CALIFORNIA BANS COSMETICS TESTED ON ANIMALS

In a unanimous vote, the California legislature passed bill SB1249, also known as the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act.

The state of California just made a major stand against beauty brands who test on animals. California legislators have unanimously voted to ban all animal-tested cosmetics. If any cosmetics company—including makeup, skincare, and body care— tests its products on animals, they cannot be sold in the state of California. The change will go into place on January 1st, 2020, and will apply to all brands currently selling in California as well as any others that enter the market.

THE BILL STATES:

“Notwithstanding any other law, it is unlawful for a manufacturer to import for profit, sell, or offer for sale in this state, any cosmetic, if the cosmetic was developed or manufactured using an animal test that was conducted or contracted by the manufacturer, or any supplier of the manufacturer, on or after January 1, 2020.”

According to People, at a press conference in August, Galgiani discussed the importance of the state-wide ban. “While a similar measure in Congress, The Humane Cosmetics Act, has not moved, we are doing what we have normally done when Congress does not act, and that is for California to move forward and lead the way,” she said. “At some point, we need to be committed to a truly ‘cruelty-free standard’ for all cosmetics sold in California. And I believe SB 1249 brings the right balance to this important goal.”

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?

Now that the bill has been passed, it must be signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. Once he signs it, the ban will be put into place on 1st January 2020. If any cosmetic company continue to produce and sell products tested on animals after this date, the bill specifies they will be punished by an initial fine of $5,000, and an additional fine of $1,000 for each day the violation continues. It was Senator Cathleen Galgiani who set the bill in motion six months ago, and today she says, “I’m proud of California lawmakers for moving science, industry, and ethics forward today. Cruelty-free cosmetics are good for business, safe for humans, and don’t harm animals.”

Plenty of iconic beauty brands are already cruelty-free.

Even though California is the first state in the U.S. to ban animal-tested products, according to the Humane Society of the United States, nearly 40 countries, including the members of the European Union, Scandinavia, Guatemala, India, New Zealand, and South Korea, have already banned or limited the use of animals for cosmetics testing.

POPULARITY

The bill was backed by animal rights groups, celebrities, dozens of cosmetic companies that use alternative testing methods, and thousands of Californians who wrote to legislators in support of the legislation.

Fernanda XOX