Lawmaker Would Bar Violent Game Sales to Kids

By Ben Berkowitz

Mon May 6, 8:54 PM ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California congressman wants to make it a federal crime to rent or sell video games showing violence, prostitution and drug use to anyone under the age of 17 without parental consent.

But representatives of the video game industry and a leading retailer called the bill unnecessary and questioned its legal standing under the U.S. Constitution's free speech provisions.

Rep. Joe Baca (D-Calif.), who represents a district in southern California's "Inland Empire" region, introduced the bill last Thursday. Co-signed by 21 members of the House of Representatives, the bill covers eight kinds of explicit in-game depictions, including scenes of decapitation and dismemberment, murder, car jackings, illegal drug use, rape, prostitution, assault and other violent crimes.

Under the proposed law, a first offense by a retailer would carry a fine of up to $1,000. A second offense would carry a fine of up to $5,000. Any subsequent offenses would be punishable by a jail term of up to 90 days, a fine of up to $5,000 or both.

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