Extended state, local cybersecurity grants present in shutdown deal

The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program will be reauthorized until Jan. 30, 2026, under a new funding bill approved by the Senate earlier this week, which also extends the validity of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 and other government programs, according to StateScoop.

While the funding legislation's short-term extension of the SLCGP and 2015 CISA indicates lawmakers' seriousness in upholding cybersecurity, implementing a permanent program cementing both state and local cybersecurity funding and the cyber threat information sharing law is still necessary, said the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.

"Congress should act swiftly to provide certainty and stability for state governments by passing a long-term extension of both programs, combined with adequate levels of funding, that will allow stakeholders to strengthen their cyber defenses and meet the challenges of the future," said the NASCIO.

Such a development comes as the U.S. has reduced its security programs, with the Trump administration moving to remove the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Stakeholder Engagement Division responsible for coordinating critical infrastructure cybersecurity.