AN ACT to appropriate additional funds to support a DEDICATED north carolina defense cyber office in the nc military business center.

Whereas, North Carolina has a capable and diverse, but unsecure and in some cases noncompliant, commercial and defense industrial base (CIB, DIB), vulnerable to malicious cybersecurity threats; and

Whereas, North Carolina has significant, but uncoordinated and in some cases under‑resourced technical, compliance, training, workforce, and research and development cyber assets; and

Whereas, current cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors threaten sustainment and growth of the DIB, the second largest sector of North Carolina's economy; and

Whereas, North Carolina is providing unique and nationally recognized services to secure the DIB through the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) and Interagency Cybersecurity Coordinating Committee (I3C), but resources are ad hoc, underfunded, and understaffed; and

Whereas, North Carolina could build on DIB‑related activities and leverage its extensive technical, workforce, and other cyber assets to establish itself as the state with the best cyber ecosystem and most secure industrial base in the country and as a magnet for economic growth; and

Whereas, State funding for NCMBC to support a dedicated North Carolina Defense Cyber Office (DCO) in the NCMBC to coordinate I3C and secure the DIB would help North Carolina businesses become certified and compliant with new cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community Colleges System Office the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) in recurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year in additional State funds to support a dedicated North Carolina Defense Cyber Office in the North Carolina Military Business Center.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.