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Arizona Legislature rushing help for schools, workers

But Republican lawmakers who control the majority said they weren't interested in a relief package pushed by minority Democrats.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Legislature worked Wednesday to enact a basic state budget along with needed help for closed schools and workers who lose their jobs because of the coronavirus. 

But Republican lawmakers who control the majority said they weren't interested in a relief package pushed by minority Democrats. 

Their requests include paid sick leave for workers, added help for food banks and relief for tenants facing evictions or utility shutoffs. 

Schools would have flexibility to teach online and be freed of minimum school day and testing rules. 

Unemployment benefits would be easier to get and last a year.  

Credit: AP
Republican Rep. John Kavanaugh, left, and GOP Chief of Staff Michael Hunter, center, listen to GOP House Speaker Rusty Bowers, right, before a floor session at the Capitol in Phoenix, Wednesday, March 18, 2020. The House hopes to quickly pass a bare-bones budget and send it to the Senate before adjourning until the coronavirus crisis ebbs. (AP Photo/Bob Christie)

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