Pennsylvania lawmakers passed a bill to switch EBT cards to chip-enabled technology

June 16, 2026 - 06:02

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted Monday to advance legislation that would replace traditional magnetic stripe EBT cards with chip-enabled cards. The move is intended to better protect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from theft and skimming scams that have surged in recent years.

Under the bill, the state Department of Human Services would be required to issue the new cards, which use embedded microchips to generate a unique transaction code for each purchase. This makes it far more difficult for criminals to clone cards using hidden skimming devices placed on point-of-sale terminals or ATMs.

Lawmakers cited a sharp rise in benefit theft across the state, with many low-income families losing hundreds of dollars in food assistance to fraudsters. Unlike standard debit cards, EBT cards have lacked chip security, leaving them vulnerable to data copying. The upgrade would bring them in line with modern banking standards.

Supporters of the bill argue the change is a necessary step to safeguard taxpayer-funded benefits and restore trust in the system. The legislation now moves to the state Senate for consideration. If passed and signed into law, the transition would take effect within a set timeframe, giving the department time to coordinate with vendors and retailers.