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Committee highlights record-keeping and payout problems at Board of Pharmacy
Summary
The Board of Pharmacy drew criticism during the committee session for record-keeping failures, perception problems among licensees, and an overpayment for accrued leave that the board recovered; legislators also discussed geographic representation on the board and staggered appointment timing from recent sunset legislation.
Members of the Joint Interim Committees criticized the Board of Pharmacy for administrative missteps, public dissatisfaction among pharmacists and pharmacy businesses, and a high-profile employee payout that drew attention during the one-year rollover review.
Miss Thomas summarized the board's recent changes and responsibilities. The board, which dates back to 1887, was rolled over for one year by legislation that took effect May 14, 2025. She said the board had five governor-appointed members serving five-year terms, compensated at $500 per day plus expenses; the board had an interim administrator, Casey Shaw, with a salary and a $5,000 monthly component.
The board held funds outside the state treasury in three bank accounts and reported 32,940 licensees in May 2025. Miss Thomas and committee members said the board resolved 20 of 26 prior findings but continued to face concerns from survey respondents. Pharmacists, chain pharmacies and oxygen retailers told the committee that reimbursement and regulatory burdens remain the most significant issues facing their professions; complainants who responded to surveys said they were dissatisfied with complaint handling.
A separate administrative matter drew strong comment: a prior employee's leave payout was characterized in the minutes as a case rather than a settlement. The committee was told that a former secretary had overridden policy and authorized payment of 606 hours of leave when policy allowed payment of only half of accrued sick leave, resulting in an $11,000 overpayment that the board recovered after notifying and obtaining repayment from the employee. One legislator said the magnitude of leave payouts and perceived favoritism contributed to licensee distrust.
Members also discussed geographic representation on the board: several legislators urged statutes or appointment practices that would ensure members are drawn from across the state rather than clustering around university towns or single metropolitan areas, saying that wider geographic diversity would improve public trust of the board.
Ending — Next steps: Committee members directed staff to prepare clarifying language and to follow up on outstanding items in the board's one-year review, including any statutory cleanups needed to implement the sunset extension passed last session.
