AB 2302 passed 69-0 last week; CR urges Senate to act without delay
SACRAMENTO, CA—Consumer Reports (CR) applauded the California State Assembly for passing AB 2302 with a unanimous 69-0 vote last week. This legislation would require infant formula manufacturers to test their products monthly for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury—and make the results publicly available starting January 1, 2028. CR urges the California Senate to pass AB 2302.
“A unanimous vote sends a clear message: the California Assembly stands with parents and caregivers who deserve to know what’s in the formula they feed their babies,” said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports. “Our testing has shown time and again that contaminants remain a persistent problem in infant formula. But, the good news is that our results also showed there are plenty of safe options available for families. We urge the Senate to act without delay.”
AB 2302, introduced by Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez, would require manufacturers to conduct monthly testing of final formula products and require brand owners to publish those test results so consumers can access this information.
In March, a CR nationally representative survey of 2,212 U.S. adults found that 86 percent of Americans were at least somewhat concerned about toxic elements, such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium in infant formula and baby food. Ninety percent said that manufacturers of infant formula and baby food should be required to regularly test their products for the presence of toxic elements and make the results public.
Consumer Reports testing confirms why this bill is needed. In March 2025, CR published results from testing 41 infant formulas for lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals— findings that prompted the FDA to announce its Operation Stork Speed initiative. A follow up CR investigation published in March 2026 tested 49 more formulas and found the problem persists.
Key findings include:
- 26 of 49 formulas tested had inorganic arsenic at or above CR’s level of concern, based on updated EPA risk assessments.
- No current FDA limits exist for arsenic, lead, or other heavy metals in infant formula— and manufacturers are not currently required to test for them.
- Safer options do exist. CR’s testing identified many safer choices, including formulas available through the WIC program, providing actionable guidance for families.
AB 2302 is part of a slate of pro-consumer, CR-endorsed bills advancing to the California Senate this session, including AB 1901, which would require full ingredient disclosure on disposable diapers, and AB 2244, which would create a first-in-the-nation certification label for non-ultraprocessed foods.
***
Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org