California Becomes First State to Pass Bill That Will Ban Sale of Cosmetics Tested on Animals

California took a historic step toward eliminating animal testing of cosmetics on Tuesday, passing a bill through the state legislature that will outlaw the sale of such products within the state after January 1, 2020, Glamour reports. The California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act passed unanimously and is the first instance of a state passing such a ban.

Democratic California state senator Cathleen Galgiani introduced the bill back in February, writing in a statement at the time that, “inaction at the federal level compels California to lead the way in ensuring a cruelty-free cosmetics market for its citizens by barring any new ingredients or cosmetics that are tested on animals.”

The bill is cosponsored by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and Social Compassion in Legislation, and has been supported by Cruelty Free International and Lush. The legislation is precise in its wording about what constitutes a cosmetics product, explaining, “‘Cosmetic’ means any article 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.”

It’s now up to Governor Jerry Brown to decide whether to sign the bill into law. Glamour reports that the bill’s supporters are confident it will pass, since Brown has demonstrated a record of championing of animal welfare issues.