The Nickel Report

In 2025, four states—California, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington—proposed fashion accountability bills. These bills would require high-earning entities in the fashion industry to conduct extensive supply chain due diligence, and to monitor and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water use, and chemical management.

Since our last update, the fashion accountability bills have largely stalled in the 2026 legislative session.

All four legislatures operate on two-year cycles (called a “biennium”), starting on odd-numbered years. Bills that are not acted upon or do not meet certain deadlines during the first year of the cycle are carried over to the second year. If these bills do not meet certain deadlines or are not acted on in the second year, they “die” and can no longer be acted on. While the processes of the four legislatures are similar, they differ slightly, including having different requirements for carried-over bills to continue in the legislative session.

California and Washington’s fashion accountability bills have stalled in committee and can no longer be acted on in 2026. California’s bill, AB 405, failed to get out of committee by January 31, 2026, as required by the California Constitution. Cal. Const. art. IV, § 10(c). Washington’s bill, HB 1107, failed to pass its house of origin by February 17, 2026, as required by legislature cut-off deadlines.

Massachusetts’ fashion accountability bill, H. 1032, was issued a study order for additional consideration. A study order authorizes the committee to sit during recess and continue studying a set of bills. The vast majority of these bills do not make it out of the study order. So, while the Massachusetts bill is technically still active, it seems unlikely that there will be further committee action it this year.

New York’s fashion accountability bill, A4631B, is still active and was referred to the Assembly Consumer Affairs and Protection committee on January 7, 2026. The New York legislature has not indicated the likelihood of A4631B making it through the legislative process.

We will continue to monitor the New York and Massachusetts bills throughout the remainder of the 2026 sessions. Retailers should continue to monitor this legislation and future proposals because it is possible that similar bills will be reintroduced in 2027.