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Schwarzenegger Signs Bill on Violent Video Games
California has joined Illinois and Michigan in passing a bill that makes it illegal to sell or rent violent video games to minors. The bill, authored by Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Leland Yee, also a child psychologist, makes retailers who violate the act liable for up to $1,000.00 for each violation. Although the courts have found prior prohibitions unconstitutional, similar bills have been proposed in almost every state.
The California law will take effect on January 1, 2006. The bill bans the sale or rental of violent video games to minors, where such games include killing, maiming, dismembering or sexually assaulting an image of a human being. The game will also be subject to a ban if the violence within it is “patently offensive,” “cruel,” “depraved,” or “heinous.” According to Yee, the burden for categorizing the games will be on the game publishers or their distributors, who will be expected to label games that contain such violent images with a designation for adult sale only.
The video-game industry representatives are critical of the governor, as well as the legislation, and have already vowed to challenge it in court.
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