Inflation hits Valley animal shelters; adoptions decline amidst soaring costs
With inflation causing higher prices for everything from lodging to groceries, animal shelters in Maricopa County are feeling a trickle-down effect: They’re reporting fewer adoptions and more animal surrenders.
Supreme Court preserves law that aims to keep Native American children with tribal families
The Supreme Court on Thursday preserved the system that gives preference to Native American families in foster care and adoption proceedings of Native children, rejecting a broad attack from some Republican-led states and white families who argued it is based on race.
Culture War: Lawmakers split with tribal leaders over future of Indian Child Welfare Act
Two lawmakers who represent eight Indian tribes aren’t standing with tribal leaders who see a Goldwater Institute lawsuit challenging provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act as an attack on a law that rectified historic wrongs.
Former DCS head says Brnovich made decision to bar married gay couples from adopting
The former head of the state’s child safety agency said Monday it was Attorney General Mark Brnovich and not he who precipitated a February decision to stop allowing married gay couples to jointly adopt or become foster parents.
Deflecting at the speed of business
Ducey today (April 24) sidestepped questions about why DCS never informed him about its policy change regarding married same-sex couples fostering children and why he only learned about it from a Capitol Times article more than two months after the fact.
County attorneys can’t refuse to help gays with adoptions
Gov. Doug Ducey vetoed legislation Monday which would have allowed county attorneys to refuse to help with adoptions, setting the stage for a legal fight over whether gays have the same right to assistance as heterosexuals.
Married parents would get preference in adoptions
Rep. Warde Nichols, a Republican from Gilbert, has introduced an adoption bill that would require the state to give preference to married couples.