New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed legislation to make her state the 10th in the U.S. to ban the sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals.
The New York Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act was signed into law last week following nearly unanimous support in the state’s legislature. The proposal explicitly prohibits the sale or manufacturing of cosmetic products that have been tested on animals.
The new law takes effect next month. Nine other states have taken similar action: California, Louisiana, New Jersey, Illinois, Nevada, Maine, Hawaii, Virginia and Maryland.
“Research methods have evolved, rendering unnecessary the requirement that animals undergo inhumane tests to help companies create a new mascara or shampoo,” says Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal.
New York also recently placed a ban on pet stores selling dogs, cats or rabbits in an attempt to combat commercial breeding operations, often referred to as “puppy mills”.
