Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus
05/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/27/2026 12:32
Heffley Pushes Legislation to Strengthen EBT Security to Protect SNAP Benefits
May 27, 2026
HARRISBURG - Republican chair of the House Human Services Committee, Rep. Doyle Heffley (R-Carbon) supports legislation that would cut down on the theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Heffley is the lead co-sponsor of House Bill 2540, which is being primed sponsored by Rep. Dan Williams (D-Chester), that would transition the Electronic Benefit Transfer cards Pennsylvanians use to access SNAP benefits to chip-enabled cards.
"Criminals are using illegal devices at checkout terminals to steal card information when someone has to swipe their card," Heffley said. "Reports show more than $15 million in SNAP benefits were stolen this way in 2024. The transition to chip-enabled EBT cards is long overdue and a necessary step to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure public assistance benefits reach those who truly need them."
"SNAP benefit theft targets some of Pennsylvania's most vulnerable residents," Williams said. "Loss of these benefits can jeopardize individuals' access to food, further exacerbating hardships. Transitioning to chip-enabled EBT cards will ensure SNAP beneficiaries can securely access their benefits and help prevent theft."
Chip-enabled EBT cards provide an extra layer of security.
Heffley previously co-sponsored House Bill 1429 with Williams. The bill required the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), which oversees SNAP, to study the cost and process of transitioning to chip-enabled EBT cards. The language of House Bill 1429 was enacted as part of the Human Services Code in House Bill 749.
The report showed DHS ranked moving to chip-enabled EBT and allowing a tap-to-pay method as the most effective ways to reduce the theft of SNAP benefits.
"It is critical we make this as secure as possible," Heffley added.
Representative Doyle Heffley
122nd District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Andrew Forgotch
717.772.9905
[email protected]
RepHeffley.com / Facebook.com/RepHeffley
Pennsylvania House Republican Caucus published this content on May 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 27, 2026 at 18:32 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]