SR 1816 full text · Session Watch

Florida Senate - 2026 (NP) SR 1816 By Senator Burgess 23-02646-26 20261816__

1 Senate Resolution

2 A resolution recognizing CyberBay as a designated

3 cybersecurity and artificial intelligence innovation

4 region within the Tampa Bay area, acknowledging

5 Florida’s national leadership in cybersecurity

6 readiness and digital defense, and affirming the

7 importance of coordinated public-private partnerships

8 to protect this state’s economic and digital security.

10 WHEREAS, Florida is nationally recognized as a leader in

11 cybersecurity preparedness, resilience, and digital defense,

12 committed to strengthening its ability to protect government,

13 industry, and citizens from evolving cyber threats, and

14 WHEREAS, the Tampa Bay region is home to one of the

15 nation’s most significant concentrations of military, defense,

16 intelligence, and security operations, anchored by MacDill Air

17 Force Base, a cornerstone of United States digital and national

18 defense, and

19 WHEREAS, this unique concentration of military assets,

20 government institutions, research universities, and private

21 sector technology companies has established Tampa Bay as a

22 nationally recognized center of excellence for cybersecurity,

23 technology innovation, and digital defense, and

24 WHEREAS, this convergence has given rise to CyberBay, a

25 cybersecurity and artificial intelligence ecosystem centered in

26 the Tampa Bay area and built upon collaboration among the

27 military, government, academia, and the private sector, and

28 WHEREAS, CyberBay represents a coordinated regional

29 initiative to advance cybersecurity readiness, artificial

30 intelligence innovation, workforce development, and the defense

31 of the United States’ digital infrastructure, and

32 WHEREAS, the University of South Florida serves as a

33 central anchor institution within CyberBay, including through

34 the establishment of the Bellini College of Artificial

35 Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing, one of the nation’s

36 first colleges dedicated to the integrated study of these

37 disciplines, and

38 WHEREAS, the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence,

39 Cybersecurity and Computing plays a critical role in educating

40 and preparing the next generation of cybersecurity and

41 artificial intelligence professionals through degree programs,

42 applied research, industry partnerships, internships, and

43 experiential learning aligned with national and state workforce

44 needs, and

45 WHEREAS, the University of South Florida has articulated a

46 mission to support cybersecurity readiness across Florida,

47 including the long-term objective of extending cybersecurity

48 services, expertise, and workforce support to municipalities

49 throughout this state, and

50 WHEREAS, CyberBay is further strengthened through strategic

51 collaboration with Cyber Florida, this state’s designated

52 cybersecurity planning and coordination organization, which

53 advances statewide cyber resilience, workforce development,

54 applied research, and public-private partnerships, and

55 WHEREAS, CyberBay serves as a convening platform for

56 collaboration and innovation, including through the CyberBay

57 Conference, which brings together leaders from the technology,

58 academic, government, and military sectors to address emerging

59 cyber threats, workforce challenges, and technological

60 advancements, and

61 WHEREAS, public-private initiatives associated with

62 CyberBay have supported cybersecurity improvements within

63 regional municipalities, including the Cities of Tampa, St.

64 Petersburg, and Clearwater, strengthening cyber readiness at the

65 local level, and

66 WHEREAS, private individuals have played a catalytic role

67 in establishing and advancing the CyberBay ecosystem, including

68 Lauren and Arnie Bellini, who have contributed and pledged more

69 than $55 million to the University of South Florida to support

70 education, research, workforce development, and the completion

71 of a fully integrated cybersecurity and artificial intelligence

72 ecosystem, and

73 WHEREAS, such private investment was made with the stated

74 objective of helping create and sustain up to 70,000 high

75 paying, high-technology jobs in the Tampa Bay region by

76 leveraging Florida’s existing strengths in national defense,

77 cybersecurity, and innovation, and

78 WHEREAS, CyberBay supports Florida’s economic

79 competitiveness by attracting high-value employers, retaining

80 talent within this state, strengthening workforce pipelines, and

81 reinforcing this state’s leadership in cybersecurity, artificial

82 intelligence, and digital defense, and

83 WHEREAS, this state has a compelling interest in protecting

84 its digital infrastructure, securing its economic future, and

85 defending against rapidly evolving cyber threats that affect the

86 government, industry, and citizens alike, NOW, THEREFORE,

88 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

90 That the Florida Senate recognizes CyberBay as a

91 cybersecurity and artificial intelligence innovation region

92 within the Tampa Bay area.

93 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature acknowledges

94 Florida’s national leadership in cybersecurity preparedness and

95 recognizes CyberBay’s role in advancing statewide cybersecurity

96 readiness and digital defense.

97 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature acknowledges

98 the collaborative roles of the University of South Florida, the

99 Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and

100 Computing, Cyber Florida, municipal partners, and private sector

101 stakeholders in advancing workforce development, technological

102 innovation, and cybersecurity resilience.

103 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature affirms the

104 importance of continued public-private collaboration to

105 strengthen Florida’s cyber readiness, economic resilience, and

106 leadership in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.