Mayor: new state cybersecurity requirements will require staff training and further council work

Mayor Starr briefed the Mount Vernon City Council on Sept. 8 about an incoming state cybersecurity requirement for municipal governments. He said the law goes into effect at the end of the month and that municipalities must be in compliance by the end of the year.

The mayor told councilors that the city already has many practices in place but that council members and all city employees will be required to complete annual cybersecurity training. He said definitions of what constitutes a reportable incident are still under discussion at the state level and that the Ohio Municipal League (OML) will provide guidance as rules are clarified. Committee work on the matter is expected to begin at the state level this week, the mayor said.

Why it matters: The mandate imposes compliance and training obligations on municipal executives, elected officials and staff and could affect incident reporting procedures and timelines once final rules are issued.

Next steps: The mayor said staff will work with council and OML to develop implementation steps and training schedules; no formal ordinance or budget change was proposed at the Sept. 8 session.