Mississippi legislators suspending work amid coronavirus

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi legislators are suspending their session until at least April 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

They said they are doing so on the advice of the state health officer.

Legislators are voting to give city and county governments and local school boards the power to pay hourly employees who cannot work during emergencies.

The Mississippi Board of Education will have an online meeting Thursday to consider a request from state Superintendent of Education Carey Wright.

She wants the board to suspend accountability standards for the current school year. Mississippi had 21 confirmed cases of the coronavirus as of Tuesday

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