Illinois Game Bill Passed
Games Groups Sue
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Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday signed the The Safe Games Illinois Act into law and has set the date for activation as January 1st. The bill was introduced last year by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora) and is targeted to limit the sale or rental of game with "violent and sexually explicit" content. Retailers would be fined up to $1,000 if they are caught violating the law, much like the California Bill that was promoted earlier this year. Numerous video games groups and retailer association have jumped to halt the implementation of the bill including Entertainment Software Association, Video Software Dealers Association and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association who have all filed suit against the Illinois.
"This law will have a chilling effect on free speech. It will limit First Amendment rights not only for Illinois’ residents, but for game developers and publishers, and for retailers who won’t know what games can and cannot be sold or rented under this vague new statute," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the ESA, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. "I’m confident the court will affirm our position. There is already a precedent-setting ruling from the Seventh Circuit, which includes Illinois, establishing the unconstitutionality of this type of statute – and the facts, the science, the law, and the U.S. Constitution have not changed since that decision."
"This law will have a chilling effect on free speech. It will limit First Amendment rights not only for Illinois’ residents, but for game developers and publishers, and for retailers who won’t know what games can and cannot be sold or rented under this vague new statute," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the ESA, the trade group representing U.S. computer and video game publishers. "I’m confident the court will affirm our position. There is already a precedent-setting ruling from the Seventh Circuit, which includes Illinois, establishing the unconstitutionality of this type of statute – and the facts, the science, the law, and the U.S. Constitution have not changed since that decision."