We are disappointed that the Nevada state governor has vetoed bill SB167
We are disappointed that the Nevada state governor has vetoed bill SB167, which would have made Nevada the first U.S. state to prohibit outdated and unnecessary tests on animals in the manufacture of household cleaning products.
The bill had previously passed the Nevada State Assembly, by 34 votes to 8, and the State Senate by 17 votes to 4, but was this week rejected by Governor Joe Lombardo, even though he recognised the bill’s “commendable goal of promoting more humane treatment of animals”.
The bill would have required manufacturers of household cleaning products sold in the state to use available non-animal testing methods that are approved and accepted by state and federal regulatory agencies for safety assessment.
We worked on the bill with its sponsor, Senator Melanie Scheible, to ensure animals are not used in outdated and unnecessary tests when appropriate non-animal methods are available for ensuring the safety of household cleaning products sold in Nevada. The bill set a clear path forward for cruelty-free product safety by requiring that, beginning in 2030, manufacturers selling household cleaning products in Nevada use non-animal testing methods approved by state and federal regulatory agencies.
Our Head of Public Affairs for North America, Monica Engebretson, said, “There was clear public and political support for this bill to pass, so we are hugely disappointed that Governor Lombardo has vetoed it. However, we now have a template for legislation on cruelty-free cleaning, and hope that other states will take the opportunity to become the first to clean-up cruelty. We saw momentum build in a similar way after California was the first to ban animal testing for cosmetics in 2018, closely followed by Nevada itself, and now there are 12 other states which have passed cruelty-free cosmetics laws. Ensuring that non-animal tests are used at every opportunity to replace painful and outdated animal tests for ingredients in household cleaning products is a first step to ending animal testing altogether and is long overdue. We will not let this setback stop us from achieving our goal.”
Whether you’re in Nevada or anywhere else in the world, to find cruelty-free household products and cosmetics, visit the Leaping Bunny search page on our website.