Kansas reclassifies broadband as critical infrastructure
Broadband internet is now protected under the legal definition of critical infrastructure in Kansas.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation Monday amending the state’s definition of a critical infrastructure facility to include telecommunications and broadband infrastructure so that their operations are better protected. It includes “technical aboveground and belowground lines, cables, and wires used for telecommunications or video services as well as antennas, towers, and structures.”
“We know that it is critical all Kansans have access to reliable high-speed internet,” Kelly said in a press release. “By classifying broadband cables and wires as critical infrastructure, we are taking steps to deter tampering with these essential materials to ensure that Kansans’ internet service is not disrupted.”
The Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency, which was created in 2018, includes communications information technology as a subsector in its 16 critical infrastructure sectors. CISA also considers IT itself to be part of the nation’s critical infrastructure and it supports many of the other sectors, such as health care, financial services and government services.
“The Information Technology Sector is central to the nation’s security, economy, public health, and safety, as businesses, governments, academia, and private citizens are increasingly dependent on its functions,” CISA’s website reads.
The language in the Kansas bill similarly states that telecommunication is “critical for maintaining internet service for Kansans, and the increased protections laid out in this bill will ensure reliable services remain available.”
According to the nonprofit Council of State Government, several states — including Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee — already classify communications networks, including broadband, as critical infrastructure and treat crimes related to communications networks as felonies.
