Lawmakers in California lawmakers have voted unanimously in favour of a ban of animal tested beauty products. The Senate Bill 1249, called the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, was approved in the State Assembly on 31 August.
The new bill will make it illegal for manufacturers to import or sell products in California if they produced using any animal test on or after the 1st January 2020. Those who are caught in violation of the new law will be fined US$5,000 plus an additional $1,000 for each day the violation continues.
The bill was authored by Senator Cathleen Galgiani who said: “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.” It was co-authored by assembly member Ash Kalra, who added: “This compromise reflects how business interests and consumer protection can go hand in hand, and I commend animal rights activists and the cosmetic industry alike, as we move forward on this important legislation to protect animals and adopt cruelty-free cosmetics.”
This is a progressive development and of course great news for the animals; we truly hope that the rest of the world will follow their example.