EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1448*
HOUSE BILL 1448
J1 5lr2984
By: Delegate Cullison
Introduced and read first time: February 7, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Animal Testing and Research – Alternative Nonanimal Test Methods 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting certain research facilities in the State from using a 3
traditional animal test method if an alternative nonanimal test method has received 4
certain approval or the requirement to use a traditional animal test method is 5
waived; requiring certain research facilities to conduct testing using traditional 6
animal test methods in a certain manner; requiring certain research facilities to 7
annually submit a report to the Attorney General regarding the test methods used; 8
requiring the Attorney General to make the reports publicly available; requiring the 9
Attorney General to enforce this Act; and generally relating to the use of alternative 10
nonanimal test methods. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – Health – General 13
Section 24–23A–01 through 24–23A–05 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 23A. 14
Alternative Nonanimal Test Methods” 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Health – General 20
SUBTITLE 23A. ALTERNATIVE NONANIMAL TEST METHODS. 21
24–23A–01. 22
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE T HE FOLLOWING WORDS H AVE THE MEANINGS 23
INDICATED. 24 2 HOUSE BILL 1448
(B) (1) “ALTERNATIVE NONANIMAL TEST METHOD ” MEANS A TEST 1
METHOD THAT : 2
(I) DOES NOT USE A LIVE VERTEBRATE AN IMAL; AND 3
(II) PROVIDES INFORMATION OF EQUIVALENT OR BET TER 4
SCIENTIFIC QUALITY AND RELEVANC E COMPARED TO A TRAD ITIONAL ANIMAL TEST 5
METHOD. 6
(2) “ALTERNATIVE NONANIMAL TEST METHOD ” INCLUDES: 7
(I) COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOL OGY AND BIOINFORMATI CS; 8
(II) HIGH–THROUGHPUT SCREENING METHODS; 9
(III) TESTING OF CATEGORIES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES ; 10
(IV) TIERED TESTING METHOD S; 11
(V) IN VITRO STUDIES; AND 12
(VI) MICROPHYSIOLOGICAL SY STEMS. 13
(C) “TRADITIONAL ANIMAL TE ST METHOD ” MEANS A PROCESS , 14
PROCEDURE , OR EXPERIMENT USING LIVE VERTEBRATE ANIM ALS TO: 15
(1) OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THE C HARACTERISTICS OF A PRODUCT, 16
INCLUDING: 17
(I) A CHEMICAL; 18
(II) AN INGREDIENT; 19
(III) A DRUG; 20
(IV) A VACCINE; OR 21
(V) A PRODUCT FORMULATION ; AND 22
(2) GENERATE INFORMATION REGARDING THE ABILIT Y OF THE 23
PRODUCT TO PRODUCE A SPECIFIC B IOLOGICAL EFFECT UND ER SPECIFIED 24
CONDITIONS. 25 HOUSE BILL 1448 3
24–23A–02. 1
THIS SUBTITLE APPLIES ONLY TO A RESEARCH F ACILITY THAT IS LOCA TED IN 2
THE STATE AND REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH 3
INSPECTION SERVICE FORM 7023, AS DEFINED IN § 24–2301 OF THIS TITLE. 4
24–23A–03. 5
(A) THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY WITH RESPECT TO: 6
(1) ANIMAL RESEARCH CONDU CTED FOR THE PURPOSE S OF 7
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TO INVESTIGATE : 8
(I) THE BIOLOGICAL PROCES S; 9
(II) CAUSES OF DISEASE ; OR 10
(III) HOW PROCESSES IN LIVI NG ORGANISMS DEVELOP AND 11
FUNCTION; OR 12
(2) A TRADITIONAL ANIMAL T EST METHOD USED TO C OMPLY WITH: 13
(I) THE REQUIREMENTS OF A FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCY; OR 14
(II) A WRITTEN REQUEST FROM A FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCY 15
WHEN THE AGENCY HAS EXPRESSLY CONCLUDED THAT A TRADITIONAL A NIMAL 16
TEST METHOD IS NEEDE D TO FULLY ASSESS TH E IMPACT ON THE HEAL TH OR SAFETY 17
OF CONSUMERS . 18
(B) A RESEARCH FACILITY MA Y NOT USE A TRADITIO NAL ANIMAL TEST 19
METHOD IF: 20
(1) AN ALTERNATIVE NONANI MAL TEST METHOD HAS BEEN 21
APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE F OR REGULATING 22
THE SPECIFIC PRODUCT OR ACTIVITY BEING TE STED; OR 23
(2) THE FEDERAL OR STATE AGENCY RESPONSIBLE F OR 24
REGULATING THE SPECI FIC PRODUCT OR ACTIV ITY BEING TESTED HAS MAD E 25
AVAILABLE OR GRANTED A WAIVER FROM USING A TRADITIONAL ANIMAL TEST 26
METHOD. 27
4 HOUSE BILL 1448
(C) IF ALLOWED TO USE A TRADITIONAL ANIMAL TEST METHOD , A 1
RESEARCH FACILITY SHALL: 2
(1) USE THE FEWEST NUMBER OF ANIMALS PO SSIBLE; AND 3
(2) REDUCE THE LEVEL OF PAIN, SUFFERING, AND STRESS OF THE 4
ANIMALS USED FOR TESTING . 5
24–23A–04. 6
(A) (1) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 20 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2027, 7
EACH RESEARCH FACILIT Y SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 8
WITH INFORMATION RELATED TO THE TRADITIONAL ANIMAL T EST METHOD S AND 9
ALTERNATIVE NONANIMA L TEST METHOD S USED BY THE RESEARCH FACI LITY IN 10
THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G CALENDAR YEAR . 11
(2) THE REPORT REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS 12
SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE : 13
(I) IF THE RESEARCH FA CILITY USED TRADITIO NAL ANIMAL 14
TEST METHODS DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD : 15
1. A DESCRIPTION OF EACH TRADITIONAL ANIMAL T EST 16
METHOD USED AND THE REASON THE TEST METH OD WAS REQUIRED ; AND 17
2. THE NUMBER AND SPECIE S OF ANIMAL USED ; AND 18
(II) IF THE RESEARCH FACILITY US ED ALTERNATIVE 19
NONANIMAL TEST METHO DS DURING THE REPORT ING PERIOD: 20
1. THE TYPE S AND NUMBER OF ALTERN ATIVE 21
NONANIMAL TEST METHO DS USED; AND 22
2. THE NUMBER OF WAIVERS RECEIVED BY THE 23
RESEARCH FACILITY UN DER § 24–23A–03 OF THIS SUBTITLE. 24
(B) ON OR BEFORE APRIL 20 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2027, THE 25
ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL MAKE THE INFORMATION SUBMITTED UNDER 26
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION PUBL ICLY AVAILABLE. 27
24–23A–05. 28
(A) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL ENFORCE THIS SUBTITLE. 29 HOUSE BILL 1448 5
(B) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL MAY PETITION THE CIRCUIT COURT TO: 1
(1) ISSUE AN ORDER RESTRA INING OR ENJOINING A VIOLATION OF 2
THIS SUBTITLE; AND 3
(2) GRANT ANY OTHER RELIE F THAT THE COURT DET ERMINES IS 4
NECESSARY. 5
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That th is Act shall take effect 6
January 1, 2026. 7