A bill authored by State Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, that protects telecommunications networks from potential access by Chinese intelligence recently was signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb.

Senate Enrolled Act 197 prohibits state agencies and local units of government from purchasing telecommunications equipment from companies designated as posing a national security threat to the integrity of communications networks or the communications supply chain by the Federal Communications Commission.

Currently two China-based companies, Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp., are designated as a threat to national security. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, these companies, specifically Huawei, have “backdoor” technology designed to covertly and secretly access mobile phone networks.

By having this access, these foreign communications companies are able to obtain sensitive and personal information without network providers and users knowing.

The bill aligns Indiana with the federal government’s 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which prohibits federal funds to be used on equipment or services from these companies.

“These companies pose a security threat to our communications networks,” Koch said. “A recent report found a majority of Huawei firmware had at least one potential backdoor and that each Huawei device had an average of 102 known vulnerabilities.”

With the governor’s signature, this legislation is now law.

For information on the bill, visit iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/senate/197.

Koch, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, serves Senate District 44, which includes all or parts of Bartholomew, Brown, Jackson, Lawrence and Monroe counties.