Hawaii Representative Chris Lee has been recognized as our Legislator of the Month for March 2019. Each month, we nominate a legislator as Legislator of the Month to celebrate the work these individuals do for animals.

This month, Hawaii State Representative Lee receives his award for his work in putting an end to cruel and unnecessary cosmetics testing on animals, with the Hawaii Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act which is currently under consideration in the state legislature.

The Act, which has passed that House and is now working its way through the Senate, aims to ban the sale in Hawaii of any cosmetic product that has been tested on animals after January 2021. This would bring Hawaii in line with California, and over 30 countries which already prohibit the sale of animal-tested cosmetics that use new testing.

Representative Lee has a long history of championing several laws to protect the environment and to protect animals from cruelty and exploitation.  Introducing Bill HB 704 reflects his commitment to helping to create a sustainable and compassionate world.

"This bill ensures cosmetics meet the moral and ethical expectations of a generation growing up conscious of the way products impact people, animals, the environment, and the world around them." said Rep Chris Lee

Monica Engebretson, the North America Campaign Manager for Cruelty Free International said “We are so pleased to recognize Representative Chris Lee as our Legislator of the Month, for his leadership in working to make Hawaii the next cruelty free cosmetics zone. The support and enthusiasm for the Hawaii Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act also sends an important signal that it’s time for national action on this issue and time for the US to catch up with modern science, consumer expectation, and progress in other countries by ending the animal testing for cosmetics nationwide.”

If you live in Hawaii you can help by writing to your state Senator and asking them to support HB 704 the Hawaii Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act. Find your Hawaii State Senator here.