Breaking! Virginia Becomes The Fourth State In The U.S. To End The Sale Of Cosmetics Tested On Animals

On Friday, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed 80 new pieces of legislation into law, including SB 1379, The Humane Cosmetics Act which will prohibit the sale of any cosmetics tested on animals. Introduced by Senator Jennifer Boysko and Delegate Kaye Kory, the new law goes into effect beginning in 2022.

As noted by Cruelty-Free International, this marks the second time the Virginia legislature has taken action to restrict animal testing in favor of humane alternatives. In 2018, a bill in Virginia was signed into law to stop state testing facilities from performing animal tests for cosmetics and household products due to an approved non-animal testing method that was available.

Virginia legislators have been at the forefront of federal legislation as well. Former Virginia Congressman Jim Moran introduced the first federal Humane Cosmetics Act in 2013, and his successor, Congressman Donald Beyer, championed the legislation with support across Congress and party lines.

“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 United States,” Monica Engebretson, Cruelty Free International’s Head of Public Affairs in North America, said in a statement. “History shows state activity leads to changes at federal level. The new law will help push the United States to finally pass the federal Humane Cosmetics Act. We are thankful to Senator Boysko and Delegate Kory for their amazing leadership, for the bipartisan support from Virginia legislators and to Governor Northam for signing the Humane Cosmetics into law.”