Government Outreach
We work with government officials on policies that will protect animals. Our priorities are bills that will directly impact animals in cages on factory farms and in breeding mills.
Bills We Sponsored:
WA SB: 5065 Prohibiting Traveling Performances by Elephants Big Cats Bear and Primates
2025 - We introduced this bill via Sen. Liias.
WA HB:1097 Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act
Rep. Walen agreed to reintroduce this bill that would require companies use current testing methods instead of in vivo animal tests for cosmetic safety testing after meeting with us. She prefiled it in December 2022 for introduction into the 23/24 session. The bill passed unanimously in it's first commitee, then 90-3 in the full House of Representatives. After moving to the Senate, the bill passed unanimously out of its first committee and yhen with wide bipartisan support at 48-1.
WA HB: 1153 Prohibiting Octopus Farming
ARI met with Rep. Strom Peterson on June 2, 2022 and he agreed to introduce the bill to prevent the factory farming of Octopus in Washington State. The bill passed the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support 9-2 following a successful public hearing featuring Execs. Amanda Fox, Wendy Linton, and Joshua Diamond. After moving to the full House, it passed with an overwhelming vote of 70-27. The bill has passed the Senate 29-20 and currently awaits Gov Inslee's signature.
WA HB:1615 Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act
This bill would ban the sale of newly developed cosmetics if they were tested on animals. Rep. Amy Walen agreed to sponsor the bill after meeting with us in the summer of 2020. Passed 89-5 in the House of Representatives.
WA HB:1718 Fur Production Ban
Rep. Walen agreed to re-introduce the ban on industrialized production of fur products with a new bill number in 2022.
WA HB:1034 Fur Production Ban
Rep. Walen pre-filed this bill to prohibit fur farming in December 2022 after meeting with us. The bill advanced to the 2024 legislative session.
WA HB:1157 Circus Cruelty Prevention Act
This bill would prohibit the use of specified wild animals in traveling acts and circuses. We met with Rep. Leavitt in August 2022 and she agreed to be the Prime Sponsor.
HI HB:2262 Octopus Protection Act
This bill would ban Octopus Factory Farms from establishing in Hawaii land or water. We met with Representative Evslin on May 8 2023 and he agreed to sponsor the bill. The bill was introduced but died in committee
WA SB:5148 Circus Cruelty Prevention
After meeting with us on August 24, 2022, Senator Liias agreed to sponsor a bill that would ban the use of certain animals in the circus. The bill was introduced on January 4, 2023.
Bills We Supported:
CA AB:3162
Prohibits farming of octopus and imports of farmed octopus meat. By Assemblymember Steve Bennett. We met with SCIL and ALDF to provide fact sheets, bill language from our Hawaii and Washington bill, and testimonials to get them started. We testified in person and met with individual members virtually.
WA SB:5708 Concerning the unlawful trade of fur products.
2021/22 - AN ACT Relating to the unlawful trade of fur products
ARI contacted major Tribes in Washington to collaborate on language for this bill. We submitted virtual testimony at the public hearings and rallied the community to log support on the legislature website.
HI SB:1585 RELATING TO ANIMAL AGRICULTURE.
Prohibits new operations and renewal of existing licenses or permits to operate large concentrated animal feeding operations in the State.
HI HB:215 RELATING TO ANIMAL FUR PRODUCTS.
Prohibits the sale, offer for sale, display for sale, trade, or distribution of certain animal fur products in the State. Effective 1/1/2024.
OR HB:3213 Prohibiting the Sale of Cosmetics Newly Tested on Animals
2023
