SNAP benefits couldn't be used for pop or candy under GOP bill

Good morning, and happy Friday!

Iowans would be barred from using public food assistance dollars to buy pop and candy under a Republican bill advancing in the Iowa House.

The bill is a priority for Republican leadership this year and it advanced through a subcommittee on Thursday.

An earlier version of the legislation would have barred SNAP dollars from being used to buy an even wider range of foods, like fresh meat and cheese. But lawmakers say they plan to amend the bill to only exclude pop and candy.

Still, it's not clear that such a plan could win approval from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has blocked attempts by other states to stop SNAP dollars from being used to buy junk food.

A range of Iowans turned up at Thursday's subcommittee, many to speak against the legislation and a few to speak for it. Read my story for all the details.

In other political news, the Iowa Democratic Party will elect a new chair this weekend. Chief Politics Reporter Brianne Pfannenstiel spoke to the three candidates about their vision for the future of the party. You can read that here.

This is Stephen, glad to be reaching another weekend. We're not done covering Gov. Kim Reynolds' new private school scholarships law. Keep an eye out for a story this weekend from the Register politics team. See you Monday!