Texas Government Code Section 2054.5191 mandates cybersecurity training for local government employees, elected officials, and appointed officials who have access to a local government computer system or database and use a computer to perform at least 25 percent of their duties. The Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) has certified that the Pool’s trainings satisfy the requirements. 

Three Training Options

The Pool offers three training options:. 

1. Anyone who is required to take the training can watch this free, fun, informative, and short (16-minute) YouTube video and print a certificate of completion if they so desire. The video comes with an optional, self-administered test with answer key.
2. Anyone who is required to take the training can listen to the audio of the YouTube video in podcast format (Episode 9d of the “Local Officials: Stronger, Together Podcast”) and use the same certificate and test as in (1), above. 
3. Risk Pool Members can use training offered through the Pool’s Online Learning Center. This option includes a test that follows the training and allows the Member to assign and track completion.

Other DIR-certified training programs are listed on the agency’s website. 

Compliance Reporting 

A local government must certify its compliance by August 31 of each year and has two tracking and reporting options (the local government certifies compliance of all its required participants to DIR — individuals do not report to DIR):

1.  A local government can keep track of participants internally and certify its compliance using the Cybersecurity Training Certification for State and Local Governments form. 
2. DIR has developed an optional tool, Texas by Texas (TxT), for a local government to track compliance of participant’s training compliance. For a local government using TxT, participants report that they have completed their training to DIR, and DIR sends reporting from the TxT application to each local government to verify compliance. Interested local governments must submit the Texas by Texas Self Reporting Form.