To amend sections 125.18 and 5922.08 and to enact sections 5502.282, 5502.283, and 5922.09 of the Revised Code to require the assessment of municipal corporation cybersecurity infrastructure, to allow the cybersecurity strategic advisor to certify and contract with private cybersecurity firms, and to establish a toll-free secure line to the Ohio Cyber Reserve.
HB475 expands Ohio’s cybersecurity framework at both the state and local levels. It directs the state cybersecurity strategic advisor, with assistance from the emergency management agency and the chief information security officer, to conduct an annual assessment of municipal corporation cybersecurity infrastructure and report the findings to state leaders and the General Assembly. The bill also authorizes the advisor to certify Ohio-based private cybersecurity firms and contract with them to help perform assessments or respond to cyber incidents in coordination with the Ohio Cyber Reserve.
The bill further requires county, regional, and local emergency management plans to incorporate use of a new secure toll-free cyberattack reporting line. It also directs the adjutant general to establish that 24/7 staffed line for state, county, and local governments to report cyberattacks and request immediate support from the Ohio Cyber Reserve. In addition, the bill revises existing state information technology law to reinforce statewide cybersecurity planning, privacy protections, and oversight of state agency technology purchases and security practices.
HB475 would amend sections 125.18 and 5922.08 and add new sections 5502.282, 5502.283, and 5922.09 of the Revised Code. Its main legal effect is to create a formal statewide process for assessing municipal cybersecurity readiness, to integrate private cybersecurity vendors into state response efforts under certification and contract requirements, and to require emergency management entities to use a new cyber incident hotline. It also expands the operational role of the Ohio Cyber Reserve and reinforces the Office of Information Technology’s authority over state agency cybersecurity, privacy, and technology procurement.
The bill appears generally supportive of stronger cybersecurity preparedness and faster incident response, with no recorded votes or committee testimony in the provided materials to indicate opposition or amendment debate. Its structure suggests a policy consensus around improving municipal cyber defenses, coordinating state resources, and creating a clearer reporting and response pathway for cyber incidents. Because the bill is only introduced and has not advanced through recorded votes here, the overall sentiment can best be described as favorable but still early in the legislative process.
The most notable policy questions raised by the bill are the use of private cybersecurity firms in government response, the scope of state authority over municipal cybersecurity assessments, and the operational requirements imposed on local emergency management agencies. The bill requires private firms to meet certification, insurance, background-check, ethics, and data-handling standards, which may reflect concerns about trust, confidentiality, and accountability. Another possible point of contention is the mandate that local and regional emergency plans incorporate the secure hotline, which could be viewed as an added administrative requirement for local governments.