What's happening
This bill prohibits the sale of cosmetics in New York that have been tested on animals after the law takes effect.
Why it matters
Pushes the cosmetics industry toward cruelty-free practices. by banning the sale, manufacture, or import of cosmetics developed or tested on animals after the law takes effect, directly impacting how companies source and test their products.
Aims to reduce animal suffering and encourage alternative testing methods. by making animal-tested cosmetics less commercially viable in New York, one of the largest consumer markets in the U.S.
Includes enforcement mechanisms and financial penalties. the Attorney General can seek court injunctions and fines, which increases the likelihood of compliance and deters violations.
Limits the ban to ingredients developed mainly for cosmetics. , allowing for flexibility if an ingredient is primarily created for another industry, which addresses potential concerns about overlapping regulations or unintended impacts on non-cosmetic sectors.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Ban Animal-Tested Cosmetics
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to consumer protection
- Referred to consumer protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Ban Animal-Tested Cosmetics
In Assembly Committee · Economic Development · Sponsor Linda Rosenthal
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4250
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 5, 2019
Introduced by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to prohibiting the sale of cosmetics tested on animals
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 399-aaaa to read as follows:
§ 399-aaaa. Selling of animal tested cosmetics. 1. For the purposes of this section the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Cosmetic" shall mean (1) articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance, including but not limited to personal hygiene products such as deodorant, shampoo or conditioner, and (2) articles intended for use as a component of any such articles.
(b) "Cosmetic animal testing" shall mean the internal or external application or exposure of any cosmetic to the skin, eyes, or other body part of a live non-human vertebrate for the purpose of evaluating the safety or efficacy of a cosmetic.
2. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation or association or agent or employee thereof to manufacture, knowingly import for profit, sell at retail or offer for sale at retail, any cosmetic if the final product or any component thereof was developed or manufactured using cosmetic animal testing after this section shall have become a law.
3. Whenever the attorney general shall believe from evidence satisfactory to him or her that any person, firm, partnership, corporation or association or agent or employee thereof has violated any provision of this section, he or she may bring an action or special proceeding in the supreme court for a judgment enjoining the continuance of such violation
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01858-01-9
S. 4250 2
and for a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for the first violation and not more than one thousand dollars for each subsequent violation. This section shall only apply to cosmetic ingredients that were developed or manufactured predominately for cosmetics.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the three hundred sixty-fifth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Purpose
This bill prohibits the sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends the general business law is amended by adding a new section 399-aaaa.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Over the last 20 years, consumers of all ages have demanded that cosmet- ic companies stop using animals to test cosmetic products. In addition, many consumers seek to purchase products that bear the label "not tested on animals." Many cosmetic companies in the United States and abroad have responded to consumer demand by eliminating the use of animals for cosmetic testing.
Animal testing raises serious concerns, including (1) subjecting animals to unnecessary pain and suffering and (2) that animal testing falls short of ensuring human safety and this testing can, in fact, be misleading. Modern, non- animal based cosmetic testing is far more accu- rate and follows guidelines established by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by using organisms like bacteria, tissues and cells from humans as well as sophisticated computer models or chemical methods. Many global companies have already implemented bans on animal testing and the sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals. Because more than 30 countries already prohibit the sale of animal-tested products, U.S. companies doing business in those coun- tries must already use non-animal testing methods. New York must join with the 30 other countries that have already outlawed animal-testing for cosmetics. Only cosmetic ingredients that were developed or manufac- tured predominately for cosmetics are impacted by this bill.
Legislative history
2017-18: A.5145-A - Referred to Economic Development 2015-16: A.8636-A - Referred to Economic Development
Fiscal implications
Undetermined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the three hundred sixty-fifth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.