Public Benefits Security Amendment Act of 2025
The Public Benefits Security Amendment Act of 2026 updates District public assistance rules to address theft of benefits delivered through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. It requires the Department of Human Services to issue new EBT cards with EMV chip technology by October 1, 2027, and defines terms related to benefit theft such as cloning, phishing, and skimming. The bill also authorizes the Mayor to issue implementing rules under the District’s administrative procedure law.
The measure creates a formal reimbursement process for recipients whose public assistance is stolen through fraudulent means. If a recipient reports the theft within six months and the Department confirms the loss, the Department must restore up to two months of correctly issued benefits, issue a replacement EBT card, and provide written notice of the decision and appeal rights. The bill also allows recipients to request a fair hearing if they dispute the amount restored or a denial of restoration, and it clarifies that the Department may still restore benefits lost before the new rules take effect.
In addition to the EBT security provisions, the bill extends the Flexible Rent Subsidy Pilot Program under the Homeless Services Reform Act by one year, through Fiscal Year 2027. The bill’s applicability is tied to inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, and it takes effect only after mayoral approval, congressional review, and the usual local enactment process.
The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive and noncontroversial. The bill passed first reading and final reading unanimously, with 13-0 and 12-0 votes, indicating broad Council agreement on both the anti-fraud protections and the rent subsidy extension. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded public debate in the supplied materials.
The main policy issue is how to balance fraud prevention, administrative feasibility, and timely relief for recipients who lose benefits to theft. The bill favors recipients by requiring replacement cards, setting deadlines for agency action, and limiting documentation burdens, while also capping restoration at two months of benefits and limiting coverage to theft by fraudulent means. The rent subsidy extension is a separate but related housing-support measure and does not appear to have generated notable opposition in the available record.
The bill amends the District of Columbia Public Assistance Act of 1982 by adding definitions and new requirements for EBT card security and benefit restoration, and it amends the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 to extend the Flexible Rent Subsidy Pilot Program through September 30, 2027. It affects the Department of Human Services, public assistance recipients using EBT cards, and recipients seeking replacement of stolen benefits. The measure also contemplates federal reimbursement for the cost of transitioning to EMV technology and requires the Department to provide notices and hearing rights when claims are denied or partially granted.
The bill appears to have broad bipartisan or at least unanimous Council support based on the recorded votes, with no dissenting votes at first reading, amendment, or final reading. The available record suggests the Council viewed the bill as a practical consumer-protection and anti-fraud measure, along with a straightforward extension of an existing housing subsidy pilot. No committee testimony or floor debate was provided, so there is no evidence in the supplied materials of organized opposition or significant reservations.
The principal substantive issues are the scope of benefit restoration and the administrative standards for proving theft. The bill limits restoration to the lesser of the stolen amount or two months of correctly issued benefits, excludes certain supplemental payments from the calculation, and does not require recipients to perfect a theft report with all requested documentation within the reporting window. Those provisions favor access to relief but could be viewed as creating administrative burden or potential overpayment risk. Another possible point of concern is the cost of replacing EBT cards with EMV technology, although the bill directs the Department to seek federal reimbursement to the fullest extent allowed. No specific opposing stakeholders are identified in the provided materials.