Recently, the California Democratic Party has voted to support California’s Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (SB 1249). This Act intends to ban the sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals.
Existing law in California prohibits manufacturers and contract testing facilities from using traditional animal testing methods when there is appropriate alternative testing available and recommended by the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM). In addition, there are already more than 3000 cosmetics businesses that successfully work on a cruelty-free model in the state.
SB 1249 will make it unlawful for a manufacturer to knowingly import, sell or offer for sale any cosmetic product in which the final product or its components has been tested on animals on or after January 1, 2020. The bill would not apply to a cosmetic product or its components that was tested on animals before January 1, 2020. In addition, the bill specifies that a violation of its provisions will be punishable by an initial fine of $5000 and a fine of $1000 for each day the violation continues. The bill mentions 2 notable exceptions: cosmetics may be tested on animals if required by federal law and if there are no alternative testing methods available.
California’s Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act is co-sponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Social Compassion and is supported by 90 cosmetic companies across the United States. In response to the bill SB 1249, the Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors (ICMAD) has stated their belief that “these types of legislative actions are best served b Federal Laws to create one national standard”.
The Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act now moves to assembly where a vote will take place following the return of the legislature from summer recess.
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Focal Point Research Inc. We are leading U.S. regulatory and FDA consultants for Cosmetics, and other personal care products.
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