Jun 1, 2026 · 4 min · 3 segments
Texas law now requires all county officials and employees with access to government IT resources to complete annual cybersecurity training, following updated legislation that expanded the mandate and…
Annual cybersecurity training is now required for all county officials and employees who have access to county information resources or information resources technologies.
In twenty nineteen, the eighty-sixth Texas legislature mandated cybersecurity training for certain county officials and employees under direction of the Texas Department of Information Resources, also referred to as DIR.
In twenty twenty-one, the eighty-seventh Texas legislature added Texas Government Code Section two hundred fifty-four point five one nine one, requiring local government employees and elected and appointed officials who have access to a local government computer system or database and use a computer to perform at least twenty-five percent of their required duties to complete annual cybersecurity training.
This statute also applied to part-time employees if they met the twenty-five percent requirement.
The new law says that each elected or appointed official and employee of a governmental entity who has access to the entity's information resources or information resources technologies shall annually complete a cybersecurity training program.
CJCAT Senior General Counsel Jim Allison noted that the twenty-five percent exception was added to Section two hundred fifty-four point five one nine one in twenty twenty-one, while Section two hundred sixty-three point one zero three with no such exception was adopted in twenty twenty-five.
Under Government Code Section three hundred eleven point zero two five, if statutes enacted at the same or different sessions of the legislature are irreconcilable, the statute latest in date of enactment prevails.
Since Section two hundred sixty-three point one zero three was the latest enacted, its provisions prevail, and annual cybersecurity training is required for all county officials and employees who have access to the county information resources or information resources technologies.
State law also requires cybersecurity training compliance for Criminal Justice Division grants.
The DIR, in consultation with the Texas Cybersecurity Council, was originally tasked with certifying at least five cybersecurity training programs.
Cybersecurity-related content will transition from the DIR's website to the Texas Cyber Command website in phases, but will remain on the DIR website until migration milestones are completed.
Local governments must use a certified training program.
There is not an exception for entities with a dedicated cybersecurity officer.
Page sixteen of the June twenty twenty-six issue of County Progress includes links to the certified training programs.
There is no deadline for annual training to be complete, but the compliance report must be filed by August thirty-first on an annual basis.
Annual cybersecurity training is now required for all county officials and employees who have access to county information resources or information resources technologies.
In twenty nineteen, the eighty-sixth Texas legislature mandated cybersecurity training for certain county officials and employees under direction of the Texas Department of Information Resources, also referred to as DIR.
In twenty twenty-one, the eighty-seventh Texas legislature added Texas Government Code Section two hundred fifty-four point five one nine one, requiring local government employees and elected and appointed officials who have access to a local government computer system or database and use a computer to perform at least twenty-five percent of their required duties to complete annual cybersecurity training.
This statute also applied to part-time employees if they met the twenty-five percent requirement.
The new law says that each elected or appointed official and employee of a governmental entity who has access to the entity's information resources or information resources technologies shall annually complete a cybersecurity training program.
CJCAT Senior General Counsel Jim Allison noted that the twenty-five percent exception was added to Section two hundred fifty-four point five one nine one in twenty twenty-one, while Section two hundred sixty-three point one zero three with no such exception was adopted in twenty twenty-five.
Under Government Code Section three hundred eleven point zero two five, if statutes enacted at the same or different sessions of the legislature are irreconcilable, the statute latest in date of enactment prevails.
Since Section two hundred sixty-three point one zero three was the latest enacted, its provisions prevail, and annual cybersecurity training is required for all county officials and employees who have access to the county information resources or information resources technologies.
State law also requires cybersecurity training compliance for Criminal Justice Division grants.
The DIR, in consultation with the Texas Cybersecurity Council, was originally tasked with certifying at least five cybersecurity training programs.
Cybersecurity-related content will transition from the DIR's website to the Texas Cyber Command website in phases, but will remain on the DIR website until migration milestones are completed.
Local governments must use a certified training program.
There is not an exception for entities with a dedicated cybersecurity officer.
Page sixteen of the June twenty twenty-six issue of County Progress includes links to the certified training programs.
There is no deadline for annual training to be complete, but the compliance report must be filed by August thirty-first on an annual basis.
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