Bill Introduction: Public Benefits Security Amendment Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to restore stolen benefits and transition from outdated swipe EBT cards to secure, microchipped cards. Benefits theft has stripped millions from our most vulnerable residents; 5,198 cases totaling more than $2.1 million in FY24 alone. EBT cards with chips could reduce theft by 90 percent, and residents deserve both stronger protections and timely replacement of their benefits when theft occurs. Having worked extensively on oversight of DHS, I have seen firsthand how delays and outdated systems erode trust in public services. This bill is about modernizing government, preventing avoidable harm, and making sure residents can rely on the benefits they have earned.

See the introduction package below.