Requires DHS to distribute contactless EBT cards to SNAP recipients by January 31, 2027.

A4441

ASSEMBLY, No. 4441

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

Assemblyman� CHIGOZIE U. ONYEMA

District 28 (Essex and Union)

Assemblyman� JERRY WALKER

District 31 (Hudson)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Kearney

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires DHS to distribute contactless EBT cards to
SNAP recipients by January 31, 2027.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning electronic benefits transfer cards
and supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� As used in this act:

���� �Contactless electronic
benefits transfer card� means an electronic benefits transfer card embedded
with a small integrated microchip or equipped with a small radio frequency
antenna that enables a user to wave or tap the card to complete a transaction
at a point-of-sale terminal, automated teller machine, or other electronic or
similar device.

���� �SNAP� means the New Jersey
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.) and P.L.1998, c.32 (C.44:10-79 et seq.).

���� 2.� a.� Notwithstanding any
provision of law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the Department of Human
Services shall distribute contactless electronic benefits transfer cards to all
eligible SNAP recipients by January 31, 2027.

���� b.� The department shall:

���� (1) enter into or modify an
agreement with a third party vendor to produce and issue contactless electronic
benefits transfer cards for SNAP recipients; and

���� (2) terminate any agreement
with the third party vendor if the vendor cannot produce and issue the
electronic benefits transfer cards prior to January 31, 2027.

���� c.� The contactless electronic
benefits transfer card shall be distributed and made available, free of charge,
to all eligible SNAP recipients.

���� d.� Within six months
following the enactment of this act, the department shall publish a county by
county progress report on the distribution of contactless electronic benefits
transfer cards to eligible SNAP recipients.

���� 3.� The Commissioner of Human
Services shall apply for any:

���� a.� waivers from the federal
government, which are necessary for the approval and implementation of this
act; and

���� b.� federal grants through the
SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grants program within the United States
Department of Agriculture, to implement the provisions of this act.

���� 4.� The Commissioner of Human
Services, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968,
c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations as may be
necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.

���� 5.� This act shall take effect
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
Department of Human Services (the department) to distribute and make available,
free of charge, contactless electronic benefits transfer cards to all eligible
SNAP recipients by January 31, 2027.

���� As used in the bill,
�contactless electronic benefits transfer card� means an electronic benefits transfer
card embedded with a small integrated microchip or equipped with a small radio
frequency antenna that enables a user to wave or tap the card to complete a
transaction at a point-of-sale terminal, automated teller machine, or other
electronic or similar device.

���� The bill also requires the
department to:� (1) enter into or modify an agreement with a third party vendor
to produce and issue contactless electronic benefits transfer cards for SNAP
recipients; (2) terminate any agreement with the third party vendor if the
vendor cannot produce and issue the electronic benefits transfer cards prior to
January 31, 2027; and (3) within six months following the enactment of the
bill, publish a county by county progress report on the distribution of
contactless electronic benefits transfer cards to eligible SNAP recipients.

���� The bill requires the
Commissioner of Human Services to apply for any waivers from the federal
government and any federal grants through the SNAP Process and Technology
Improvement Grants program which may be necessary to, or available for, the
implementation of the provisions of the bill.

���� The FY 2025 Appropriations Act
included $1.7 million to replace all existing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) and Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) electronic benefits transfer
(EBT) cards with embedded microchip technology, as well as to make the
necessary upgrades to the EBT system for the use of these cards.� This
initiative has yet to be implemented and the FY 2026 Appropriations Act
includes new language to carry forward to the subsequent fiscal year any
unexpended balance remaining in the account that holds these funds.� This bill
establishes a statutory timeframe for the Department of Human Services to
implement the initiative.