A group of Democrat and Republican lawmakers brought forward a bill that would provide funding for New Mexico school districts to install a cybersecurity program after several attacks over the last year.
The money from House Bill 122 would go to hiring three employees who will design and implement the program. The bipartisan bill would spend $45 million from 2023-2026.
The text reads “MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM FOR THE STATEWIDE EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK, INCLUDING EIGHTYSEVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND SEVENTY-THREE CHARTER OR OTHER SCHOOLS BY THE END OF (THE) FISCAL YEAR 2026.”
HB122 states that of the $45 million, $8 million would go toward the fiscal year 2023, $10 million for the fiscal year 2024, $12 million for the fiscal year 2025, and $15 million for the fiscal year 2026. The bill also states that "Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of (the) fiscal year 2026 shall revert to the general fund."
This bill comes after numerous cyberattacks on the state throughout the past few years, according to KRQE.
Reps. Willie Madrid, Rebecca Dow, Raymundo Lara and Joy Garratt are the congressmembers sponsoring the bill.