Sponsors (12)
The bill improves security, faster access, and transparency for SNAP recipients by pushing chip-enabled EBT, standardized reporting, and speedy free replacements — but it shifts significant costs and implementation burdens to states and small retailers, creates short-term access and fraud/privacy risks during transition, and could produce uneven protections if federal rulemaking is weakened.
Millions of SNAP recipients will get stronger transaction security (chip-enabled cards and better online protections), reducing fraud and benefit theft when using EBT.
SNAP households will regain access faster and at no cost when cards are lost, stolen, malfunctioning, or expire: replacements must be provided within 3 business days and without replacement fees.
Federal reimbursements and grant funding will help states and retailers upgrade EBT cards and payment terminals, lowering the upfront financial burden on state budgets and improving retailer readiness to accept secure EBT payments.
SNAP participants—especially in rural or low-service areas—risk temporary reduced access to benefits if card replacements, user interfaces, or retailer terminal upgrades are delayed or if stores fail to comply, leaving some stores unable to accept SNAP.
Small and online retailers will face substantial upfront and ongoing costs to upgrade terminals and meet cybersecurity requirements, costs that could be passed to consumers or cause some businesses to stop accepting SNAP.
States will incur significant implementation and administrative costs (staffing, expedited mailing, compliance reporting, free replacements) that could strain state budgets or divert resources from other services absent full federal funding.
Based on analysis of 16 sections of legislative text.
Strengthens EBT cybersecurity: mandates chip-enabled cards, retailer chip terminals, faster replacement rules, limits replacement fees, and creates reporting and rulemaking duties for USDA.
Official title: Amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to require the promulgation of cybersecurity and digital service regulations relating to the use of EBT cards under the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 26, 2026 by Ronald Lee Wyden · Last progress February 26, 2026
Requires new cybersecurity rules and technology upgrades for SNAP electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, mobile access, online transactions, and vendor terminals, with concrete timelines for issuing chip-enabled cards and strengthening fraud protections. Creates new reporting duties for USDA, new vendor technology requirements for SNAP-authorized retailers, and limits when States may charge replacement card fees. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to write and update regulations, requires States to begin issuing chip-enabled EBT cards and to reissue magnetic-stripe cards on a multi-year schedule, mandates replacement-card delivery timelines for households, requires retailers to install chip-enabled terminals as a condition of SNAP authorization, and orders periodic reports (including a Puerto Rico-specific EBT security assessment). Several existing USDA rulemaking/guidance duties are removed or reorganized.