Families receiving SNAP benefits in Pennsylvania could soon get a new layer of protection for their EBT cards.
The Pennsylvania House unanimously passed a bill Monday that would provide SNAP recipients with chip-enabled EBT cards instead of cards that use magnetic stripes. Supporters say the change would make it harder for criminals to steal benefits through card skimming and cloning.
The legislation now heads to the Pennsylvania Senate, where it must pass through committee and receive a full Senate vote before reaching the governor’s desk.
For Marilyn Ross and her family, the issue is personal.
Ross and her husband rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, to help feed their four daughters. She said her family receives $1,142 a month in benefits.
But this month, Ross said someone accessed and used nearly all of the money.
“So when I logged into my account, there was a penny left. And I, I don’t think I have to be dreaming. It doesn’t make sense,” Ross said.
According to Ross, the transactions occurred without her knowledge.
“All within, there’s about seven minutes apart, there were 16 transactions and I’m like I haven’t even left my bed. And they were done in New York, New Jersey, and in Philadelphia,” she said.
The most recent numbers from Pennsylvania’s Office of State Inspector General show more than $15 million in SNAP benefits were stolen through skimming in 2024.
“You just feel so violated, like it makes you so mad. Like, you notice your babies, and someone took from them,” Ross said. “It wouldn’t matter to me if it was just me or me and my husband but like, these are our girls.”
State Rep. Dan Williams, the bill’s primary sponsor, said stories like Ross’ helped drive the legislation.
“That’s the tragedy that prompted this legislation,” Williams said.
Williams said the goal of chip-enabled cards is to make it more difficult for criminals to clone EBT cards and steal benefits.
“It is another layer of security that will allow those resources to remain in the possession of the people who need them the most,” Williams said.
He urged support for the measure as it moves through the Senate.
“We need to be knocking on the doors of every senator, making sure that this comes to a floor vote in the Senate and we get this to the governor’s desk,” Williams said.
Ross said she hopes lawmakers continue moving the bill forward.
“It’s it’s hard. It’s really hard when you’re trying your best and you think you’re making steps forward and someone comes to pull the rug basically from under your feet,” she said.
There is currently nothing scheduled in the Senate for House Bill 2540. The legislation must first pass through a committee vote before receiving consideration by the full Senate.
For now, EBT cardholders remain responsible for protecting their cards. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services recommends changing PINs at least once a month to help prevent fraudulent charges. Cardholders can also report fraud to the department, request a new card and sign up for DHS text alerts, which may include warnings about increasing SNAP fraud.
More information about signing up for those alerts and other useful information can be found below and at NBC10 Responds Helpful Links page.
Signup for text messages about your DHS Benefits
Log in to your MyCOMPASS Account.
Navigate to the Text Message Portal on the left-hand side of your dashboard.
Answer the questions regarding your notification preferences (such as receiving alerts for renewals or verifications) and verify your phone number.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.