Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has named a project dealing with cyber security an emergency item for state lawmakers. Abbott made the announcement during his "State of the State" address Sunday.
"As the world becomes more complicated and more dangerous, we must protect our state from hackers and hostile foreign actors," Abbott said.
Last month, Matagorda County, south of Houston, declared a disaster after a cyber security breach. Last year, the cities of Coppell and Richardson both reported cyber attacks.
Abbott said a hospital and "major business" have also been targeted in cyber attacks in the past two weeks.
He said Texas Cyber Command will work with UT-San Antonio to "protect against threats from China, Iran, Russia and other foreign enemies."
"They could cripple our power, our water and our communications with cyber attacks," Abbott said.
Abbott said state representatives Tan Parker and Giovanni Capriglione will lead the creation of the task force.
"With cyberattacks—both domestic and foreign—growing more frequent every day, it’s clear that we need a strong, dedicated force to protect our families, businesses, and way of life. Establishing a new Texas Cyber Command isn’t just a priority—it’s an essential response to a very real threat facing our great state," Capriglione wrote on X.
"With Texas Cyber Command, we’re taking bold action to defend against hostile actors," Parker wrote.
Abbott's declaration of an emergency item says Texas has the world's eighth largest economy, leads the United States in oil and gas production, is fourth in the world in oil production, and is home to 15 military installations. He said Texas has more airports than any other state, and has the world's largest medical complex and 19 seaports.
According to the declaration of an emergency item, Texas Cyber Command will:
• Anticipate and detect potential cyber threats
• Promote cybersecurity awareness, professional training, and other workforce-oriented measures
• Prepare for cyberattacks through various exercises, pre-attack coordination and planning, and proactive collaboration with critical infrastructure partners
• Defend against, respond effectively to, and mitigate against the effects of cyberattacks when they occur, working across the state and with relevant partners
• Provide subject matter expertise, forensic analysis, and other support to conduct post-attack investigations and recovery efforts
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