For the last several years, Virginia Senator Jennifer Boysko has been advocating for animals trapped in laboratories by working to make it easier for members of the public to obtain information about animal research at state-funded facilities, like public universities.

In her most recent 2024 bill, Senator Boysko simply asked that taxpayer-funded animal research facilities tell the public the total number of animals used in their research and the percentage of their funds used for both animal and non-animal research. That’s all.

Unwilling to share even this most basic information with those who fund their work, the animal research industry – led by Virginia’s public universities – succeeded in getting the reporting of this information stalled.

Per the amended bill, the state of Virginia must invest in the creation and facilitation of a task force to determine whether research facilities should be made to provide this information – i.e., whether research facilities should be made to answer the most elementary questions for their funders.

If you are a Virginia resident, please contact Senator Jennifer Boysko to thank her for her work and tell her that you want to see greater transparency in animal research, including by requiring that state-funded universities provide to the public the information outlined in the original version of her 2024 bill and that she identified at the task force meeting.