(The Center Square) - Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill that she hopes will improve cybersecurity.

Kelly signed House Bill 2019, which, “improves public awareness of cybersecurity incidents; authorizes the State to make changes to cybersecurity training, assessments, and responses; and modernizes Kansas cybersecurity systems,” according to a press release.

 “In today’s digital world, it is essential to ensure cybersecurity measures are in place to protect communities across Kansas,” Governor Kelly said. “I am pleased to sign House Bill 2019, a bipartisan solution that protects privacy and taxpayer dollars by improving our ability to prevent and respond to cybersecurity attacks.” 

Jeff Maxon, the state’s interim chief information technology officer, said the bill helps protect Kansas citizens. 

“With the passage of HB 2019, the State of Kansas makes significant progress towards safeguarding its systems and data,” Maxon said. “Through mandatory reporting, the bill increases communication between the State and its public and private partners to ensure that we address cybersecurity in a holistic fashion. The bill also helps create a cohesive standard for cybersecurity policy across state agencies. As a steward of citizen data, the State has made cybersecurity a top priority, and HB 2019 puts in place the necessary resources to protect the citizens of Kansas.”