Rachael Zimlich, BSN, RN

Michigan State large animal student Chelsea Render temporarily trades halls of academia for halls of Congress.

Animal Health Institute says order diverts resources from current stakeholder activity.

Oklahoma City, Okla. - State lawmakers are considering an income tax credit for an equine horse slaughter facility.

Charleston, W.V. - Some West Virginia lawmakers want to change the requirements and scope of practice for registered veterinary technicians.

Jefferson City, Mo. - Missouri legislation seeks to limit animal-rights arguments in cases of non-economic damages.

Honolulu - Veterinarians may no longer have to report prescription information to the state in Hawaii if new legislation passes.

Honolulu - State lawmakers are again calling for mandatory sterilization of puppies and kittens sold through pet stores.

Nashville - Shortly after the federal government re-opened the door to horse slaughter for human consumption in the United States, Tennessee legislators are working to keep it out of the state.

Pierre, S.D. - South Dakota lawmakers want a new study to examine the feasibility of establishing an equine processing plant in the state.

Columbus, Ohio - More than half of Ohio veterinarians who participated in a recent economic survey say their profits have decreased since 2009, but they are still optimistic about the future.

Jackson, Miss. - The Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine filed a new rule stating that only veterinarians licensed in the state may diagnose pregnancies in livestock.

Raleigh, N.C. - The American Kennel Club added the Treeing Walker Coonhound to its list of 174 recognized breeds.

Nashville - New legislation proposed in Tennessee would crack down on dangerous animal ownership.

Charleston, W.V. - A new bill in West Virginia is seeking to exempt veterinary medications from consumer sales and service taxes.

College Station, Texas - A study shows that a new immunotherapy for dogs diagnosed with advanced-stage non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) could improve their survival time and quality of life.

National Report - A Syracuse, N.Y., television station opted to air a report critical of area veterinarians for charging owners to stay in the room during the euthanasia.

Honolulu - Hawaii veterinarians are facing new continuing education requirements if Senate Bill 2522 passes.

Phoenix, Ariz. - Veterinary services may soon be hit with a 6 percent retail tax.

Ithaca, N.Y. - Cornell University will begin a new $22 million renovation project this spring.

Oklahoma City, Okla. - Oklahoma lawmakers are trying to redefine the certification process for animal massage and acupressure.

Olympia, Wash. - Some Washington lawmakers want veterinarians exempted from submitting data as part of the state's prescription monitoring program.

Athens, Ga. - Veterinary and regenerative bioscience researchers at the University of Georgia (UGA) developed a new putty that they say may significantly shorten healing times and revolutionize fracture treatment.

Sacramento, Calif. - California lawmakers are working to create new licensing requirements for pet groomers that will be overseen by the state's veterinary medical board.

Ithaca, N.Y. - Cornell's plans for partner with City University of Hong Kong on the first veterinary medicine program in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) will not move forward this year, as previously announced.

Montpelier, Vt. - Vermont is considering a new law that would allow pet owners to recover non-economic damages.

Jefferson City, Mo. - Missouri lawmakers crafted new legislation that would create a new monitoring system for prescribing and dispensing all schedule II, III, IV and V controlled substances.

Jefferson City, Mo. - If a proposed state law passes, anyone employed by an animal agricultural operation who records suspected animal abuse could be obligated to turn over the unedited recording to law enforcement within 24 hours.

Montpelier, Vt. - Vermont is the latest state to consider new rules for the confinement of sows.

Boston - Veterinarians might be excluded from compliance with the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program is a proposed bill passes.

Boston - Random inspections by the Massachusetts state board resulted in fines for 20 veterinary hospitals for having expired medications