COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Senate has passed a bipartisan bill aimed at safeguarding food assistance benefits for vulnerable families by upgrading the state’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards with microchip technology.
Senate Bill 315, jointly sponsored by State Senators Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) and Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus), targets the rising tide of card-skimming fraud. The legislation would mandate that the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) issue chip-enabled cards for all new and replacement EBT accounts under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The push for enhanced security comes in response to a staggering spike in benefit theft across the state.
“Between June of 2023 to December of 2024, $17 million in SNAP benefits was stolen from needy Ohioans,” Senator Schaffer said following the vote. “By implementing security chips on new SNAP EBT cards and replacing existing cards with this upgraded technology, we can secure the benefits many families rely on and protect them from fraud and theft.”
Funding the Transition
Unlike standard debit and credit cards, which have largely transitioned to chip technology to prevent cloning, most state EBT cards still rely solely on magnetic strips. This makes them prime targets for thieves utilizing skimming devices at grocery store checkouts.
To fund the security overhaul, the bill allocates $3 million to ODJFS to support the transition to the more secure chip-enabled system.
What’s Next?
The legislation passed the Senate with bipartisan support, reflecting growing legislative urgency to protect taxpayer-funded benefits and the families who depend on them.
Senate Bill 315 now heads to the Ohio House of Representatives for further consideration and a committee assignment.
