State Senator César J. Blanco Passes Cybersecurity Safe Harbor Bill to Protect Small Businesses

Press Release Contact: Taylor Sanchez
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Taylor.sanchez@senate.texas.gov
April 30, 2025
State Senator César J. Blanco Passes Cybersecurity Safe Harbor
Bill to Protect Small Businesses
Austin, Texas – Today, the Texas Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 2610 by Senator César
J. Blanco to provide legal protection for businesses that take meaningful steps to secure their
systems from cyberattacks.
Senate Bill 2610, the Cybersecurity Safe Harbor Act, is designed to help small and medium-
sized businesses, the most frequent targets of cybercrime, by encouraging them to adopt proven
cybersecurity practices. In return, businesses that follow those standards would receive legal
“safe harbor” if they suffer a data breach despite those efforts.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are on the front lines of cybersecurity threats.
Cyberattacks cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars every year, and 43% of those attacks target
small businesses. The financial consequences are devastating: the average cost of a data breach is
$200,000, which can be enough to shut down a small business permanently.
Senator Blanco issued the following statement:
“Small and medium-sized businesses, like mom-and-pop restaurants, shops, and local service
providers, make up over 99% of all businesses in Texas. They are the backbone of our economy,
creating jobs, driving innovation, and sustaining families and communities across the state. But
these businesses often lack the resources to defend against increasingly complex cyberattacks
that can cripple operations or force them to shut down overnight.
“Senate Bill 2610 empowers small businesses to take proactive steps to secure their systems and
customer data by offering a legal safe harbor when they follow recognized cybersecurity
standards, giving them the tools and protections they need to survive in a digital economy.
“Texas is one of the best places to start and grow a business—and this bill helps keep it that way
by protecting the job creators that keep our local economies strong.”
Jeff Burdett, State Director for National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB),
issued the following statement:

"We would like to thank Senator Blanco for his commitment to protecting Texas' small
businesses. By offering safe harbor protections, this legislation will encourage small businesses
to make proactive investments in their cybersecurity, thereby strengthening their digital
safeguards and fostering resilience in an increasingly connected economy."
Eduardo Contreras, President/CEO of ALCON DTS and member of the Governor’s Small
Business Advisory Task Force issued the following statement:
“I strongly support Senate Bill 2610 to support and protect our businesses and citizens from
devastating cyberattacks. This bill provides incentives and guidance to Small and medium-sized
businesses (SMBs) on implementing reasonable cybersecurity controls, safeguarding sensitive
private data, and reducing economic harm.”
The bill now heads to the Texas House for consideration.
For further information, please contact Taylor Sanchez at Taylor.Sanchez@senate.texas.gov.