In response to a rising number of thefts targeting low-income families, a U.S. senator from Oregon has introduced a bill aimed at significantly bolstering the security of benefits cards used for purchasing groceries. The legislation seeks to address the vulnerabilities of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, which have become an easy target for criminals using "skimming" devices to clone the cards' magnetic stripe data.

Skimming incidents, where criminals replicate victims' SNAP EBT cards to drain their funds, have become alarmingly common. While consumer credit and debit cards have long benefited from features like embedded microchips and contactless payments to counter electronic theft, SNAP EBT cards currently lack such robust security measures. According to the U.S. Agriculture Department, no states currently issue chip-enabled SNAP EBT cards, although some, like California, are in the early stages of transitioning to chip cards.

To address these issues, Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, supported by bipartisan co-sponsors Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), has introduced a bill that would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to update cybersecurity regulations for all SNAP EBT cards. If passed, the bill would require the implementation of microchips on the cards, marking the first major cybersecurity regulation update since 2010.

Senator Wyden expressed concern over the vulnerability of families relying on SNAP benefits, stating that their funds being stolen by criminals is unacceptable in modern-day America. He emphasized the urgent need for improved security measures to protect families from experiencing such thefts.

The bill also has implications for victims of skimming incidents. Liliya Kondratyuk, a day care teacher and single mother from Lynn, Massachusetts, shared her own harrowing experience of losing over $750 in SNAP funds just before Thanksgiving in 2022. Although she eventually received reimbursement from the state, the incident caused significant financial challenges for her and her family. Kondratyuk, along with many other SNAP recipients, supports the bill as a means to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Since late 2022, Congress has authorized the use of federal funds to reimburse victims of SNAP skimming under certain circumstances until September 2024. However, Senator Wyden argues that this partial solution does not address the root of the problem - the lack of robust security for SNAP cards.

In addition to microchips, the bipartisan bill calls for updated anti-fraud technology regulations to be issued by the USDA every five years, aligning SNAP's security standards with those of credit and debit cards. The bill also mandates that states issue replacement cards within three days if an EBT card is stolen or cloned.

Anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocacy organizations, including the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, have endorsed the bill. Vicky Negus, a policy advocate at the Institute, commended the bill's comprehensive approach to protecting SNAP participants and ensuring equitable protection in the checkout line.

Senator Wyden hopes that the bill will be passed as part of the upcoming Farm Bill renewal, which reauthorizes federal programs like SNAP. The legislation proposes that states begin issuing chip-enabled EBT cards within the next two years. However, the senator acknowledges that implementing the necessary technological changes may require some time.

As the fight against cyber-crime targeting vulnerable families continues, the introduction of this bill signifies a step towards strengthening the security of SNAP benefits.