Arizona governor vetoes cyber-security bill

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.computeruser.com/news/01/05/14/news9.html

By Robert MacMillan and David McGuire
May 14, 2001

Arizona Gov. Jane Hull, R, vetoed legislation approved by the state
legislature that would have established a critical infrastructure
protection plan for the state.

Although the legislature approved the bill, a veto appeared all but
certain once state Chief Information Officer Rick Zelznak signaled his
opposition last week.

Despite its good intentions, the legislation "sets up a command and
control structure," that could cause more problems than it solves,
Zelznak said in a recent interview.

Drafted by Arizona State Rep. Wes Marsh, R, the legislation authorizes
the creation of a Statewide Infrastructure Protection Center (SIPC)
that would be charged with safeguarding Arizona's electronic and
physical infrastructure (everything from dams to secure computer
networks) in "emergency situations."

Marsh, who called his legislation the first in the country to marry
electronic and physical infrastructure protection measures, said that
the bill and others like it are vital to protecting citizens and their
governments.

"One little laptop can cause more trouble than a nuclear bomb," Marsh
said last week.

But while Zelznak echoed Marsh's general concerns about infrastructure
security, he questioned the approach of the legislation, which would
ensconce the Arizona National Guard as the lead agency in protecting
Arizona's critical infrastructure.

"What this bill does is over-emphasize the role of the Department of
Defense," Zelznak said.

Zelznak also expressed concern that the legislation calls for an
extensive infrastructure protection apparatus without providing a
means to pay for it.




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