. Chapter 42-7 of the General Laws entitled "State Affairs and Government"

28

is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

29

     42-7-9. Cybersecurity incident response group.

30

     (a) The governor shall establish a cybersecurity incident response group, which shall

31

include the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police, or designee, adjutant general of the

32

Rhode Island National Guard, or designee, director of the Rhode Island division of information

33

technology, or designee, director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency, or designee,

34

and the secretary of state, or designee.

 

LC005180 - Page 2 of 4

1

     (b) The cybersecurity incident response group shall:

2

     (1) Establish communication protocols in the event of a breach of cybersecurity in any

3

agency or public body. The protocols shall include, but not be limited to:

4

     (i) A list of potential cybersecurity breaches that would require reporting;

5

     (ii) State and local entities covered within the communication plan;

6

     (iii) Mechanisms to communicate a cybersecurity breach; and

7

     (iv) Primary contact at each agency or public body.

8

     (c) The cybersecurity incident response group shall also establish long-term policy

9

planning and goals for the state regarding evolving cybersecurity threats and how to address them

10

in a coordinated manner.

11

     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC005180

========

 

LC005180 - Page 3 of 4

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO ELECTIONS - SECRETARY OF STATE

***

1

     This act would create an elections systems cybersecurity review board to provide a security

2

analyses of the elections systems and facilities and would create a cybersecurity incident response

3

group to establish protocols and policy planning for cybersecurity threats at any state agency.

4

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC005180

========

 

LC005180 - Page 4 of 4