Arizona Legislature Begins 2021 Session Amid Virus Surge: WATCH

PHOENIX — The Arizona Legislature began its 2021 session on Monday amid a pandemic that continues to hit the state hard.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey gave his annual 'State of the State' address virtually to kick off the new session and lay out the government's priorities for the year as the coronavirus continues to spread.

The state reported 8,995 new cases and six additional deaths Monday. Arizona is considered a global hot spot for the virus.

Ducey opened his speech with remarks on Wednesday's riots at the U.S. Capitol, calling the events "sickening." He said he held "cordial" meetings with Legislature leadership from both political parties just two days after the violence took place in Washington, D.C.

“In the United States of America, violence and vandalism have no place in the people’s House," he said. "Perpetrators should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Let us condemn it and resolve that it never happens again.”

Unprecedented security measures were in place around the Arizona Capitol in the wake of Wednesday's riots, led by insurrectionist backers of President Donald Trump.

The entire state Capitol complex was surrounded by a double-layer of fencing and the general public was not allowed into the Senate or House or into the plaza between the two buildings. Only a limited number of invited guests were on hand as the 90 lawmakers were sworn into office and formal elections for House speaker and Senate president took place.

The Arizona Republic reported that a handful of pro-Trump protesters were on hand outside of the Capitol on Monday afternoon, waving flags and carrying signs, at least one saying "Recall Lord Ducey now."

The governor spent much of his 22-minute speech discussing the state's coronavirus pandemic response.

After thanking health care workers and expressing hope as the state's vaccine rollout is underway, Ducey addressed criticism for Arizona's resistance to lockdowns and other strict mitigation efforts.

“If we’re really all in this together, then we have to appreciate that for many families, lockdown doesn’t spell inconvenience; it spells catastrophe. Zero income, inability to make a payment, eviction, foreclosure, and real personal anguish,” he said.

Ducey also emphasized his commitment to allowing schools to return to in-person learning, saying "we will not be funding empty seats."

“Summer school, longer school days, one-on-one targeted instruction, tutoring,” he said. “It should be our goal that every student graduates high school on time and at grade level.

Teachers in Maricopa County are eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine as of Monday, along with law enforcement and Arizonans over the age of 75.

The governor also hinted that tax reform would be on his agenda as this legislative session gets underway. He is expected to present his budget proposal on Friday.

Republicans held onto control of the Legislature on Nov. 3 with 31 out of 60 seats, even as Arizona allocated its 11 Electoral College votes for Democratic President-elect Joe Biden.

The 2020 Legislative session was cut short by the onset of the pandemic in March.

The response to the pandemic will be on the docket for discussion if Democrats have their way, particularly providing relief for struggling families and businesses, and increasing unemployment payments.

“COVID-19 response is extremely important for us,” House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding said.

The coronavirus will be the overarching presence at the Capitol. The public will be mainly kept out of the House and Senate buildings; senators and representatives will be able to vote and attend meetings remotely from their offices; most hearings will be held without live testimony and the media will have sharply limited access.

Masks will be mandatory in the Senate and House, although the House plans some leeway for members — if they are six feet from anyone else or sitting at their desks on the House floor.

Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, delayed proceedings when she refused to follow the mask protocol, eventually appearing via video from her office. Lawmakers who would not wear face coverings were also sworn in separately from the others.

Both Senate President Karen Fann and House Speaker Russell “Rusty” Bowers said they’re not afraid to shut down the session if an outbreak occurs. Fann and Bowers were re-elected to leadership positions Monday.

Election law is also likely to be a topic of discussion for lawmakers this session. Maricopa County was at the center of election fraud allegations. Eight lawsuits were tossed out by judges and the Arizona Supreme Court. To date, no evidence of widespread election fraud has been found in the state.

Senate President Karen Fann has said she intends to continue to seek election records from the county.

“If there were no irregularities, or fraud or anything else we can show the voters, say ‘look here you go, here’s the proof, it didn’t happen,’” Fann said. “If there are problems there we need to be aware of it and we need to fix it. But we won’t know until we do an audit.”

The Legislature’s top task each year is passing a state budget. The state currently has a $1 billion rainy day fund and may get close to a $500 million surplus for the budget year starting July 1.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.