BATON ROUGE - The Louisiana House of Representatives voted unanimously to approve a bill that would offer a $250 payment to essential workers who had to work outside their homes during the early days of the coronavirus outbreak. The bill now advances to the Senate for further debate.

The payment would be available to workers with an income of $50,000 or less who had to report to work for at least 200 hours from March 22 to May 14. Applicants for the payment would need have a job considered "essential critical infrastructure" under the bill.

Lawmakers said the bill would offer aid to grocery store workers, nurses, janitors, nursing home employees, bus drivers, EMS workers, fire and rescue employees, sanitation workers and others who risked their health to keep businesses operating during Louisiana’s stay-at-home order.

The money would be paid out of $50 million in virus aid money given to the state from the federal government. The Department of Revenue would verify an applicant’s eligibility, and the state’s Board of Commerce and Industry would have to approve the applications before payments are made.