The Ohio House voted 90-0 Thursday to pass a bill that would require SNAP EBT cards to use chip technology, a change lawmakers say will make it much tougher for thieves to skim or clone benefits. The Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026 now heads to the Senate for its turn under the microscope.
What the bill would do
House Bill 163 directs the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to start issuing chip-enabled EBT cards that comply with U.S. Department of Agriculture technical guidance and to adopt cybersecurity rules within one year of the bill’s effective date. The bill also instructs the department to collect data on suspicious transactions and to offer an online tool where recipients can report alleged fraud. As outlined by the Ohio Legislature, the text locks the modernization requirements and related appropriations into state law.
Why lawmakers say it’s needed
Supporters pointed to recent waves of electronic theft that have abruptly wiped out families’ benefits and food budgets. During committee hearings, hunger-relief groups warned lawmakers about organized skimming rings operating on vulnerable magnetic-stripe cards. Cleveland.com reported the House approved the measure unanimously and quoted House Speaker Matt Huffman saying, “We want to make sure that the people who are entitled to these benefits are getting them and using them.” Backers say those stories of stolen benefits helped seal the deal for an upgrade.
Sponsor’s pitch: fix now, save later
Bill sponsor Rep. Tristan Rader framed the proposal as a small technology upgrade compared with the size of the loss problem. “With a relatively small update to SNAP cards, we could stop almost all SNAP fraud in the state of Ohio,” he said, according to Rep. Tristan Rader's office. That release and other testimony cited roughly $17 million in benefits stolen from Ohio households during 2023–24 and warned that a federal backstop for replacing stolen benefits has weakened. Supporters argue that preventing theft will be far cheaper than repeatedly refilling emptied accounts.
Chip cards are already spreading across states
The USDA has been pushing EBT modernization, publishing technical guides and a state rollout map for chip cards. California began issuing chip-and-tap EBT cards in January 2025, and Alabama's recent Conduent-supported deployment followed a pilot earlier this year, a pattern other states are starting to follow. USDA FNS and reporting from Stateline trace the national push and the anti-fraud case behind it.
Funding and timing still in flux
The final price tag and speed of the card swap are still open questions. The Legislative Service Commission's fiscal analysis of an earlier version estimated a $10.6 million cost in fiscal year 2026, with $5.3 million from the state and a matching federal share. By contrast, the House's “as passed” bill text lists appropriation items that total roughly $3 million in the coming biennium. That mismatch means senators and budget writers will have to decide whether to restore a larger appropriation, lean harder on federal grants, or phase the work in more slowly. For a closer look, see the LSC fiscal note and the bill text as passed by the House.
What comes next
HB163 now heads to the Senate, where a companion proposal, S.B. 315, is also in play and could shape the final timeline and funding level. If the Senate signs off on some version of the modernization plan, the bill would move to the governor’s desk. Senators are expected to scrutinize both the cost and the logistical challenge of swapping cards without interrupting access to food benefits. The Ohio Senate bill page tracks the latest status.
Implementation will not be plug-and-play
Even if lawmakers agree on the money and the mandate, chip migration will require retailers and payment processors to update point-of-sale systems and to test backup procedures so recipients can still use benefits during the transition. USDA modernization materials emphasize that retailers must be ready before chip cards are widely issued, which means the pace of rollout will depend on careful coordination among state agencies, vendors, and stores. That behind-the-scenes work will determine whether the promised security gains arrive without leaving recipients temporarily unable to buy groceries, a risk advocates say is too high for low-income Ohio families.
