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Bill

S 2275

Establishes certain testing, certification, and labeling requirements for manufacturers and sellers of final hair products; establishes limits on amount of certain intentionally added chemicals. **

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Renee Burgess and 2 co-sponsors

NJ will ban artificial hair products that emit VOCs or contain carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, or flame‑resistant chemicals, with penalties for violations.

Senate Amendment (Voice) (Ruiz)
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 2275

Summary of Bill S. 2275 (New Jersey, 222nd Legislature)

Purpose and intent

  • Prohibits the intentional addition of certain hazardous substances to “hair products” manufactured, sold, or distributed in New Jersey.
  • Aims to ban substances linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, flame resistance concerns, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in artificial-fiber hair products.

Key definitions (scope and terms)

  • “Hair product” means a product made from the synthesis of artificial materials (e.g., polyester, nylon, acrylic, cellulose) to create fibers that resemble human hair.
  • “Carcinogen” includes chemicals identified as:
    • Group 1 or Group 2A carcinogens by the World Health Organization/IARC;
    • Known to be a human carcinogen or reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Public Health Service Act;
    • Group A or Group B carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
  • “Reproductive toxicant” means chemicals identified by HHS/NTP as reproductive or developmental toxicants.
  • “Volatile organic compound” (VOC) has the same definition as in existing New Jersey law.
  • The term “chemical” includes substances with distinct molecular composition and their breakdown products.

Prohibited substances and practices

  • It is an unlawful practice under New Jersey consumer protection laws for any person to:
    • Manufacture, sell, distribute, or offer for sale in NJ a hair product that emits VOCs when used as intended, or
    • Contain an intentionally added carcinogen, reproductive toxicant, or flame-resistant chemical.

Penalties and enforcement

  • Violations trigger penalties under the consumer fraud act:
    • First offense: up to $10,000.
    • Subsequent offenses: up to $20,000 each.
  • Additional enforcement tools and remedies include:
    • Cease-and-desist orders issued by the Attorney General,
    • Potential punitive damages,
    • Potential treble damages and costs to the injured party.

Effective date and administrative provisions

  • The act would take effect on the first day of the thirteenth month after enactment.
  • The Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs may take anticipatory administrative actions to implement the bill’s provisions before the effective date if needed.

Affected parties and impact

  • Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of hair products that are synthetic-fiber-based (artificial hair products) would be directly affected.
  • Consumers would gain protections from exposure to carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, VOCs, and certain flame-retardant chemicals in these products.
  • Regulatory agencies (Attorney General/Division of Consumer Affairs) would enforce compliance and penalties.

Procedural status

  • Introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Commerce Committee.
  • Reported from the Senate Committee with amendments and moved to 2nd Reading (as of June 8, 2026).
  • Pre-filed for introduction in the 2026 session; sponsored by Sens. Teresa Ruiz and Renee Burgess, with Sen. Angela McKnight as a co-sponsor.

Practical considerations

  • The bill relies on existing classifications for “carcinogen” and “reproductive toxicant” from national and international agencies.
  • It does not specify a testing regime or certification process for products beyond prohibiting the specified substances; the bill mentions testing/certification in its title, but the enacted text focuses on prohibitions and penalties. If enacted, implementing regulations would be critical to define testing, certification, and verification mechanisms.

If you’d like, I can extract side-by-side comparisons with current NJ law, or draft potential regulatory language that agencies might use to implement this bill.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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