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Department of State asks JBC to backfill federal election security services if grants end
Summary
The Department of State asked the Joint Budget Committee for limited authority and funding to backfill federal election‑security services—physical security assessments and EDR cybersecurity—if federal partners end current support.
Department of State officials told the Joint Budget Committee that several federal election‑security services are at risk of ending and asked the committee to give the department authority—and modest spending ability—to step in if the federal partners stop providing those services.
Chief of staff John Menino explained counties have relied on federal partners since 2019 to conduct comprehensive physical‑security assessments on a three‑year cycle; 24 counties were due for rollout in the current year. The department said those assessments are detailed and resource‑intensive, noting they review physical vulnerabilities around voting facilities and can run to dozens of pages per county. Menino said the federal partner (CISA) had signaled uncertainty about continuing the free assessments and warned the state may need to provide the service to ensure continuity for the 2025–26 election cycle.
The department also reported uncertainty about federal funding and continuity for endpoint detection and response (EDR) cybersecurity services for county systems. EDR is used to prevent and respond to cyberattacks on election systems. The department asked the committee to approve limited spending authority to contract for up to $322,000 for contractor services to provide physical security reviews, $23,000 for travel/operating expenses to reach counties, and $65,000 to license or make EDR services available statewide. The department characterized the request as emergent and recommended the state be ready if federal services are withdrawn.
Committee members expressed concern about the sustainability of the state assuming services historically provided by the federal government, but several lawmakers stressed the critical nature of the services and said the state should plan for potential federal funding losses. The department also brought a second internal, budget‑neutral request to move spending authority between divisions for emergent needs; that request was described as managerial and not increasing net appropriation.
Why it matters: County election offices rely on both physical‑security reviews and EDR to secure voting systems. A sudden removal of federal services would leave counties and the state exposed in the run‑up to major elections.
Next steps: The committee did not commit funds immediately but flagged the request as emergent; staff follow‑up on details, costs, and containment strategies was requested.
Ending: The committee acknowledged the risks and asked the department for detailed cost estimates and a plan in the event federal services are withdrawn.
