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"I would like to commend and thank the
House of Representative for moving Illinois one step closer to
protecting our children from violent and sexually explicit video
games," said Gov. Blagojevich. "In today's world, parents face
unprecedented challenges in monitoring and protecting their children
from harmful influences. This bill will make their job easier. I
strongly encourage the Senate to follow the House's lead and help
turn this important and common-sense legislation into law."
Last week, the House Judiciary
Committee on Civil Law unanimously approved the Safe Games Illinois
Act, sending the bill to the House floor. Dr. Michael Rich, director
of the Center on Media and Child Health, provided expert testimony
to members of the committee on the ill effects of violent and
sexually explicit video games.
"Being a parent myself, I know how
difficult it can be to control what your children see on a daily
basis," said Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, chief sponsor of the
legislation. "It's troubling to think that a 14-year-old can legally
buy a video game where gang members, prostitutes and criminals are
the main characters. We can't always control the world outside, but
we can control the images our children see at home. This legislation
is an important step to ensuring children under 18 are not exposed
to the needless sex and violence depicted in many video games. I
introduced this legislation because I believe children under 18
should not be able to purchase video games intended for adults.
Illinois has the opportunity to lead the nation on this issue, and
I'm determined to see this important legislation signed into law."
"As the science continues to show a
stronger link between excessively graphic video games and negative
behavior by the kids who play them, it is clear that action must be
taken to address the issue," said Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago.
"This bill represents a significant step in protecting not only our
children, but our society, in a responsible manner."
The Safe Games Illinois Act would
ban the rental and sale of violent and sexually explicit video games
to children younger than 18. Retailers who violate the ban would be
committing a Class A misdemeanor and could face up to one year in
prison or a $5,000 fine. The bill also requires retailers to label
violent and sexually explicit video games, similar to the "Parental
Advisory" label found on music CDs, and to post signs explaining the
video game rating system. A retailer's failure to properly label
games or place proper signs is punishable by a $1,000 fine for the
first three violations and a $5,000 fine for every subsequent
violation.
"We need to protect children," said
Rep. Paul Froehlich, R-Schaumburg. "This bill will help parents keep
violent and explicit video games out of their children's hands."
Froehlich and the Illinois State Crime Commission conducted an
independent undercover investigation in early January that found 11
out of 15 suburban retailers sold mature-rated video games to a
15-year-old minor.
[to top of second column in this article] |
 Various studies demonstrate the
negative impact playing violent and sexually explicit video games
has on minors. One such study, completed in 2003 by four experts,
including Douglas Gentile from the National Institute on Media and
the Family, concluded that adolescents who expose themselves to
greater amounts of video game violence were more hostile, reported
getting into arguments with teachers more frequently, were more
likely to be involved in physical fights and performed more poorly
in school.
The National Institute of Media and
the Family recently found that 92 percent of all children ages 2 to
17 play video games, and the average child spends nine hours each
week playing them. The institute also found that 87 percent of
preteen and teenage boys play games rated "M" for "mature" by the
Entertainment Software Ratings Board. M-rated games often contain
realistic depictions of human injury and death, mutilation of body
parts, rape, sex, profanity, and drug, alcohol and tobacco
consumption.
Even though games are labeled with
"M" rating, there are no legal mechanisms in place preventing
children from buying or renting them. Unlike the motion picture
industry, the video game industry has not developed an effective
self-regulation system that keeps adult material out of the hands of
minors. In 2003, the Federal Trade Commission found that 69 percent
of teenagers were able to purchase M-rated video games -- giving
them easy access to images many adults would consider offensive. The
FTC also found that not only are minors easily purchasing violent
and sexually explicit games, 10 of the 11 companies it studied
produced at least one marketing document specifically targeting boys
under 17 for a violent, M-rated game.
Under the Safe Games Illinois Act,
"violent" games are defined as those that include realistic
depictions of human-on-human violence in which the player kills,
injures or otherwise causes serious physical harm to another human,
including but not limited to depictions of death, dismemberment,
amputation, decapitation, maiming, disfigurement, mutilation of body
parts or rape. "Sexually explicit" games are defined as those that
the average person -- applying contemporary community standards with
respect to minors -- would find are designed to appeal or pander to
the prurient interest and that depict or represent in a manner
patently offensive to minors any of the following: an actual or
simulated sexual act or sexual contact, an actual or simulated
normal or perverted sexual act, or a lewd exhibition of reproductive
organs.
State Sen. Deanna Demuzio,
D-Carlinville will be the lead sponsor of this legislation in the
Senate.
[News release from the
governor's office]
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