For Immediate Release: January 31, 2021

Media Contact: Michelle.Sherwood@sen.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) introduced SB 892—The Cybersecurity
Preparedness Act— that will strengthen California’s response time to security breaches, as well protect and secure vital water and food supplies from future attacks. 

“Climate Change, including this drought, and aging infrastructure will continue to drive the cost of food to increase, more concerning is the threat to our food system through cyberattacks,” said Senator Hurtado. “Now more than ever we need to invest in California’s critical infrastructure sectors from cyberterrorism on our water and food supply. SB 892 will help protect us from the dangerous attacks. There is funding in the federal Infrastructure Bill to help California secure our vital networks—we cannot wait any longer. The impacts of these cyber security risks greatly impact our human security.”

California’s existing cybersecurity defenses leave the food, agricultural and water industries vulnerable to cyberattacks and cyber threats. These cyberattacks threaten the health and safety of Californians who purchase products and utilize services form these companies.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure sectors, including the food and agriculture sector. These cyberattacks, predominantly made up of phishing attempts and ransomware, provide intruders with access to technology systems, money, and sensitive data and information. The food and agriculture sector is particularly at risk for cyberattacks due to a lack of preparedness that stems from limited existing federal and state regulations.

SB 892 requires companies in the food and agricultural industry to report instances of verified cyber threats or cyberattacks within 60 days, it also requires the water and wastewater sector to disclose risk assessments and emergency response plans to state water authorities. SB 892 will direct the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and the California Cybersecurity Integration Center (Cal-CSIC) to create plans to increase outreach for cybersecurity preparedness.

About Senator Melissa Hurtado

Senator Melissa Hurtado represents a new generation of Latina leaders, as the youngest woman ever elected to the California State Senate and as a product of immigrant parents. Senator Hurtado represents the 14th Senate District and focuses on rural community issues that often go unheard — access to clean air and water, food insecurity and poverty, inequities in environmental policies, agriculture and access to health care. In July 2020, she was appointed to the national Biden Latino Leadership Committee alongside former Labor Secretary and current Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis – the only two California Latinas on the Committee.

For more information, visit Senator Hurtado’s Website here or find her on Twitter at @Senator_Hurtado

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