Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sb362 Snap Skimming topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Judiciary Committee adopts amendment and reports bill to criminalize SNAP 'skimming' devices
Summary
The committee unanimously adopted amendment 04050 and voted to report Senate Bill 362, which would criminalize possession and trafficking of devices that capture SNAP payment information and raise felony penalties for repeat offenders.
The House Judiciary Committee unanimously adopted amendment 04050 and reported Senate Bill 362 to the floor as amended.
Counsel described SB 362 (sponsored by Senator Bascola) as amending the Human Services Code (section 481) to criminalize possession, production, trafficking, control or use of devices that replicate SNAP payment information and to establish felony penalties for first and subsequent offenses. Counsel said the bill extends the statute of limitations and includes ineligibility periods for cash-assistance participation following conviction.
Counsel described amendment 04050 (by Chairman Briggs) as deleting language that predated a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision (cited in committee as Commonwealth v. Shiflett, 05/30/2025) that had held ARD cannot constitutionally count as a prior conviction for purposes of enhancing offense grading; the amendment removes the conflicting language.
Committee members raised no objections; the secretary reported both the amendment and the committee report on the bill as having passed unanimously. Counsel said the bill passed the Senate on 06/23/2026 and that, if enacted, the measure would take effect in 60 days.
The committee will forward SB 362 to the full House as amended.
