Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026 | ChamberLight

IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS

Senate BillS 3949Agriculture and Food

Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026

INTRO FEB 26· LAST ACTION FEB 26

READING

16MIN

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Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed Senate

Passed House

Conference

To President

Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

This bill matters because it addresses a significant problem: EBT card fraud, particularly "skimming," which steals benefits from vulnerable families. By mandating chip-enabled cards and improved cybersecurity, it aims to protect recipients' benefits more effectively, bringing EBT technology up to par with modern banking standards. This could save recipients from losing their crucial food assistance and reduce the need for states to reimburse stolen funds.

Furthermore, the bill aims to improve the overall user experience and transparency for SNAP recipients. By requiring states to offer user-friendly digital tools, transaction alerts, and easy fraud reporting, it empowers individuals to better manage their accounts and quickly identify suspicious activity. If this bill becomes law, SNAP recipients will have more control and security over their benefits; if it doesn't, the current system's vulnerabilities to fraud and lack of modern digital access are likely to persist, leaving recipients at higher risk and with fewer tools to manage their aid.

KEY PROVISIONS

5AI-extracted

PROVISION 01

Requires the government to create and regularly update cybersecurity and digital service rules for EBT cards and related technologies, ensuring they meet private sector security standards.

This brings EBT card security up to date with modern payment systems, protecting benefits from evolving threats.

PROVISION 02

States must provide various user-friendly interfaces, including mobile-friendly web portals and apps, for households to manage their EBT accounts, available in multiple languages and highly reliable.

Improves access and convenience for SNAP recipients to check balances and manage their benefits.

PROVISION 03

States must offer opt-in electronic transaction notifications, searchable historical transaction data for at least 12 months, and an easy way to report fraud through all user interfaces.

Increases transparency and empowers recipients to quickly identify and report fraudulent activity, helping protect their benefits.

PROVISION 04

Sets a timeline for states to begin issuing new chip-enabled EBT cards, stop issuing new magnetic stripe cards, and reissue all existing magnetic stripe cards as chip-enabled versions within five years after regulations are finalized.

This dramatically enhances physical card security, making them much harder to clone and thus significantly reducing skimming fraud.

PROVISION 05

Requires an Application Programming Interface (API) to allow third-party software to access EBT account features, free of charge, with household delegation.

Fosters innovation and allows for more diverse tools and services to help SNAP recipients manage their benefits.

SPONSORSHIP

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COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 90%

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ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 26

Introduced in Senate

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 26

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

INTROREFERRAL

BILL INFO

TypeSenate Bill

NumberS 3949

Congress119th

StatusIn Committee

IntroducedFeb 26, 2026

Last actionFeb 26, 2026

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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2026

Senate BillS 3949Agriculture and Food

Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026

INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2026· LAST ACTION FEB 26, 2026

PASSAGE CHANCES

—%

READING

16 min

COSPONSORS

COMPLEXITY

Moderate

Call my reps Congress.gov

LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS

STEP 2 OF 8

Introduced

In Committee

Reported

Passed Senate

Passed House

Conference

To President

Became Law

Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law

WHAT THE BILL DOES

AI-written

KEY PROVISIONS

AI-extracted

high

Requires the government to create and regularly update cybersecurity and digital service rules for EBT cards and related technologies, ensuring they meet private sector security standards.

This brings EBT card security up to date with modern payment systems, protecting benefits from evolving threats.

med

States must provide various user-friendly interfaces, including mobile-friendly web portals and apps, for households to manage their EBT accounts, available in multiple languages and highly reliable.

Improves access and convenience for SNAP recipients to check balances and manage their benefits.

high

States must offer opt-in electronic transaction notifications, searchable historical transaction data for at least 12 months, and an easy way to report fraud through all user interfaces.

Increases transparency and empowers recipients to quickly identify and report fraudulent activity, helping protect their benefits.

high

This dramatically enhances physical card security, making them much harder to clone and thus significantly reducing skimming fraud.

med

Requires an Application Programming Interface (API) to allow third-party software to access EBT account features, free of charge, with household delegation.

Fosters innovation and allows for more diverse tools and services to help SNAP recipients manage their benefits.

DEADLINES & DATES

AI-extracted

An AI model extracted this from the bill’s official record and can make mistakes. Check the official text ↗ (opens in new tab)

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this paragraph.

Secretary to promulgate cybersecurity and digital service regulations.

Every 5 years thereafter.

Secretary to review and update cybersecurity and digital service regulations.

Not later than 2 years after the date on which the regulations promulgated pursuant to clause (i) become final.

States to begin issuing chip-enabled EBT cards.

Not later than 4 years after the date on which the regulations promulgated pursuant to clause (i) become final.

States may not issue new EBT cards with magnetic stripes.

Not later than 5 years after the date on which the regulations promulgated pursuant to clause (i) become final.

States shall be required to reissue any existing valid EBT cards with magnetic stripes as chip-enabled EBT cards without magnetic stripes.

During the 10-year period following the date on which the regulations promulgated pursuant to clause (i) become final (unless extended by the Secretary).

Secretary shall maintain on the list required user interfaces: text message, voice telephone service, and a non-digital user interface.

GLOSSARY

AI-written

EBT Card: A special debit card used to deliver Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (food assistance) to eligible low-income individuals and families.
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program): A federal program that provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families to help them purchase healthy food. Formerly known as food stamps.
Chip-enabled card: A payment card that contains a microchip (EMV chip) to process transactions more securely, making it harder for fraudsters to clone the card compared to older magnetic stripe cards.
NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology): A non-regulatory federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that develops technology, metrics, and standards to improve cybersecurity.
Application Programming Interface (API): A set of rules and tools that allows different software applications to communicate with each other, enabling third-party apps to access or provide services for an EBT account.
Magnetic Stripe: The dark stripe on the back of traditional payment cards that stores cardholder data. It is less secure than chip technology and more vulnerable to skimming.

ACTION TIMELINE

2 EVENTS

FEB 26

Introduced in Senate

INTROREFERRAL

FEB 26

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

INTROREFERRAL

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Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry CommitteeReferred

Feb 26, 2026

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Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026

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Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act of 2026

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