10 things you need to know today: April 2, 2015

Arkansas' governor balks at signing "religious freedom" bill, California imposes its first mandatory water restrictions, and more

Houseboats float in a drought-lowered lake.
(Image credit: (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File))

1. Arkansas governor says he won't sign "Religious Freedom" bill without changes

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) said Wednesday that he would not sign the state's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which passed Tuesday, unless legislators amended it to make it consistent with a federal law signed by former president Bill Clinton. Hutchinson had previously said he would sign the bill, but now insists it include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Indiana legislators, facing a backlash over a similar law, are expected to propose anti-discrimination amendments on Thursday.

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Harold Maass, The Week US

Harold Maass is a contributing editor at The Week. He has been writing for The Week since the 2001 debut of the U.S. print edition and served as editor of TheWeek.com when it launched in 2008. Harold started his career as a newspaper reporter in South Florida and Haiti. He has previously worked for a variety of news outlets, including The Miami Herald, ABC News and Fox News, and for several years wrote a daily roundup of financial news for The Week and Yahoo Finance.