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Securing Strictly Needy Americans’ Pivotal (SNAP) Benefits Act of 2025
3/21/2025, 2:53 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1398
Specifically, the bill aims to prevent the use of EBT cards for purchasing certain items that are deemed non-essential or inappropriate for assistance through government benefits. This includes items such as alcohol, tobacco, and other non-food items that are not essential for meeting basic nutritional needs.
In addition to restricting the types of items that can be purchased with EBT cards, the bill also includes provisions for enforcing these restrictions and penalizing individuals who misuse their benefits. This may include fines, penalties, or other consequences for individuals who are found to be in violation of the restrictions outlined in the bill. Overall, the EBT Card Restrictions Act seeks to ensure that government assistance programs are used responsibly and effectively to support those in need. By placing limitations on the use of EBT cards for purchasing food, the bill aims to promote accountability and prevent misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits.
Congressional Summary of HR 1398
Securing Strictly Needy Americans’ Pivotal (SNAP) Benefits Act of 2025
This bill establishes additional limitations on the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The bill requires that a state agency suspend a SNAP household account when the Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card transactions are made exclusively out-of-state for a period longer than 60 days. The state agency must maintain the suspension until (1) the household affirmatively provides substantiating evidence that the participating household members still reside in the state from which they receive benefits, or (2) an investigation conclusively determines that the participating household members still reside in the state from which they receive benefits.
In addition, a SNAP household may not redeem SNAP benefits at a SNAP-approved retail food store or wholesale food concern that is owned by a household member. This does not apply to a retail food store or a wholesale food concern that is owned by a publicly owned corporation or a government.
