Cruelty Free International, the leading organization working to end animal testing for cosmetics around the world, applauds Governor Ralph Northam for signing the Virginia Humane Cosmetics Act into law. Virginia will join California, Nevada, and Illinois in ending the sale of newly animal-tested cosmetics.
The new law will prohibit the sale of any cosmetic product that has been tested on animals after January 1, 2022.
The new cruelty free cosmetics law mirrors what has become a state model born out through concerted efforts by Cruelty Free International and the US cosmetics trade body, the Personal Care Products Council. These efforts are also helping to shape federal legislation of the same name.
Virginia legislators have been at the forefront of federal legislation too. In 2013, Virginia Congressman Jim Moran introduced the first federal Humane Cosmetics Act and his successor, Congressman Don Beyer, championed the legislation with support across Congress and across party lines.
Monica Engebretson, Cruelty Free International’s Head of Public Affairs for North America, said, “we are delighted that Virginia has continued to be a national leader in ending animal testing for cosmetics. This is a significant step not just for Virginia but for the entire US as history has shown that state activity leads to changes at the federal level. This new law will help push the US to finally pass the federal Humane Cosmetics Act.”
This is the second time in recent years that the Virginia legislature has taken action to restrict animal testing in favor of humane alternatives. In 2018, a bill by Sen. Boysko was signed into law that prohibits state testing facilities from performing animal tests on cosmetics and household products when there is an appropriate validated alternative test method available. The new law strengthens this prohibition with respect to cosmetics products, barring manufacturers from selling cosmetics if they involve new animal tests, even if those tests were performed outside the state.
