FILED SENATE
Apr 6, 2021
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
S.B. 621
SESSION 2021 PRINCIPAL CLERK
S D
SENATE BILL DRS45268-MKa-127A
Short Title: NC Military Business Center Funds. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Davis (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to:
1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
2 AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT A DEDICATED
3 NORTH CAROLINA DEFENSE CYBER OFFICE IN THE NC MILITARY BUSINESS
4 CENTER.
5 Whereas, North Carolina has a capable and diverse, but unsecure and in some cases
6 noncompliant, commercial and defense industrial base (CIB, DIB), vulnerable to malicious
7 cybersecurity threats; and
8 Whereas, North Carolina has significant, but uncoordinated and in some cases
9 under-resourced technical, compliance, training, workforce, and research and development cyber
10 assets; and
11 Whereas, current cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors threaten
12 sustainment and growth of the DIB, the second largest sector of North Carolina's economy; and
13 Whereas, North Carolina is providing unique and nationally recognized services to
14 secure the DIB through the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) and Interagency
15 Cybersecurity Coordinating Committee (I3C), but resources are ad hoc, underfunded, and
16 understaffed; and
17 Whereas, North Carolina could build on DIB-related activities and leverage its
18 extensive technical, workforce, and other cyber assets to establish itself as the state with the best
19 cyber ecosystem and most secure industrial base in the country and as a magnet for economic
20 growth; and
21 Whereas, State funding for NCMBC to support a dedicated North Carolina Defense
22 Cyber Office (DCO) in the NCMBC to coordinate I3C and secure the DIB would help North
23 Carolina businesses become certified and compliant with new cybersecurity requirements for
24 defense contractors; Now, therefore,
25 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
26 SECTION 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Community
27 Colleges System Office the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) in recurring
28 funds for the 2021-2022 fiscal year in additional State funds to support a dedicated North
29 Carolina Defense Cyber Office in the North Carolina Military Business Center.
30 SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.
*DRS45268-MKa-127A*