Blanco says Texas bills would help small businesses cut red tape and cyber risk
State Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, says recent and proposed Texas legislation is meant to help small businesses compete, modernize and better defend against cyberattacks.
State Sen. Cesar Blanco, D-El Paso, said in an El Paso Times opinion column published June 4 that recent and proposed Texas legislation is meant to help small businesses compete and better withstand cybersecurity threats.
Blanco said the issue matters because small firms make up more than 99% of businesses in Texas and are central to communities in El Paso and the Borderland. He said their owners face economic uncertainty, red tape and the risk of cyberattacks.
In the column, Blanco said he authored Senate Bill 2610, the Cybersecurity Safe Harbor Act, which is intended to encourage proactive cybersecurity practices and provide a legal safe harbor for businesses that meet recognized cybersecurity standards. He said a single ransomware attack can shut down operations overnight, damage customer trust and leave owners facing lawsuits and financial ruin.
Blanco also said he joint-authored Senate Bill 14, which he described as a way to reduce bureaucracy, simplify regulations and strengthen the ability to challenge state agency interpretations of laws and rules.
He pointed to Texas manufacturing as another reason he says the state should support smaller firms. The column said Texas is the nation’s top manufacturing state and exported nearly $292 billion in manufactured goods in 2023. Blanco said he authored Senate Bill 2925 to create a Task Force on Modernizing Manufacturing.
According to the column, that task force would assess the state of manufacturing in Texas, identify barriers to new technology, measure the economic impact of modernization and develop recommendations to strengthen competitiveness.
The opinion piece also said broader policy goals include expanding research and development incentives, reducing business taxes, strengthening economic development tools and increasing property tax exemptions for business inventory and equipment.
Blanco said small businesses want clear rules, a fair shot and protection from being overshadowed by large corporate interests. He said the strength of Texas is built by people who open before sunrise, work long hours and invest in employees and communities.
No legislative action was reported in the column beyond Blanco’s description of the bills and policy goals. The opinion was published by El Paso Times and was attributed to Blanco.
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