Advocates rally to combat SNAP skimming

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Officials, advocates and concerned citizens called attention to legislation meant to combat the skimming of SNAP benefits. According to officials, skimming robs low-income New Yorkers of essential lifelines and costs taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Yorkers submitted more than $100,000 stolen benefit claims, which comprised of almost $34 million of benefits paid out, nearly 19 percent of nationwide totals.

They're proposing laws that would transition New York State to the use of chip cards.