Bipartisan effort would require SNAP cards to have EMV chip technology

"and state Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, D-23, have announced a joint bipartisan effort to combat Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fraud impacting their constituents and communities across New York state and the nation. Malliotakis' legislation (H.R. 7316, SNAP Payment Security and Fraud Prevention Act of 2026) would require states to implement EMV chip technology for cards and phase out magnetic stripes by 2030, while increasing penalties for SNAP theft to deter fraudsters."

"Scarcella-Spanton's legislation would require the implementation of EMV tech in cards to match industry standards by June 21, 2026. Even with USDA urging, only two states have begun issuing chip-enabled EBT cards. Last year, state Senator Andrew Gounardes had co-sponsored a similar bill which passed the Senate unanimously but remained stuck in the Assembly. Last July, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez also held a fraud-prevention workshop on this issue."

Bipartisan federal and state proposals would require EMV chip technology on EBT/SNAP cards, phase out magnetic stripes, increase penalties for SNAP theft, and shorten EBT replacement times. H.R. 7316, the SNAP Payment Security and Fraud Prevention Act of 2026, would mandate EMV implementation by 2030 and add measures to deter fraud. A state bill would align EBT cards with industry EMV standards by June 21, 2026. Only two states have started issuing chip-enabled EBT cards despite USDA urging. A similar state bill previously passed the Senate but stalled in the Assembly; local officials have held fraud-prevention workshops.

Read at Brooklyn Eagle