Arizona's child welfare agency plans to restore most services to children and parents that it says were cut due to a misunderstanding.

Arizona added 17,000 people to its food stamp rolls in October, as near-record-high levels of assistance continued to stubbornly hang on after 18 months.

Now that the economy is recovering, universities and state agencies are seeking budget increases and have asked Gov. Jan Brewer to fight for at least $500 million in new spending.

The House Judiciary Committee took the first steps Thursday in creating a new unit of investigators dedicated to high-priority child abuse and neglect cases, a cornerstone measure recommended by the Child Safety Task Force.

Arizona's unemployment rate dipped to 9.3 percent in April, and the state says the decrease will likely trigger an expected automatic shortening of how long the state provides jobless benefits.

The Department of Economic Security’s new director has no illusions about the challenges his agency faces as he prepares to take its helm.

Draft versions of the bills lawmakers are expected to consider this week in a special legislative session show about $300 million in spending cuts to education and social services, as well as the restoration of funding for high-tech economic development.

At Brewer’s request, all state agency heads were required to submit reports detailing the effects 15-20 percent spending reductions would have on their departments. Those reports, which were due Oct. 9, are intended partly to demonstrate to the Legislature that sizeable cuts would have dramatic consequences, according to Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman.