SR 29: Urge Congress to restore stolen SNAP benefits, address fraud
The bill aims to address the issue of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits theft, specifically "card skimming" where a device is placed over a point-of-sale card reader to steal payment card information. The state of Ohio has seen millions of dollars in lost benefits each year due to this type of theft. To combat this, the bill urges Congress to resume restoring stolen SNAP benefits and implement anti-fraud measures, such as replacing current EBT cards with security chip cards. This would help prevent further theft and protect households receiving SNAP benefits. The bill also calls for increased funding for anti-fraud measures under the SNAP program.
| Feb. 12, 2025 | Referred to committee: Workforce Development |
| Feb. 10, 2025 | Offered |
As Introduced
136th General Assembly Regular Session 2025-2026
S. R. No. 29
Senator Schaffer
Cosponsors: Senators Blackshear, Smith, Craig
A R E S O L U T I O N
To urge Congress to resume restoring stolen SNAP benefits 1
and implement anti-fraud measures in the SNAP program. 2
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
WHEREAS, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 3
fraud costs the State of Ohio millions of dollars each year; and 4
WHEREAS, A common type of benefits theft is known as 5
"skimming," where a fraudulent device is placed over a point-of- 6
sale card reader to identify and record payment card 7
information; and 8
WHEREAS, On January 17, 2025, the Ohio Department of Job 9
and Family Services issued a recommendation to Ohio citizens who 10
receive SNAP benefits to be alert for benefits theft, 11
specifically in the form of card skimming; and 12
WHEREAS, Current SNAP benefits are accessed by households 13
through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, which do not 14
have a security chip to prevent theft like card skimming; and 15
WHEREAS, Congress previously has temporarily provided 16
funding for states to restore stolen SNAP benefits. In December 17
2022, Congress passed a law to protect and replace SNAP benefits 18
that were stolen through card skimming, card cloning, and other 19
similar methods, requiring states to replace benefits stolen by 20
S. R. No. 29 As Introduced
those means between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2024; and 21
WHEREAS, "The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 22
2025," Pub. L. No. 118-83, extended the time period for the 23
replacement of those benefits to December 20, 2024; and 24
WHEREAS, According to the Center on Budget and Policy 25
Priorities, under those federal acts, states replaced to more 26
than 315,000 households over $\$150$ million in SNAP benefits 27
stolen between January 2023 and September 2024; and 28
WHEREAS, According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family 29
Services, the State of Ohio replaced more than $\$123,45$ million in 30
stolen SNAP benefits using federal money pursuant to those Acts; 31
and 32
WHEREAS, Congress has not enacted legislation to extend the 33
requirement to replace stolen benefits past December 20, 2024; 34
now therefore be it 35
RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Senate of the 136th 36
General Assembly of the State of Ohio, urge the Congress of the 37
United States to resume restoration of stolen SNAP EBT benefits 38
and implement and fund increases in anti-fraud measures under 39
the SNAP program, such as replacing current EBT cards with 40
security chip cards; and be it further 41
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly 42
authenticated copies of this resolution to the President Pro 43
Tempore and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker 44
and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the 45
members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, and the news media 46
of Ohio. 47