(Editor’s note: Loren Breen, Animal Policy Group’s Director of Government Relations, is co-author of this article.)
Every session, Animal Policy Groups sifts through 10,000+ bills to identify impactful legislation across the animal space–Veterinary, pharmacy, animal welfare, pet care and pet services. We analyze, categorize, and summarize the relevant bills, and end up closely tracking about 2,000 bills each session. In most states, legislative sessions kick off in January, and even numbered years typically mean shorter sessions. 2026 elections will also play into how productive legislatures will be this session. Despite this, some states are seeing record numbers of legislation introduced this year. Here are a few standout trends in 2026 . . .
Telemedicine: The volume of telemedicine bills continues to climb; the number of introductions this year doubles that of 2024. Six states are looking to join the nine that currently allow a veterinarian to establish a relationship via a telemedicine appointment (E-VCPR). Arizona and Florida, two early adopters of an E-VCPR, are back in the legislature moving bills to increase prescription lengths. Georgia, which passed restrictive telemedicine legislation last session, has also come back to amend their law which inadvertently, but severely, harmed access to pet poison control in the state.
Corporate Ownership: Despite low volume, bills shaping corporate ownership of Veterinary practices are drawing a lot of attention. This follows the trend in human healthcare; by the end of the 2025 legislative season, 15 states enacted some form of healthcare transaction review law; several of these states have also enacted or proposed legislation in 2025 to expand the reach of the state’s existing transaction review laws. This trend shows no signs of slowing. The bill garnishing the most attention comes out of Colorado, where legislation aims to give the Attorney General reviewing power of mergers and acquisitions for healthcare entities (human and Veterinary).
Veterinary Technician: Veterinary technician licensing is a bit of a patchwork; some states license, some certify, others register. Some states have title protection, limited title protection, or none at all. Florida has reintroduced bills to license Veterinary technicians (VT) and enable them to administer medications and vaccinations, microchip, euthanize, and suture. Neither bill has crossed over. Florida will adjourn March 13th. (Florida is also running a bill to create a mid-level professional (veterinary professional associate or VPA) which has crossed over.) New Jersey is also back with a licensing bill, while Ohio and Kentucky have introduced bills that would expand the scope of what a VT can do. Arizona has crossed over a bill that creates an alternate pathway to licensure via work experience. Depending on the success of the Florida VPA bill, we might see more states follow suit next session. Either way, states will continue to introduce VT legislation.
Pharmacy: Florida passed a bill that requires veterinarians to provide an acknowledgement signed by the client that states that the client is aware of the prescription options. It requires a Veterinary establishment to post a clear and conspicuous sign near the point of sale or where checkout is stating that an individual has their prescription filled at the pharmacy of choice or the Veterinary establishment. Prescription monitoring database (PDMP) legislation has slowed as its implementation remains challenging in Veterinary medicine. A few states have introduced legislation, notably New Jersey proposed a bill that would require Veterinary prescriptions to be written in the name of the animal’s owner and that multiple owners must be listed on the prescription if they are to administer the drug. Veterinarians would be required to check the PDMP prior to writing a prescription for a controlled substance and allows certified Veterinary aids to access the PMP under the veterinarian’s supervision.