PRINTER'S NO. 987
No. 822 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY WAGNER, LOGAN, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA, MUSTO, ORIE, RAFFERTY, MOWERY, WONDERLING AND RHOADES, JUNE 17, 2003
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, JUNE 17, 2003
AN ACT 1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania 2 Consolidated Statutes, providing for the offense of selling 3 or furnishing violent video or computer games to minors. 4 The General Assembly hereby finds and declares as follows: 5 (1) Within the last ten years the video game market, 6 particularly the use of home video game systems, has exploded 7 throughout this Commonwealth and the nation. 8 (2) Video games are available to children not only at 9 traditional places of business specializing in amusement but 10 also through a variety of retail outlets and magazine sales 11 for home use and by communication on the Internet. 12 (3) Improvements to the picture, speed and resolution of 13 the new age of video games have made the depiction of 14 characters, places and events contained in the games 15 amazingly realistic. 16 (4) Some, but not all, video games contain graphic and 17 repeated scenes of violence which include decapitation, 18 bloodshed, dismemberment, killing and death by the use of
1 lethal weapons or hand-to-hand combat. 2 (5) The General Assembly recognizes that violent crime 3 is a serious and persistent problem in our society, 4 especially among our youth. 5 (6) The General Assembly further recognizes that, as 6 confirmed by current scientific data, the repeated exposure 7 to graphic violence and participation in violent interactive 8 games may contribute to violent behavior by our youth and 9 desensitizes them to acts of violence. 10 (7) Information regarding the content of graphic 11 violence contained in movies and television programs as well 12 as information regarding the lyrics of music is provided to 13 consumers and parents so that they may make choices 14 concerning the depiction of violence and whether they elect 15 to have their children exposed to such content. 16 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 17 hereby enacts as follows: 18 Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated 19 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read: 20 § 6321. Selling or furnishing violent video or computer games 21 to minors. 22 (a) Offense defined.--A person commits a summary offense if 23 the person sells, rents or otherwise provides for use for a 24 charge any violent video or computer game to a minor. A person 25 commits a misdemeanor of the third degree for a second or 26 subsequent violation of this subsection. 27 (b) Required listings.--A person or business offering any 28 video game or computer game for sale, loan or use shall make 29 available the most recent listings of the Entertainment Software 30 Rating Board for the inspection and review by any potential 20030S0822B0987 - 2 -
1 purchaser, user or transferee of such video or computer game. 2 Failure to make such information available shall constitute a 3 summary offense for a first offense and a misdemeanor of the 4 third degree for a second or subsequent violation of this 5 subsection. 6 (c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following 7 words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this 8 subsection: 9 "Entertainment Software Rating Board." The independent 10 rating system established by the Interactive Digital Software 11 Association developed to provide consumer information regarding 12 the content of video and computer software games and which may 13 be found on the Internet at the Entertainment Software Rating 14 Board World Wide Web site. 15 "Minor." Any person under 18 years of age. 16 "Violent video or computer game." A video or computer game 17 that contains realistic or photograph-like depictions of 18 aggressive conflict in which the player kills, injures or 19 otherwise causes physical harm to a human form. 20 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. F5L18DMS/20030S0822B0987 - 3 -