State Actions on CFATS – 4-11-24

I do not normally cover State level legislative efforts, as each State legislature has their own peculiar ways of dealing with legislation, but today I was pointed at an article on NebraskaExaminer.com that includes a discussion about an unusual legislative effort to deal with the fallout from Senate inaction on HR 4470, the CFATS reauthorization bill. Back in January Nebraska State Legislator Bostar introduced LB1048. The bill would require a CFATS covered facility to participate in CISA’s ChemLock program until such time as the CFATS program is reauthorized.

The ChemLock program is a voluntary program that CISA developed to provide chemical security assistance to chemical facilities that were not covered by the CFATS program. While there are a number of important features to that program, it is by no means a substitute for CISA’s oversight of the CFATS program. Still, I can understand Bostar’s concern about the Senate’s inaction on the CFATS reauthorization.