Secretary of State Al Jaeger says the supporters of a child custody initiative may begin gathering signatures.

The proposed North Dakota law would require divorcing couples to have joint legal and physical custody of their children if one of the parents asked for it, and neither was judged unfit or dangerous to the child.

Voters defeated a similar child custody measure at the polls last November, but it also sought to restrict child support payments.

Debora Vaagen, of West Fargo, who is chairwoman of the initiative campaign, says the measure's backers want to put it on the November 2008 ballot. They need at least 12,844 petition signatures from North Dakota voters to qualify.

- Associated Press