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A4102
ASSEMBLY, No. 4102
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� LINDA S. CARTER
District 22 (Somerset and Union)
Assemblyman� CHIGOZIE U. ONYEMA
District 28 (Essex and Union)
Assemblywoman� ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Walker, Assemblywomen Lopez and Brennan
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires SNAP retailers to take measures to help
prevent card skimming.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning
card skimming and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program retailers, and
supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New
Jersey:
���� 1. a.� As used in this
section:
���� �Card skimming� means the
illegal installation of scanning devices on point of sale terminals to access,
read, scan, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently, information
encoded on the magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card without the
permission of the authorized user of the payment card.
���� "Payment card" means
a credit card, charge card, debit card, SNAP electronic benefits transfer card,
or any other card that is issued to an authorized card user and that allows the
user to obtain, purchase, or receive goods, services, money, or anything of
value from a merchant.
���� "Scanning device"
means a scanner, skimmer, reader, or any other electronic device that is used
to access, read, scan, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently,
information encoded on the magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card.
���� �SNAP� means the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program established pursuant to the federal "Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.).
���� b.��� Beginning on January 31,
2027, an authorized New Jersey SNAP retailer that accepts payments via SNAP
electronic benefits transfer cards within its establishment shall equip each
point of sale terminal within the establishment with features or technology to
help prevent card skimming, as determined by the Department of Human Services.
���� c.���� The Department of Human
Services shall be authorized to inspect authorized New Jersey SNAP retailers to
ensure compliance with the provisions of this section.
���� d.��� The Commissioner of
Human Services shall be authorized to assess an administrative penalty of not
more than $1,000 for the first violation of a provision of this section, $3,000
for the second violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation.
���� e.���� The Commissioner of
Human Services shall be authorized to exclude a retailer from participation in
the SNAP program for four or more violations of a provision of this section.�
���� 2. The Commissioner of Human
Services may adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative
Procedure Act" P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to effectuate the
purposes of this act.
���� 3. �This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill requires New Jersey
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) retailers to take measures to
help prevent card skimming.
���� Under the bill, beginning on
January 31, 2027, an authorized New Jersey SNAP retailer that accepts payments
via SNAP electronic benefits transfer cards within its establishment is to
equip each point of sale terminal within the establishment with features or
technology to help prevent card skimming.� The bill defines �card skimming� to
mean the illegal installation of scanning devices on point of sale terminals to
access, read, scan, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently,
information encoded on the magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card without
the permission of the authorized user of the payment card.
���� Under the bill, the Department
of Human Services is authorized to inspect authorized New Jersey SNAP retailers
to ensure compliance with the provisions of this bill.� The Commissioner of
Human Services (commissioner) is authorized to assess an administrative penalty
of not more than $1,000 for the first violation of a provision of this bill,
$3,000 for the second violation, and $5,000 for each subsequent violation.� The
commissioner is authorized to exclude a retailer from participation in the SNAP
program for four or more violations of a provision of this bill.� �