The California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (SB 1249) would put California ahead of any other state in the US and even ahead of the European Union with respect to stopping the sale of animal tested cosmetics. Currently, according to the Physicians Committee, 500,000 animals are killed each year due to cosmetics testing.“Californians have long sought personal care products that are tested using human-relevant methods and not on animals,” said Kristie Sullivan, M.P.H., vice president of research policy for the Physicians Committee.

Judie Mancuso, president and founder of Social Compassion in Legislation, a co-sponsor of the bill, stated, “We are overjoyed to have the [Democratic] party’s unanimous support on this landmark bill.”The bill has already gained significant momentum. It is backed by 90 cosmetics manufacturers across the US, including John Paul Mitchell Systems, which is the largest company supporting cruelty-free initiatives in California.The California Senate and Assembly Judiciary Committee have already passed the bill with bipartisan support. The state assembly will vote on it after their summer recess.Successive studies have shown that cruelty-free products can no longer be considered a passing trend in the cosmetics industry. A 2015 Nielsen poll found “not tested on animals” was the most important factor on packaging in cosmetics purchasing across all age groups, while research from the Physicians Committee includes multiple polls showing consumers want to put an end to animal testing.