Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act
- Bill Number
- S. 5360
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-08-07: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-08-20T13:50:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation reauthorizes the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program to help smaller electric utilities protect against, detect, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity threats.
Key Provisions
- Establishes definitions for key terms, including advanced cybersecurity technology (tools or services that improve protection against cyber threats), eligible entity (rural electric cooperatives, municipally owned utilities, certain not-for-profit partnerships, and small investor-owned utilities selling under 4 million megawatt hours annually), and related infrastructure terms.
- Maintains the program under the Secretary of Energy to provide technical assistance and funding (grants, agreements, or prizes) on a competitive or noncompetitive basis.
- Sets program objectives to deploy advanced cybersecurity technologies and increase participation in threat information sharing.
- Requires priority for entities with limited cybersecurity resources, those owning critical bulk-power system assets, or defense critical electric infrastructure.
- Protects shared information from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act or similar state, tribal, or local laws.
- Authorizes $250,000,000 for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill replaces the prior text of Section 40124 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with updated language that continues the program and adds a new multi-year funding authorization for 2027–2031. It maintains core structure while clarifying eligibility, priorities, and information protections.
Potential Impacts
- Strengthens cybersecurity for small and rural utilities, reducing risks to the electric grid.
- Supports government agencies, particularly the Department of Energy, in delivering assistance to critical infrastructure owners.
- Benefits citizens by enhancing reliability of electricity services in underserved areas, with no direct effects on international relations.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Rural electric cooperatives and municipally owned utilities.
- Small investor-owned electric utilities.
- Not-for-profit partnerships serving multiple utilities.
- The Department of Energy.
- Entities owning or operating critical electric infrastructure.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure includes explicit protections for voluntarily shared cybersecurity information, limiting disclosure requirements. It focuses on domestic energy infrastructure security without raising constitutional issues or altering federal-state power balances in a notable way.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (4)
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV], Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO], Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT], Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]
Recent Actions
- 2026-08-07: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2026-08-07: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act — issued 2026-08-07 — PDF (6 pages)