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 access device security.

PRINTER'S NO. 992
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 880
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY STREET, ARGALL, HAYWOOD, COMITTA, TARTAGLIONE,
PISCIOTTANO, BARTOLOTTA, SANTARSIERO, L. WILLIAMS,
CAPPELLETTI, SAVAL, LAUGHLIN, MILLER, KEARNEY, BOSCOLA,
COLLETT, VOGEL, FONTANA, PENNYCUICK AND COSTA, JUNE 24, 2025
REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JUNE 24, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,
providing for access device security.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Article IV of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31,
No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a
subarticle to read:
(n) Access Device Security
Section 494. Report of Theft.--(a) If a recipient discovers
that the access device of the recipient has been stolen and used
by another person, including through skimming, resulting in
financial detriment to the recipient, the recipient shall report
the theft and use to the department, through a verified
statement in the form and manner prescribed by the department,
as soon as practicable after the discovery of the theft and use.
(b) The department may investigate a claim of theft and use
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under this section to verify the occurrence of the theft and use
and the extent of financial detriment to the recipient.
(c) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Skimming" means the theft of access device information
during a legitimate transaction by a recipient, through the use
of a skimmer device or other illegal card reader attached to a
payment terminal or point of sale system, without the knowledge
of the recipient.
Section 495. Security Measures.--The department shall
provide heightened security measures to protect recipients from
financial detriment caused by the theft and use of their access
devices, including the following:
(1) The replacement of access devices containing magnetic
strips with access devices containing embedded chip technology
that generates a unique code for each transaction.
(2) The establishment of monitoring systems for the use of
access devices, with transaction alerts through text message or
email.
(3) The promotion of a mobile application that includes a
feature to lock and unlock an access device.
(4) The establishment of streamlined procedures to report
theft involving an access device and ensure referrals to
emergency nutrition support.
(5) The establishment of targeted outreach to educate
recipients on theft prevention involving access devices.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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