Here's the latest local and regional news from the Little Rock Public Radio Newsroom for Tuesday, April 1, 2025.
- Arkansas Lawmakers have advanced a bill to raise punishments for people who commit violent crimes based on their immigration status
- Secretary of State Cole Jester gave his support to a bill that aims to eliminate foreign influence on state ballot initiatives
- A legislative committee has moved forward on a bill to enhance accountability metrics for public schools, as the state moves forward on a new statewide testing system
- Arkansas lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to revive a bill requiring schools to show a controversial AI-generated video about human fetal development
- Lawmakers have rejected a bill that would protect aspiring foster parents from discrimination based on 'sincerely held religious beliefs'
- Lawmakers advanced a bill that would shield the identity of railroad workers involved in accidents
- A bill to require paid signature-gathers for petitions to live in Arkansas has received final approval in the state legislature
- Lawmakers advanced a bill to ban two chemicals, potassium bromate and propylparaben, from food in Arkansas
- Monday marked the second anniversary of an EF-3 tornado in Central Arkansas; officials broke ground on a new fire station that was destroyed during the storm
- A state legislative committee advanced a specialty license plate to honor the Make a Wish foundation
Listen to live newscasts from Little Rock Public Radio each weekday during NPR's Morning Edition from 6 to 9 a.m., during All Things Considered from 4 to 6 p.m., and online at littlerockpublicradio.org.
