The status of new cybersecurity laws proposed in New Mexico

As employers in the private and public sectors adjust to the advent of flexible work over the last two years, they're simultaneously trying to protect their organizations from attackers looking to steal and sell data.

2021 was a year defined by significant cyberattacks that crippled infrastructure and shut down hospitals, schools, and municipal governments. It's the same year the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies gasoline to millions living in the Northeast U.S., was hobbled by a ransomware attack that triggered a gas panic and elevated prices for consumers.

And lawmakers were paying attention—passing dozens of laws in 2022 aimed at training workers, securing government agencies, and funneling money into cybersecurity education programs.

Drata compiled a list of new cybersecurity-related legislation in New Mexico through February 2023 based on data collected by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

States that passed the most cybersecurity legislation in the past year:

#1. Maryland - 8 laws enacted

#2. Florida - 4

#3 (tie). Virginia - 3

#3 (tie). Kentucky - 3

New Mexico new cybersecurity laws in 2022
- Bills enacted: 1
- Bills failed: 2
- Bills vetoed: 0

NM HB 2
- Description: Makes general appropriations and authorizing expenditures by state agencies required by law. Provides funding to assist public postsecondary educational institutions and school districts and charter schools in performing risk-based vulnerability management and penetration testing to identify, deter, protect against, detect, remediate and respond to cyber threats and ransomware. Provides that the office of the chief information security officer of the department of information technology will act in an oversight capacity and serve to certify cyber security projects.
- Read more about the bill here