Here are the top stories from the Democrat-Gazette this week.
Legislature overrides gov's veto of ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth
Arkansas became the first state in the nation Tuesday to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors, after a majority of the state Legislature voted to override the governor's veto.
Crystal Bridges plans expansion to grow museum by 50%
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Bentonville museum founded and largely funded by Walmart heiress Alice Walton, has planned an expansion to house its growing collection and provide more space for programs and events.
The expansion will add 100,000 square feet to the existing 200,000 square feet of space, museum officials said in a news release Wednesday.
'Class-protection' bill passes Senate, heads to House
A so-called class protection bill being pushed by legislative leaders in lieu of a bill targeting hate crimes was sent to the House floor Thursday.
Senate Bill 622 has prompted opposition from traditional proponents of hate crimes legislation who say the bill fails to specifically address those most frequently targeted in attacks, such as racial minority and LGBTQ groups.
State expects vaccine allocation to dip next week
After rising for two weeks, Arkansas' allotment of coronavirus vaccine for people who have not yet received a shot is expected to drop by a third next week due to a reduction in the number of Johnson & Johnson doses coming into the state.
The state's allocation of the single-shot vaccine more than doubled this week, to 43,500 doses, but it will plummet to 5,200 next week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mask rule to stay in LRSD
The Little Rock School Board on Thursday voted unanimously to continue to require students and employees to wear face coverings through July as a way to defend against the spread of the covid-19 virus.