California Rejects New Video Game Laws

Two bills designed to restrict the access of minors to violent video games have failed to clear a committee of California's state Assembly, ensuring that they will not become law in 2004 unless the committee changes its mind. One bill, which would expand the definition of "harmful matter to children" to include certain types of violent games, received a favorable 5-4 vote, while the second, regulating how some games are displayed in stores, was voted down 4-3. Both needed seven votes in favor to be approved by the Assembly's committee on arts, entertainment, sports, tourism and Internet media. The video game industry's trade group, the Entertainment Software Association, has criticized the laws as both unnecessary and unconstitutional. Source: Reuters