Together, we have made a good intention a great bill. I am thankful for everyone who not only participated to create responsible legislation, but to our Arizona parents, grandparents, kin, and foster and adoptive families who sacrifice so much to help our vulnerable kids.

The court-appointed guardian of a 6-year-old foster child is suing two state agencies, several adoption entities and two sets of foster and adoptive parents, claiming the child suffered a horrific ordeal while in foster care.

In a unanimous decision, the justices rejected arguments by the Gila River Indian Community that Arizona court must transfer such cases to tribal courts. Writing for the court Chief Justice Scott Bales said while such transfer is permissive, it is not a right.

Appellate judges will hear arguments Oct. 20 in an appeal by five former state child welfare employees who contend they were wrongly fired in 2014 amid an agency scandal.

It ain't happenin

Have the Legislature and governor finally given up on Arizona’s children? Is there Department of Child Safety “DCS fatigue?” Have the Legislature’s and the governor’s frustration and disappointment in DCS with its lack of any reliable results for children rendered them powerless to do anything about it?

Foster parents worry that new rules drafted by Arizona’s child safety agency could create a harmful environment for foster children and parents alike.

One year and $29 million later, Arizona’s child welfare agency is no closer to eliminating a sizeable backlog of stagnant child safety cases, a goal the agency’s director now says was unattainable.