Violent games bill does the rounds in California once more

A bill which would make it illegal for Mature-rated games to be sold to minors has passed through the Assembly Judiciary Committee in California, bringing the controversial legislation one step closer to becoming law.

The bill is being proposed by assemblyman Leland Yee, who has pushed forward a number of variations on this legislation before - but up until now, all have been either defeated, or severely watered down.

The bill now being considered would make it illegal to sell, rent of distribute violent games which "depict serious injury to human beings in a manner that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel" to minors under the age of 16.

The penalty to retailers for selling such games to children would total $1000 for each violation of the proposed law.

Unsurprisingly, the bill is opposed by the Interactive Entertainment Merchant's Association, which argues that it is unnecessary legislation - since its members are already voluntarily implementing carding policies for young people buying mature games.

Yee's bill and "similarly redundant pieces of legislation" are "wholly unnecessary and a frivolous and irresponsible waste of taxpayer resources," according to IEMA president Hal Halpin.

The next stop for the bill will be the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee of the Californian Assembly, after which it will pass on for a full vote of the Assembly.

However, even if it passes that stage, the bill still has a rocky road ahead of it before becoming law - since similar bills in other states have repeatedly been ruled unconstitutional for infringing on the first amendment rights of game publishers and developers.