The law banning sale of violent games to minors in California ended up costing $1.8 million but the law’s makers don’t care.
We all rejoiced when the Supreme Court struck down the law proposed by then State Representative Leland Yee which would impose a $1,000 to any retailer in California which sold a violent game to a minor. The landmark victory cemented videogames as free speech that can’t be regulated based on content. The taxpayers of California have to foot the bill for the legal costs associated with defended the law – which will total $1.8 million when you factor in $500,000 of the state Attorney General office’s own man-hours – but Yee and those in former Governor Schwarzenegger’s inner circle are not sorry for pushing the law forward to the highest court in the land, despite legal counsel that it would never be upheld and the fact that two lesser courts had already overturned the law. Those involved believe they were justified in spending California’s money during the financial crisis of 2009.
“I felt it was important that the state take an active role in protecting kids, because that’s our responsibility,” said Leland Yee, now a State Senator.
The decision to appeal the District Court’s ruling and bring this case before the Supreme Court ultimately landed on the Governator’s desk. “It was an important issue to the governor,” said one of Schwarzenegger’s legal advisers, Andrea Hoch. “It was something he felt strongly about.”
“I think we felt the issue was so important that it warranted the costs associated with it,” said Jim Humes for the Attorney General at the time, Jerry Brown. Brown is the current governor of California.
These individuals felt their crusade to deprive young children of violent games was worth $1.8 million. What do you think? Was it worth it?
Source: Sacramento Bee
