Effort to repeal pharmacy ownership law stalls

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FARGO, N.D. (AP) — An effort to repeal North Dakota's pharmacy ownership law appears to have stalled.

North Dakotans for Affordable Healthcare volunteer Larry Gauper tells The Forum that the effort to get 13,452 signatures to put the repeal measure on the November ballot has only 2,000 to 3,000 signatures.

To get the issue on this fall's ballot, signatures would have to be turned in by July 16.

Gauper says part of the problem is that there are several measures crowding the June and November ballots.

The law in place since 1963 requires pharmacists to hold majority ownership of most North Dakota pharmacies. The Legislature has rebuffed several attempts to repeal it.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger rejected the petition in 2010 because it was not circulated with a list of sponsors.

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