California Democratic Party endorses bill to ban animal-tested cosmetics

The California Democratic Party has backed the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (SB 1249), which helps ban animal-tested cosmetics in the state.

Authored by Senator Cathleen Galgiani, the legislation specifically bans the sale of products that have been tested on animals. The decision to back the ban was taken at the state party’s executive board meetings on 15 July in Oakland.

If passed, it will make California the first state in the US to ban animal-tested products.

Non-profit organisations Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Social Compassion in Legislation have co-sponsored the bill.

Physicians Committee research policy vice-president Kristie Sullivan said: “Californians have long sought personal care products that are tested using human-relevant methods and not on animals.

“It’s wonderful to see the Democratic Party back SB 1249, a bill that benefits the public, animals, and California businesses.”

Around 500,000 animals are said to be killed each year due to cosmetic testing.

With bipartisan support, the bill has been passed in the California Senate and the Assembly Judiciary Committee. A vote will now take place on the bill in the state assembly after the legislature returns from summer recess.

Social Compassion in Legislation president and founder Judie Mancuso said: “We are overjoyed to have the party’s unanimous support on this landmark bill.

“The party works tirelessly to support its members and is expressing that cruelty-free is a basic tenet of Democratic Party values.”

Around 90 cosmetics companies across the US, including John Paul Mitchell Systems, are also supporting the bill.