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A2244
ASSEMBLY, No. 2244
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Assemblywoman CARMEN THERESA MORALES
District 34 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
���� Bans carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, flame
resistant chemicals, and volatile organic compounds from certain hair products.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
banning certain substances from hair products and
supplementing P.L.1960, c.39.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� As used in this
section:
���� �Carcinogen� means any
chemical identified as follows:
���� (1)�� �Group 1 carcinogen� or
�group 2A carcinogen� by the World Health Organization or the International
Agency for Research on Cancer;
���� (2)�� �Known to be a human
carcinogen� and �reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen� by the
Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services,
pursuant to paragraph 4 of subsection (b) of the �Public Health Service Act�
(42 U.S.C. s.241); or
���� (3)�� �Group A carcinogens� or
�group B carcinogens� by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
���� �Chemical� means a substance
with a distinct molecular composition or a group of structurally related
substances and includes the breakdown products of the substance or substances
that form through decomposition, degradation, or metabolism.
���� �Hair product� means a product
made through the synthesis of artificial materials such as polyester, nylon,
acrylic, or cellulose to create fibers that undergo various processes to
resemble human hair.
���� �Reproductive toxicant� means
a chemical identified as a reproductive or developmental toxicant by the United
States Department of Health and Human Services, National Toxicology Program,
Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction.
���� �Volatile organic compound�
means the same as that term is defined by section 2 of P.L.1995, c.188
(C.26:2C-2).
���� b.��� It shall be an unlawful
practice and a violation of P.L.1960, c.39 for any person to manufacture, sell,
distribute, or offer for sale in this State a hair product that emits volatile
organic compounds when used as intended, or contains an intentionally added
carcinogen, reproductive toxicant, or flame resistant chemical.
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the thirteenth month after enactment except that the
Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs may take any anticipatory
administrative action as may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of this
act.
STATEMENT
���� This bill bans certain
materials from being intentionally added to hair products manufactured, sold,
or distributed in this State.
���� The bill defines hair product
to mean a product made through the synthesis of artificial materials such as
polyester, nylon, acrylic, or cellulose to create fibers that undergo various
processes to resemble human hair.�
���� Under the bill, carcinogens,
reproductive toxicants, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and flame resistant
chemicals are prohibited from being intentionally added to hair products.� The
bill defines a carcinogen as a chemical identified by the World Health
Organization as a �Group 1 carcinogen� or �group 2A carcinogen�; a chemical
identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as �known to be
a human carcinogen� and �reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen�; or a
chemical recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency as �group A
carcinogens� or �group B carcinogens.�� The bill also defines reproductive
toxicant to mean any chemical identified by the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services as a reproductive or developmental toxicant.
���� The bill provides that it is
an unlawful practice and a violation of the consumer fraud act for any person
to manufacture, sell, distribute, or offer for sale in this State a hair
product that emits VOCs when used as intended, or contains an intentionally
added carcinogen, reproductive toxicant, or flame resistant chemical.� A
violation of the bill�s provisions
is punishable by a
monetary penalty of not more than $10,000 for a first offense and not more than
$20,000 for any subsequent offense.� In addition, a violation can result in
cease and desist orders issued by the Attorney General, the assessment of punitive
damages, and the awarding of treble damages and costs to the injured.