Mississippi legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Mississippi SB2096: MDITS and SOS; require to establish minimum cybersecurity standards for SEMS.
Status: Signed into law, March 19, 2026
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-165, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM CYBERSECURITY STANDARDS AND POLICIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COUNTY REGISTRARS AND ELECTION COMMISSIONERS; TO STIPULATE THAT SUCH STANDARDS AND POLICIES AIM TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF MISSISSIPPI'S VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTION DATA IN THE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; TO REQUIRE SUCH POLICIES TO BE ESTABLISHED NO LATER THAN JANUARY 1, 2027; TO PROVIDE FOR ASSESSMENTS OF ADHERENCE TO THE POLICIES; TO REQUIRE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION; TO GRANT THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE AUTHORITY TO USE SUCH INFORMATION FOR AUDITING PURPOSES; TO ALLOW MDITS AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO REQUEST RESULTS OF INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS; TO PROVIDE FOR FAILURE TO MEET THE ESTABLISHED CYBERSECURITY STANDARDS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
What the bill says
An act to amend section 23-15-165, mississippi code of 1972, to require the mississippi department of information and technology services to establish minimum cybersecurity standards and policies in conjunction with the secretary of state for county registrars and election commissioners; to stipulate that such standards and policies aim to ensure the integrity of mississippi's voter registration and election data in the statewide elections management system; to require such policies to be established no later than january 1, 2027; to provide for assessments of adherence to the policies…
From the enrolled text, March 16, 2026:
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 23-15-165, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM CYBERSECURITY STANDARDS AND POLICIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COUNTY REGISTRARS AND ELECTION COMMISSIONERS; TO STIPULATE THAT SUCH STANDARDS AND POLICIES AIM TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF MISSISSIPPI'S VOTER REGISTRATION AND ELECTION DATA IN THE STATEWIDE ELECTIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; TO REQUIRE SUCH POLICIES TO BE ESTABLISHED NO LATER THAN JANUARY 1, 2027; TO PROVIDE FOR ASSESSMENTS OF ADHERENCE TO THE POLICIES; TO REQUIRE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION; TO GRANT THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE AUTHORITY TO USE SUCH INFORMATION FOR AUDITING PURPOSES; TO ALLOW MDITS AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO REQUEST RESULTS OF INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS; TO PROVIDE FOR FAILURE TO MEET THE ESTABLISHED CYBERSECURITY STANDARDS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. Section 23-15-165, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 23-15-165. (1) The Office of the Secretary of State, in cooperation with the county registrars and election commissioners, shall procure, implement and maintain an electronic information processing system and programs capable of maintaining a centralized database of all registered voters in the state. The system shall encompass software and hardware, at both the state *SS08/R734SG* S. B. No. 2096 ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2 …