House committee backs requiring chip-enabled Bridge Cards within one year

The Michigan House Committee on Government Operations on Thursday voted to report House Bill 47 46 with a substitute that would require the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to make Bridge Cards chip-enabled within one year and to conform to applicable U.S. Department of Agriculture standards.

Representative Ryan Wolford, sponsor of the bill, told the committee that Michigan’s Bridge Cards still use magnetic-stripe technology and that criminals can buy inexpensive skimmers to steal benefits. “This bill is about closing the gap and bringing Michigan up to security standards that people already expect in everyday transactions,” Wolford said, urging the change on a one-year timetable so benefits are less vulnerable to fraud.

Wolford told the committee the state has been losing what he described as about $200,000,000 a year to fraud tied to outdated card technology and that a one-year deadline was based on other states’ experiences. He said chip cards are harder to clone or skim and would not change eligibility or benefit amounts, only the security of the payment method.

Committee members asked about costs and implementation. Wolford said he had not worked directly with DHHS on an implementation plan but cited other states’ timelines and an initial startup estimate offered during the hearing—one speaker referenced an initial first‑year figure of about $16,000,000, with the federal government covering roughly half. Wolford also said the state’s current SNAP error rate could expose Michigan to a roughly $300,000,000 potential federal repayment if the error rate is not corrected. The committee record includes testimony cards indicating Julie Cassidy of the Michigan League for Public Policy registered support, and Sharday Burton of DHHS registered opposition.

On the committee roll call to report the bill as substituted, Representatives Harris and Vanderwall voted yes; Representatives Fitzgerald and McFall were recorded as passing. The clerk announced the motion prevailed with three affirmative votes and no recorded nays.

The substitute adopted during the hearing adds a reference to USDA standards that DHHS must follow and specifies the department’s obligation to implement enhanced security features, including chip technology, within the stated timeframe. The committee’s action forwards the bill to the next stage in the House process with a recommendation as substituted.

The committee did not adopt an earlier substitute offered by Representative Fitzgerald that would have delayed allowing chip-enabled functionality until two years after the bill’s effective date; that substitute failed on a roll call. The committee instead adopted the H-2 substitute that added USDA standards language.

If enacted, the bill would change how Bridge Cards are produced and issued but would not change eligibility rules or benefit amounts, according to testimony recorded in the committee. The transcript reflects questions about start-up and operational costs for DHHS, but a detailed department implementation plan and exact vendor costs were not provided during the hearing.

The committee adjourned after reporting the measure to the full House.