Shannon Schell is the new executive director of Protecting Arizona’s Family Coalition, a group that advocates for human services programs at the GOP-dominated Legislature.

A family of four can bring in more than $60,000 annually to be considered low income for the state’s recently expanded voucher program, allowing them to access more funds to attend private school. But to be considered low income for various other state programs, like ones that allow the poor to buy food or basic necessities like toilet paper, the line is much lower, meaning fewer people qualify for help.

The Legislature adjourned sine die just before sunset May 10, capping a final week in which one Republican’s flip-flop prevented a prolonged session and lawmakers expanded tax breaks for businesses and benefits for poor Arizona families.

Hundreds of needy Arizona families can access another year of cash assistance benefits after last-minute negotiations led the legislature to approve a reversal of a prior cut to the program.

Arizona teachers will get a small raise. The state’s universities may take on more debt. High-achieving schools will get more funding.

Democrats tried to get rid of some strings attached to a restoration of cash assistance benefits pushed by Gov. Doug Ducey, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

An Arizona House panel approved a bill that would allow people living in poverty to receive cash assistance for longer.

Gov. Doug Ducey announced several plans aimed at the state’s most vulnerable, from the very poor to people suffering from addiction.

The Department of Economic Security has a $9 million shortfall in its child support division caused by repeated limits to TANF, according to a budget request it sent to the Governor’s Office. Without the backfill of funds, DES says its services, like finding child support scofflaws, could be hobbled.

The Arizona House of Representatives approved a bill Tuesday that would add a photo to welfare benefit cards after the sponsor promised to get rid of provisions that would drop as many as 120,000 from federal benefit programs.