Calif. Violent Video Game Bill Passes Committee

[IGBT]

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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters)?California lawmakers reconsidered and approved a bill in committee on Thursday that would ban the sale of violent video games to minors.


The California Assembly's arts committee passed the bill by Democratic Assembly Member Leland Yee on a 6-4 vote after taking it up for reconsideration.

The bill had failed to pass the committee on Tuesday when it fell a vote short of a necessary six votes.

The bill now goes to the full Assembly. If approved, it would go the state Senate for review.


Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose Hollywood film career includes violent movies, has not taken a position on the bill, which allows for $1,000 fines for violators and requires violent video games to be labeled.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Eh, I'm over 18, so I don't care.

 

[Tylanner]

This will cut down on the underage gaming for sure!!!

:roll:

 

[Ns1]

eh that's fine

more or less like going to see an R rated movie

 

[Albis]

i don't see a problem with this and neurosynapsis is right about how this is similar to going to see R rated movies

 

[amol]

Oh well .. I'm 15 and there's something called the internet ... can't stop me from buying it from here ...

I bought a PS2 and GTA:SA back in November ... I was only 14 and the Best Buy sales clerk didn't ask for ID or stop me

 

god!

 

[Dragnov]

It barely passed the committee for gods sake. No, not the general assembly. No, not the senate. No, not past the governor.

Meanwhile, its Illinois, Michigan, and North Carolina looking to actually pass a bill.

 

[imported_Mike]

Violent games already are labeled and those with a "m" rating can't be sold to minors.

 

[Baked]

Ain't gonna stop greed.

 

[Nomada]

Quite justified. I was away for gaming for about 6 years and when I returned I was amazed at how some really mimick life; ie:Vice City, NFSU2.

 

[OFFascist]

Originally posted by: Albis
i don't see a problem with this and neurosynapsis is right about how this is similar to going to see R rated movies

This is different than R ratings on movies.

Movie ratings like game ratings now are not law and the cant be legally enforced, its all voluntary if a movie theater wants to keep people under 17 from seeing an R rated movie just like it is voluntary if a store doesnt want to sell M rated games to those same people.

This changes things and makes it legal matter which IMO is complete bullshit and just another useless law to tie up the court systems.

 

[OFFascist]

BTW if stupid laws like this are past, lets say that I bought an M rated game and later decided to sell it on eBay then I would have to jump through hoops to make sure the person I'm selling too isnt a minor or I "might" face some sort of criminal prosecution or some stupid sh|t like that.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

Yes, let's pass laws instead of paying even a little attention to what our kids do.

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: OFFascist

Originally posted by: Albis
i don't see a problem with this and neurosynapsis is right about how this is similar to going to see R rated movies

This is different than R ratings on movies.

Movie ratings like game ratings now are not law and the cant be legally enforced, its all voluntary if a movie theater wants to keep people under 17 from seeing an R rated movie just like it is voluntary if a store doesnt want to sell M rated games to those same people.

This changes things and makes it legal matter which IMO is complete bullshit and just another useless law to tie up the court systems.

stores get fined IIRC if they sell M games to minors

 

[Away]

Censorship at it's finest. Instead of doing that why don't people try something called parenting.

 

[yukichigai]

Originally posted by: NeuroSynapsis
eh that's fine

more or less like going to see an R rated movie

Yeah, pretty much. Most stores ID on M-rated games anyway, at least around here. (Northern Nevada) The bill doesn't say they can't be sold at all, or that your parents can't buy it for you. And that's the key point: your parents can buy it for you. It kind of forces parents and their kids to communicate in order for the kid to purchase an M-rated game. (theoretically )

 

[neutralizer]

Originally posted by: Jehovah
Eh, I'm over 18, so I don't care.

 

[OFFascist]

Originally posted by: CheapArse
stores get fined IIRC if they sell M games to minors

You recall incorrectly.

The whole ESRB ratings are volunatry "self regulation" like the MPAA ratings on movies are. They are not backed up by law.

Stores cannot be fined for selling M rated games to minors unless laws like this one in question are passed.

Maybe some states already have laws like this in place and that is what you are thinking about, but I havent heard of it before. I know that Texas however has not passed such laws.

 

[Amused]

Another step in the attempt at having the state replace the parent.

 

[PingSpike]

Soon I won't have to raise my kid at all, I can just plop him in front of the nearest blue light source and go back to what I was doing before he was born.