HB 1429 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in public assistance, providing for report on transition to chip-enabled access cards.

PRINTER'S NO.    1664

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1429
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY D. WILLIAMS, HEFFLEY, VENKAT, BENHAM, FREEMAN,
        SANCHEZ, GIRAL, MADDEN, HADDOCK, MERSKI, FLICK, PUGH, HILL-
        EVANS, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, INGLIS, WATRO, K.HARRIS, CERRATO,
        RIVERA, GUZMAN, DEASY, GREEN AND BOYD, MAY 7, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, MAY 7, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
 2      act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
 3      welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,
 4      providing for report on transition to chip-enabled access
 5      cards.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
 9   as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a section to
10   read:
11      Section 414.1.    Report on Transition to Chip-Enabled Access
12   Cards.--(a)   The department shall prepare a report evaluating
13   the feasibility of transitioning from magnetic stripe access
14   cards to chip-enabled access cards for use in the Supplemental
15   Nutrition Assistance Program. The report shall include an
16   assessment of the financial impact, operational considerations
17   and proposed implementation strategies for the transition. The
18   report shall be designed to provide the recipients of the report
 1   under subsection (c) with timely and actionable information to
 2   support an efficient and cost-effective transition.
 3      (b)    The report under subsection (a) shall include the
 4   following information:
 5      (1)    A cost analysis of replacing magnetic stripe access
 6   cards with chip-enabled access cards, including an itemized
 7   estimate of anticipated expenditures by the following:
 8      (i)    The department for costs associated with access card
 9   production, distribution and modifications to vendor contracts.
10      (ii)     The department and county assistance offices for costs
11   associated with necessary system modifications, including
12   upgrades to information technology infrastructure.
13      (2)    A review of other states that have implemented or are in
14   the process of implementing chip-enabled access cards. The
15   review shall include the following information:
16      (i)    Identification of best practices and operational
17   insights.
18      (ii)     Recommended strategies to minimize service disruptions,
19   including pilot programs and point-of-sale testing protocols at
20   authorized Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program retailers.
21      (iii)    Identification of cost-saving measures and methods to
22   reduce the implementation timeline, including options for in-
23   person access card distribution at county assistance offices and
24   alternative mailing strategies.
25      (3)    A proposed implementation timeline that outlines key
26   milestones and estimated time frames for each phase of the
27   transition.
28      (c)    The department shall submit the report under subsection
29   (a) within thirty days of the effective date of this subsection
30   to the following:

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 1      (1)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
 2   Appropriations Committee of the Senate.
 3      (2)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
 4   Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives.
 5      (3)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Health
 6   and Human Services Committee of the Senate.
 7      (4)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Health
 8   Committee of the House of Representatives.
 9      (5)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the Human
10   Services Committee of the House of Representatives.
11      Section 2.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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