The Arizona Senate went back to work this week, but the fate of a bill involving COVID-19 still isn't clear, Arizona Republic reported.

The state's House of Representatives met earlier this month for the first time in two months to pass several bills. House Bill 2912 involves the coronavirus, which makes it harder for employees to sue businesses if they contract the disease on business premises, the news agency reported. The bill only passed in the House down party lines and it's unclear how the Senate will handle it.

Proponents for the bill said legal protection is needed for these businesses to help the economy recover, but the bill also makes it easier for businesses to violate the governor's executive orders, as it lowers penalties, according to Arizona Republic.

“We were very clear that we are not doing committees without the front doors being fully open,” Senate President Karen Fann (R-Prescott) told Arizona Republic. “If we cannot be fully transparent so the public can be involved, it’s difficult to pass policy.”

The Senate has plans to look at more than two dozen bills, but there will be no committee meetings held.

Scott told the news agency the bulk of the bills weren't controversial and would be voted on easily.

Lawmakers are also expected to be back at the capitol sometime over the summer for a special session on the budget, the news agency reported.

Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) told the Miner protection was necessary so businesses could reopen without fear of legal repercussions.

"There's a great cloud of fear that hangs over the business community about being sued," Kavanagh told the Miner. 

Kavanagh told the news agency the bill would prevent extortion by "unscrupulous lawyers." He said the fear of being sued over the virus is keeping businesses from reopening, according to the Miner.

"It's slowing down their efforts to go back and open, to get their employees back, to get everybody working, get tax revenue back in to fund programs," Kavanagh told the news agency. "And this will go a long way to alleviating that fear."