Congress locks in fee-free SNAP transactions for retailers nationwide
H.R. 4158 — Ensuring Fee-Free Benefit Transactions Act of 2025 · Filed by Shontel Brown (D-OH) · 7 cosponsors · Introduced Jun 26, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill makes permanent a ban on fees that states and their contractors can charge retailers for processing SNAP (food stamp) benefit transactions. Currently, a temporary moratorium expires; this bill extends it indefinitely, with a narrow exception for equipment rental costs. The result: retailers face no state-imposed fees for accepting SNAP benefits, keeping transaction costs lower for the food retail ecosystem.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative function is to permanently prohibit state-imposed transaction fees on SNAP retailers. It is a straightforward regulatory protection for the food retail sector, framed as a consumer-access measure.
What the text implies
- States lose a potential revenue source for SNAP administration costs, which may shift funding pressure to federal appropriations or reduce state-level SNAP program enhancements.
- Payment processors and EBT network operators benefit from sustained high retailer participation, as lower fees reduce retailer exit from the SNAP ecosystem.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
grocery retailers and convenience stores; EBT payment processors and network operators; food retail supply chain participants