California Becomes the First U.S. State to Ban the Sale of New Fur Products

By enacting bill AB44 [1], California becomes the first state in the nation to ban new fur clothing and accessories. The new fur law makes it illegal to manufacture, sell, distribute or donate a new fur product in California. It applies to all clothing, handbags, shoes and other items that contain animal fur. Those who violate the law would be subject to civil penalties. Violators could face a civil fine of $500 to $1,000 for multiple violations within one year.

According to the bill, “fur” means any animal skin or part thereof with hair, fleece, or fur fibers attached thereto, either in its raw or processed state; and “fur product” means any article of clothing or covering for any part of the body, or any fashion accessory, including, but not limited to, handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, earmuffs, scarves, shawls, gloves, jewelry, keychains, toys or trinkets, and home accessories and décor, that is made wholly, or in part of fur.

The fur ban exempts used products or those used for religious or tribal purposes. It also excludes the sale of leather, dog or cat fur*, cowhide with the hair attached, deerskin, sheepskin, or goatskin with hair attached, and anything preserved through taxidermy.

*Note: A dog or cat fur product, as defined in Section 1308 of Title 19 of the United States Code, as that section read on 1^st January, 2020.

The law will go into effect on 1^st January, 2023.

Remarks:

1. Bans on fur are already in place in some California cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood.
2. Other states have proposed similar bills banning fur sales, such as Hawaii and New York.

Reference

1. Assembly Bill No. 44

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