An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, providing for transition to chip-enabled access cards.
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill requires the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services to transition all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) access cards to chip-enabled technology by January 1, 2028. The department must balance cost-effectiveness with security features like tap-to-pay, provide free chip-enabled cards to recipients, and regularly report on the transition’s progress to the legislature. It also mandates outreach to vendors and recipients to ensure a smooth implementation.
Key provisions
- Transition all SNAP access cards to chip-enabled technology by January 1, 2028.
- Provide free chip-enabled access cards to eligible recipients.
- Implement security features such as tap-to-pay technology.
- Require regular reporting to the legislature on the transition's progress.
- Establish a procedure for distributing access cards in emergency situations.
- Conduct outreach to vendors regarding system upgrades.
- Provide resources and FAQs to recipients on the new access cards.
- Explore maximizing funding from federal and other sources.
Who is affected
- SNAP recipients
- Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
- Vendors providing SNAP services
- House of Representatives
- Senate
Notable changes
- The bill mandates the use of chip-enabled technology for SNAP access cards, replacing existing card technology.
Bill text
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Document of record
- Version
- Pn 1881 Html
- Published
- Not published in the source record
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Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
9 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Anthony Williams
Christine Tartaglione
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