HARRISBURG – Legislation aimed at reducing theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits is now law in PA. Under Act 21 of 2026, the PA Department of Human Services will upgrade the state’s Electronic Benefits Transfer or EBT cards to include chip-enabled technology. Chip cards are encrypted and more difficult for fraudsters to copy or hack into than standard cards. There were more than 5,000 cases of card skimming in PA in the past year. SNAP benefits help many families keep food on their tables. The law is a necessary step to both protect taxpayer dollars and ensure public assistance benefits reach those who truly need them.
