Substitute Senate Bill No. 958
AN ACT ESTABLISHING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS IN CYBERSECURITY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) The Labor Department, in conjunction with the Department of Economic and Community Development, shall conduct an analysis of the cybersecurity sector in the state, including, but not limited to: (1) An identification of industry stakeholders in the cybersecurity sector and potential partners in developing the cybersecurity sector, including, but not limited to, educational institutions, cybersecurity businesses trade associations and nonprofit organizations, and representatives from the financial, insurance, health care and defense sectors in the state and other public and private entities that utilize the services of cybersecurity professionals; and (2) an identification of barriers to the growth of the cybersecurity sector in the state. Not later than October 1, 2015, the department shall submit such analysis to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce and labor, in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2015, the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Labor Department, and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce shall convene a forum on the cybersecurity sector in the state.
(c) Not later than February 1, 2016, the Department of Economic and Community Development, in conjunction with the Labor Department, shall submit a plan for the growth of the cybersecurity sector in the state to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce and labor, in accordance with section 11-4a of the general statutes. Such plan shall include: (1) Policy recommendations to support the growth of the cybersecurity sector and to leverage federal grants for cybersecurity research, education and business development; (2) an identification of market opportunities, including, but not limited to, specialized markets, for cybersecurity businesses in the state; (3) an identification of best practices for promoting cybersecurity industry partnerships; and (4) policy recommendations for the state's public schools and higher education constituent units to prepare students for employment in the cybersecurity sector.