PA House Bill to Support Transition to More Secure Chip EBT Cards
PITTSBURGH, PA – Bipartisan legislation supporting the transition to more secure chipped SNAP EBT cards unanimously passed out of the PA House Human Services Committee on June 3rd. Introduced by Representatives Doyle Heffley and Dan Williams, House Bill 2450 requires DHS to make the transition to EBT cards with chip technology by January 1, 2028.
Just Harvest is eager to see legislation introduced that addresses the need for greater protection of SNAP theft victims, and aids our longstanding campaign to end SNAP theft. Earlier this year, our team led a panel discussion on the ongoing crisis – at a time when an estimate from Propel was released stating over $600 million was stolen from EBT households in 2025 alone.
“At Just Harvest, we regularly hear from SNAP recipients who’ve had their benefits stolen. They call law enforcement, Congress, their County Assistance Office, but no one will help reimburse them. It’s well past time to make SNAP cards more secure and prevent theft in the first place” said Dan McCarthy, Grassroots Organizer at Just Harvest.
Here in Pennsylvania, more than $15 Million in benefits have been stolen from PA families between October 2022 and Dec 2024, which is the time period that DHS accepted claims for reimbursement. Because benefits are no longer reimbursed by the federal government, when theft occurs families are left without recourse.
This creates acute crises that result in families not getting all of the food they need. With the rising prices of groceries and gas, it’s already difficult to afford the cost of living. 1.7 million PA residents currently rely on SNAP, most of whom are older adults, individuals with disabilities, and families with children. Even while reducing food purchases, families often still fall behind on rent, utilities, or other essential expenses.
The theft across Pennsylvania has also put an additional strain on food pantries, as SNAP recipients whose benefits have been stolen have nowhere else to turn. The growing crisis also impacts our economy, as millions of taxpayer dollars that are intended to support eligible families and the overall food economy have been stolen and diverted to the pockets of criminals.
Increasing card security is necessary to reduce the prevalence of theft, and so this legislation is essential. EBT cards currently use outdated magnetic strip technology only, which leaves recipients vulnerable to having their benefits stolen through the use of skimming devices and phishing scams. Contact your State Representative and ask them to support HB 2540, and to urge their fellow colleagues to support the bill.
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Contact Us:
Katherine Taylor, Communications Coordinator, katherinet@justharvest.org
