Bill > H4401

This bill establishes the South Carolina EBT Fraud Reimbursement and Economic Protection Act, creating a program to help Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries recover stolen benefits. The legislation creates an EBT Fraud Reimbursement Fund administered by the Department of Social Services that will reimburse eligible SNAP recipients up to 80% of verified stolen benefits resulting from electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card theft, such as skimming or unauthorized electronic access. The fund's annual reimbursement amount will be capped based on the number of active SNAP households in the previous fiscal year, calculated by multiplying the number of households by five. The bill acknowledges that EBT benefit theft causes significant hardship for low-income families and negatively impacts local economic activity, noting that each dollar of SNAP benefits generates approximately $1.50 in local economic activity. The department must develop a fraud verification and appeal process, including documentation requirements and an investigation procedure, and will be required to submit an annual report to the General Assembly detailing the number of cases, reimbursements, total value reimbursed, and fund utilization rate. The program will be funded through the annual general appropriations act or through a combination of state funds and public or private grants.

Budget and Finance

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4401&session=126&summary=B