Minnesota – Senate Reviews Cybersecurity Grant Program for Local Governments
The proposed state-funded program would provide grants to cities for critical cybersecurity improvements.
On Feb. 20, the Senate State and Local Government Committee took up SF 379 (Sen. Melissa Wiklund, DFL-Bloomington) for consideration and laid the bill over for possible inclusion in the committee’s omnibus proposal.
The bill would establish a competitive grant program allowing cities, counties, and Minnesota’s eight largest townships to access state funding for cybersecurity hardware, software, and services to better protect against malicious attacks that put sensitive data and critical infrastructure at risk.
Key provisions of the bill
The proposal would:
- Allocate $20 million to Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) to administer the grants.
- Provide grants up to $25,000 for the full cost of an eligible expenditure and up to 75% of expenses beyond that, with a $1 million cap per applicant.
- Funds eligible for cybersecurity expenses, include:
- General IT services.
- Equipment to secure technology, including control systems, storage, and cloud-based backup solutions.
- Data management and data archiving solutions.
- Secure email hosting and email filtering solutions.
- Firewalls, network hardware, antirvirus and detection, and response software.
- Consulting costs or other professional services needed to implement cybersecurity hardware and software.
- Funds eligible for cybersecurity expenses, include:
Hearing highlights and support
The League of Minnesota Cities testified in support of the bill, emphasizing the urgent need for cybersecurity resources, particularly for small, under-resourced cities that manage critical infrastructure yet lack the tools to defend against cyber threats. The League and the Association of Minnesota Counties also submitted joint written testimony, highlighting the bill’s benefits and the necessity of state resources to support cybersecurity efforts.
Next step
The House version, HF 140, sponsored by Rep. Kristin Bahner (DFL-Maple Grove) awaits action in the House State Government Finance and Policy Committee.
LMC staff take
With budget constraints expected this session (pending Minnesota Management and Budget’s upcoming forecast, which is expected to be released in March), bipartisan bills like SF 379 could be a strong consideration — especially if they help leverage federal cybersecurity funding and maximize non-state dollars for local government.
READ the latest news shaping the cybersecurity market at Cybersecurity News Central
Minnesota – Senate Reviews Cybersecurity Grant Program for Local Governments, source
