California Democratic Party Endorses Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Bill

The first-of-its-kind move came at the state party’s Executive Board meetings in Oakland on Sunday. The California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act (SB 1249), authored by Senator Cathleen Galgiani, would put California ahead of any other state and even the European Union when it comes to stopping the sales of cosmetics that are tested on animals. Currently, an estimated 500,000 animals are killed each year due to cosmetic testing.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Social Compassion in Legislation are co-sponsors of the bill.

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

Judie Mancuso, Social Compassion in Legislation’s president and founder, who attended the three-day meeting stated, “We are overjoyed to have the party’s unanimous support on this landmark bill. The party, which works tirelessly to support its members, is expressing that cruelty-free is a basic tenet of Democratic Party values.”

SB 1249 has already passed in the California Senate and the Assembly Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support. Backed by 90 cosmetics companies across the United States, including John Paul Mitchell Systems, the largest such company in California, SB 1249 has tangible momentum.

Multiple polls show that US consumers support ending animal testing for cosmetics, and a 2015 Nielsen poll found that “not tested on animals” was the most important consumer packaging claim for respondents across all age groups.

The bill will be voted on in the state assembly after the legislature returns from summer recess.

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