California Assembly Committee Approves Bill to Ban Sales of Violent Videogames to Youth

A key committee of the California Assembly backed yesterday a bill that would ban the sale or rental of violent videogames to children under the age of 17.

"For the same reason we don't allow kids to buy pornography, cigarettes and alcohol, we shouldn't allow them to go to stores and buy video games that teach them to do the very things we put people in jail for - abusing women, joining street gangs, killing police officers or even assassinating President Kennedy," said Rhonda Gruska, government relations director for the Girl Scout Councils of California.

The bill (AB405) would authorize fines of up to $1,000 for persons or companies that violate the act, which contemplates the sale or rental of violent videogames to minors.

The bill defines violent games as those that appeal to a minors’ morbid interest in violence, inflict serious injury upon human beings or creatures with human characteristics.