Legislation

Paws Up for More Just Laws

Make your voice heard! The law is an important tool in the fight to end nonhuman animal experimentation. Urge your legislators to support laws that recognize the interests of nonhuman animals and protect them from human use and exploitation.

Federal Bills

S. 1802 / H.R. 1085: To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the NIH from awarding any support for an activity or program that uses live animals in research unless the research occurs in the U.S.

Support the CARGO Act

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H.R. 2976: To amend the Animal Welfare Act to include cold-blooded species as animals.

Support the CARE Act

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H.R. 3295: To amend the Public Health Service Act to improve the accuracy and transparency of animal use data collected by the NIH from entities that conduct biomedical and behavioral research with funds provided under such Act.

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S. 355: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish a process for the qualification of nonclinical testing methods to reduce and replace the use of animals in nonclinical research, improve the predictivity of nonclinical testing methods, and reduce development time for a biological product or other drug, and for other purposes.

Support the FDA Modernization Act 3.0

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H.R. 1657: To substantially restrict the use of animal testing for cosmetics, and for other purposes.

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H.R. 1291: To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that nonanimal methods are prioritized, where applicable and feasible, in proposals for all research to be conducted or supported by the NIH; to provide for the establishment of the National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing.

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H.B. 3686: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve the regulatory review process to determine the safety and effectiveness of nonprescription sunscreen active ingredients, and for other purposes.

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H.R. 1802: To end federal animal testing, redirect funding toward humane research alternatives, and ensure the adoption or sanctuary placement of animals previously used in experiments.

Support the SPARE Act

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S. 1104: To amend the PHS Act to require inspections of foreign laboratories conducting biomedical and behavioral research to ensure compliance with applicable animal welfare requirements.

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State Bills

House Bill 6278: Requires manufacturers and contract testing facilities to use other testing methods than animal testing when such other methods are available.

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Senate Bill 535: Requires each research and testing facility that uses animals in research, education, or testing to be licensed by the Department of Agriculture; establishes a State Inspector of Animal Welfare in the Department to inspect research and testing facilities.

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Senate Bill 536: Prohibits research and testing facilities from using traditional animal test methods when an alternative test method has been approved or the facility has received a waiver.

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Senate Bill 167: Prohibits the importation and sale of household cleaning products for which animal testing was performed.

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  • 2/3/25: Senate – Prefiled; referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor.
  • 2/5/25: Senate – Read first time to Committee.
  • 4/21/25: Senate – 
    • From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.
    • Read second time, amended.
  • 4/22/25: Senate – Read third time; passed, as amended; engrossed.
  • 4/28/25: Assembly – Read first time; referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor.
  • 5/19/25: Assembly – From committee: Do pass.
  • 5/20/25: Assembly – Read second time.
  • 5/21/25: Assembly – Taken from General File; placed on General File for next legislative day.
  • 5/22/25:
    • Assembly – Read third time; passed; to Senate.
    • Senate – In Senate; to enrollment.
  • 5/27/25: Senate – Enrolled and delivered to Governor.

Senate Bill 3457: Establishes the Promoting Ethical Testing Solutions Fund, allowing for increased funding to discover new methods of non-animal product testing, while discouraging live animal testing.

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Senate Bill 1481: Requires each public institute of higher education in the Commonwealth that operates an animal testing facility to publish an annual report that includes specific information about such institution’s animal testing operations (including the total number of animals, excluding agricultural animals, used; the disposition of all animals; and the percentage of funds expended to procure, use, and maintain all animals in the past year).

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House Bill 1617: Requires the Washington National Primate Research Center to publish annually on its website: (i) the number of nonhuman primates who, in the previous year were used in research, used in breeding, born, purchased or sold, co-housed or individually housed, injured or died in a manner that resulted in an animal welfare citation by the USDA, killed or died as part of research, injured or died due to causes not related to research, and/or experienced unintended illness or infection; (ii) descriptions of research using nonhuman primates; (iii) the total amount of money awarded from each source; (iv) USDA inspection reports related to animal welfare; (v) conservation efforts; and (vi) documentation of accreditation.

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News About the U.S. Government and Animals in Labs

Act Now: Demand Transparency from Government-Funded Labs

Rise for Animals, June 10, 2025
The Federal Animal Research Accountability Act (H.R. 3295) would enhance transparency into US labs, providing the numbers of animals held, used, and killed for research.

Tell Congress: Stop Funding Cruel Animal Experiments Abroad

Rise for Animals, June 2, 2025
The Cease Animal Research Grants Overseas (CARGO) Act of 2025 seeks to prohibit the NIH from awarding funding and support to animal experiments in other countries.

Bill Poised to “Decimate” the Animal Research Industry

Rise for Animals, March 20, 2025
Tell Congress to pass the SPARE Act and stop forcing taxpayers to bankroll bad science that harms and kills animals.