Rhode Island HB 6668: AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- SECRETARY OF STATE (Same as 21H-6042 -- Authorizes the secretary of state and board of elections to conduct an extensive cybersecurity assessment of our election systems and facilities and to establish a cybersecurity review board.)

Bill Text

2022 -- H 6668
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LC003427
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022
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A N A C T
RELATING TO ELECTIONS -- SECRETARY OF STATE
Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Donovan, Abney, Hull, Morales, Shallcross
Smith, Fenton-Fung, McGaw, Shanley, and Serpa
Date Introduced: January 06, 2022
Referred To: House Innovation, Internet, & Technology
(Secretary of State)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 17-6-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 17-6 entitled "Secretary of 1
State" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
17-6-1. General powers and duties. 3
(a) The secretary of state shall have those functions, powers, and duties relating to elections 4
that may be provided by this title or any other law not inconsistent with this chapter. The secretary 5
of state shall maintain a central roster of all elected and appointed officers of the state, including 6
for each officer the nature of the officer's tenure and the date of expiration of the officer's term of 7
office. The secretary of state shall maintain a central register of all persons registered to vote in the 8
several cities and towns and shall add, amend, delete, and cancel any names appearing on the 9
register as certified to the secretary by the several local boards and by the state board. 10
(b) The secretary of state may compile and publish a complete edition of the election law 11
that the secretary shall make available to all election officials and candidates upon request and 12
without charge. The secretary of state shall receive and file certificates of election results as 13
provided by this title. 14
(c) Notwithstanding any provisions of the general laws to the contrary, the office of the 15
secretary of state shall have the authority to submit and approve the specifications used by the 16
department of administration in procuring voting systems, voting system-related services, and 17
accessible voting equipment on behalf of the state. 18
(d) The secretary of state, with the assistance of the board of elections shall conduct a 19

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cybersecurity assessment of election systems and facilities. The cybersecurity assessment shall 1
include an assessment of the voter registration system, voting equipment, mechanisms to transmit 2
election results, electronic poll books, and security of facilities. 3
SECTION 2. Chapter 17-6 of the General Laws entitled "Secretary of State" is hereby 4
amended by adding thereto the following sections: 5
17-6-1.4. Election systems cybersecurity review board. 6
(a) The secretary of state shall establish an election systems cybersecurity review board. 7
The review board shall be comprised of the secretary of state or designee, executive director of the 8
board of elections or designee, executive director of the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns 9
or designee, a representative from the Rhode Island national guard, a representative from the Rhode 10
Island state police, and a representative from the Rhode Island division of information technology. 11
(b) The secretary of state or designee shall serve as chairperson of the review board. 12
(c) It shall be the duty of the election systems' cybersecurity review board to review the 13
assessments conducted by the board of elections and department of state and also to procure a third-14
party assessment of the election systems. The review board will provide a security analysis of the 15
election systems and election facilities and shall issue a report based on its assessment with any 16
recommendations to improve the cybersecurity of the election systems and election facilities. 17
(d) The secretary of state shall adopt rules defining classes of protected election data and 18
establish best practices for identifying and reducing risk to the electronic use, storage, and 19
transmission of election data and the security of election systems. 20
(e) The cybersecurity review board shall issue a report no later than two (2) months prior 21
to a statewide primary election referenced in § 17-15-1. 22
17-6-14. Cybersecurity training for local boards of canvassers. 23
The secretary of state shall offer training annually regarding cybersecurity best practices 24
to local boards of canvassers. 25
SECTION 3. Chapter 42-7 of the General Laws entitled "Executive Department" is hereby 26
amended by adding thereto the following section: 27
42-7-9. Cybersecurity incident response group. 28
(a) The governor shall establish a cybersecurity incident response group, which shall 29
include the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or designee, adjutant general of the 30
Rhode Island national guard or designee, director of the Rhode Island division of information 31
technology or designee, director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency or designee 32
and the secretary of state or designee. 33
(b) The cybersecurity incident response group shall: 34

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