New Video Game Legislation Proposed in Kansas
GP's recent coverage of game-related happenings in Kansas has exhausted our supply of cutesy opening lines based on the Wizard of Oz (as well as our readers' tolerance of same), so we'll just come right out with the news:
As expected, Kansas has joined the ranks of states considering video game legislation in 2006. HB 2921 was introduced last week by Rep. Jim Ward (left), a Democrat, and has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for review.
The bill, part of the Kansas Democratic Party's Partnership With Families initiative, has been termed "The Child Protection from Violent Video Games Act." It was hinted at by Gov. Kathleen Sibelius during her recent State of the State address.
If passed by the Kansas House and Senate, it's a given that Gov. Sibelius would sign the bill into law. HB 2921 would then become part of the state's Criminal Code and would make it a misdemeanor for retailers to distribute "M" and "AO"-rated games to minors. Penalties include a $1,000 fine for a first offense and up to $2,500 for subsequent convictions.
GP: As submitted, the bill's language is quite sparse compared to other state legislation we've seen over the past year. Expect some tweaking along the way. Of particular note is the fact that the Democratic Party's website also refers to a requirement to display mature-themed games in an area not accessible to minors, while the actual bill contains no such language.